Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Luxury Prisons Vs simple Homes
The temporary home for me these days is in Colombo suburb.The area is residential, well secured and luckily not absent from greenery too.Its a quite visible that 20perch blocks were sold to different people few years back. Still there are some bare blocks and its wonderful these blocks of lands were not "developed" by a land sale company before selling. Therefore few large jak trees and some coconut trees are around while hedges are full of small wild bushes.
New houses are building up day by day.When walking down the lane I have observed how luxury type houses emerged here and there within weeks. Now , after few months earlier bare lands were totally occupied by these massive houses. The walls surrounding almost all sides gives a look of fortress than houses to these homes.The height of the walls explained how in-secured the home occupants would feel.From the gates open rarely I can saw 20 perch blocks ware fully covered with cement. Few pots of flowers were here and there. Luxury vehicles come and go in the early morning and late evenings. A grandfather was seen inside the walls sometimes , just eagerly looking through the gate which is open slightly.School vans come and go every day. But kids nor adult was rarely seen outside. May be the occupants do not want to be part of the environment they live. But for me , its too difficult. After a busy day , when I come back home, the clear empty sky and the mild breeze invite me to stay little time outside. Some times I just walk out the large gate of my apartment and emerged silently in the blessing of the nature still felt around thanks to few bare lands around.
Next to the my lane I have noticed a big family lives in a traditional home. The grandfather raises a herd of buffaloes there so the house is not unnoticeable at all. The few bare lands by my lane is the feeding ground for these creatures.Initially I wonder how this old man occupy all these lands so freely with no hesitation - like the owner of all lands. But later I manged to see the things more clearly and how much he is integrated with the environment than many of us. He may not know the actual owners of the lands. He may not worry also. He would never want to claim ownership of these lands. He just feed his mighty army and let the field become more and more fertilized. With time I felt the most lively part of the environment is the herd of these buffaloes, the feeding , washing and milking of them. He is active and full of energy and walk like a king with his herd , allowing me to feel little jealous about the freedom he enjoys.
But soon I found more lively things.I was shocked by the giggling and screaming of kids around in a recent weekend. Through my window I saw some children, both girls and boys in simple cloths were having a nice time with a double swing hanging on Jak tree in a bare land nearby. Some kids were playing with sliders made out of coconut branches. The grandfather , the owner of the buffaloes, was keenly looking at the swing , and even from the distance I could figure out the satisfactory , proud smile on his old face ! May be he is really proud of his work or the proud of his grandchildren who are carefree and enjoying the life to the fullest.
I wonder who are people really enjoying life in my surrounding. This grandfather may be the poorest person in financial terms in this area. But what about his well-being & happiness ? Does the overall happiness is a direct function of wealth ? Anyway I felt sorry for the kids and grandparents locked up in luxury prisons and the life they miss just in front of their lives.
New houses are building up day by day.When walking down the lane I have observed how luxury type houses emerged here and there within weeks. Now , after few months earlier bare lands were totally occupied by these massive houses. The walls surrounding almost all sides gives a look of fortress than houses to these homes.The height of the walls explained how in-secured the home occupants would feel.From the gates open rarely I can saw 20 perch blocks ware fully covered with cement. Few pots of flowers were here and there. Luxury vehicles come and go in the early morning and late evenings. A grandfather was seen inside the walls sometimes , just eagerly looking through the gate which is open slightly.School vans come and go every day. But kids nor adult was rarely seen outside. May be the occupants do not want to be part of the environment they live. But for me , its too difficult. After a busy day , when I come back home, the clear empty sky and the mild breeze invite me to stay little time outside. Some times I just walk out the large gate of my apartment and emerged silently in the blessing of the nature still felt around thanks to few bare lands around.
Next to the my lane I have noticed a big family lives in a traditional home. The grandfather raises a herd of buffaloes there so the house is not unnoticeable at all. The few bare lands by my lane is the feeding ground for these creatures.Initially I wonder how this old man occupy all these lands so freely with no hesitation - like the owner of all lands. But later I manged to see the things more clearly and how much he is integrated with the environment than many of us. He may not know the actual owners of the lands. He may not worry also. He would never want to claim ownership of these lands. He just feed his mighty army and let the field become more and more fertilized. With time I felt the most lively part of the environment is the herd of these buffaloes, the feeding , washing and milking of them. He is active and full of energy and walk like a king with his herd , allowing me to feel little jealous about the freedom he enjoys.
But soon I found more lively things.I was shocked by the giggling and screaming of kids around in a recent weekend. Through my window I saw some children, both girls and boys in simple cloths were having a nice time with a double swing hanging on Jak tree in a bare land nearby. Some kids were playing with sliders made out of coconut branches. The grandfather , the owner of the buffaloes, was keenly looking at the swing , and even from the distance I could figure out the satisfactory , proud smile on his old face ! May be he is really proud of his work or the proud of his grandchildren who are carefree and enjoying the life to the fullest.
I wonder who are people really enjoying life in my surrounding. This grandfather may be the poorest person in financial terms in this area. But what about his well-being & happiness ? Does the overall happiness is a direct function of wealth ? Anyway I felt sorry for the kids and grandparents locked up in luxury prisons and the life they miss just in front of their lives.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Seal by the south sea
After completing almost two days at deep sea, this lovely seal mother has came back to shore to have a rest with around 50 more companions. They rest for more than 12 hours , sleeping and sleeping like lazy pussy cats, while feeding the little ones time to time. But they are huge in size , close to the height of a average human being. Its amazing to see how nature has created such wonderful creatures as part of our planet earth.
They have a nice and secure colony alone the islands by south coast of Australia.By the time I write this, she might be diving deep in the south sea searching foods , waiting to see her kids after two more days.
They have a nice and secure colony alone the islands by south coast of Australia.By the time I write this, she might be diving deep in the south sea searching foods , waiting to see her kids after two more days.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Women Friendship
Our eyes met when I was searching the entrance of the conference venue, actually the exact room which i's going to be held. It was a surprise to see a smiling face in this unfamiliar environment. She was wearing a security uniform but the face was filled with kindness and warmth which is unusual for such a profession. I manged to find my way to the hall myself and we departed with just smiles shared.
We met as strangers during in next few days as well. Finally on one morning she came to me and asked politely " Are you also from India?". Well , I was not from India and I had to explain my origin. The conversation continued . She is from Fiji and speaks Hindi and celebrates Deepavali. She had left her country around 14 years back . However it was quite evident that she has not forgotten her Asian upbringing while earning her life as a security officer in Sydney.
There were many people I met in the conference, many nice people came from around the world. They all were sharing common interest - the theme of the conference. This lady knows nothing about the conference topic yet the nice way she treated us make her one notable character during the journey.
We met as strangers during in next few days as well. Finally on one morning she came to me and asked politely " Are you also from India?". Well , I was not from India and I had to explain my origin. The conversation continued . She is from Fiji and speaks Hindi and celebrates Deepavali. She had left her country around 14 years back . However it was quite evident that she has not forgotten her Asian upbringing while earning her life as a security officer in Sydney.
There were many people I met in the conference, many nice people came from around the world. They all were sharing common interest - the theme of the conference. This lady knows nothing about the conference topic yet the nice way she treated us make her one notable character during the journey.Later we shared some ideas about our lives and got to know she's a happy and proud mother of two kids. What challenges she might have faced while working as a migrant worker , then getting PR? Doesn't she miss her relations in Fiji ? Her guess of me being Indian might be due to the fact that Fiji is also an Indian Island.
How interesting it is to find friendship with a Fijian security woman in a technology conference held in Sydney ?
Monday, October 12, 2009
How small am I?
One evening last month , got a chance to spent some hours by the beach . It was just before the full moon poya day. The moon light on the waves gave a magnificent glory .The silver shadows moved up and down with the waves . The mother nature was blessing the sea with no greediness.
The mere emptiness of the sea and the sky stretched far away made my heart lighter in few minutes. How small am I; How small am I compare to this massive world; I questioned myself. May be not larger than a tiny stone in the beach.
The place was only an one hour drive from my home. However the last visit happened more than several years back. Were I that much busy ? How much of real life we are missing in our so called busy lives ?
"Where is the life we have lost in living? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?"
T. S. Elliot
The mere emptiness of the sea and the sky stretched far away made my heart lighter in few minutes. How small am I; How small am I compare to this massive world; I questioned myself. May be not larger than a tiny stone in the beach.
The place was only an one hour drive from my home. However the last visit happened more than several years back. Were I that much busy ? How much of real life we are missing in our so called busy lives ?
"Where is the life we have lost in living? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?"
T. S. Elliot
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I am touched by your comment
" when childhood comes to our mind, our school is remembered
when love is what we seek, our mother is remembered
when we are in trouble , even now , its you who is remembered"
Few hours back, the voice of a youth who was a student of mine long time ago came over the telephone line , and while sharing struggles he and his colleges are going through with me, he just mentioned above few lines, which I never expected to hear but truly touched my heart.
Well, good listing might be helpful , but it was not me but you who had found your potential and moved forward all the time, whenever you turn to me for some help.you all have marvelous courage and energy as well as sense of humanity, all of which had lead you up to this point in your life. I know this little dark time would also pass soon; only thing is not lose the faith in yourself and keep on moving , although the steps are small.
when love is what we seek, our mother is remembered
when we are in trouble , even now , its you who is remembered"
Few hours back, the voice of a youth who was a student of mine long time ago came over the telephone line , and while sharing struggles he and his colleges are going through with me, he just mentioned above few lines, which I never expected to hear but truly touched my heart.
Well, good listing might be helpful , but it was not me but you who had found your potential and moved forward all the time, whenever you turn to me for some help.you all have marvelous courage and energy as well as sense of humanity, all of which had lead you up to this point in your life. I know this little dark time would also pass soon; only thing is not lose the faith in yourself and keep on moving , although the steps are small.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Strange things in the world
As a little kid , whole universe seemed strange for me. How the sky get this nice shades of colours , I was amzed while spending spell bound hours gazing at massive sky view in front of my village home; from where these large folks of birds coming from and flying to ,daily in a routine basis in mornings and late evenings; Can snakes hear what we say or how are they talking with each other .... list goes on and on. Later I learned about tiny but mighty atoms , quarks, EMW s all which add more and more topic of interest to my thirst to know the world. Still , at adulthood even, I find the universe full of strange things. But there is a huge shift in the focus now. My focus in more inward than outward now.
As a kid I never felt how strange human beings were. but now , more and more things came to light regarding human beings . No wonder.We are also part of mother nature. Human relationships are one of the most difficult to define, strange and complex things in this universe; but who can negate the beauty of them?.
Quarks and black holes
Pyramids and Grate Wall
Taj Mahal, the Grand canyon
all remains strange friends of mine-
some unresolved beauties of the world.
But how nice it to see
my friend who share the cubicle at office
keep me shocking each and every day
being the most strange companion I ever met-
an unresolved puzzle of human relationships .
As a kid I never felt how strange human beings were. but now , more and more things came to light regarding human beings . No wonder.We are also part of mother nature. Human relationships are one of the most difficult to define, strange and complex things in this universe; but who can negate the beauty of them?.
Quarks and black holes
Pyramids and Grate Wall
Taj Mahal, the Grand canyon
all remains strange friends of mine-
some unresolved beauties of the world.
But how nice it to see
my friend who share the cubicle at office
keep me shocking each and every day
being the most strange companion I ever met-
an unresolved puzzle of human relationships .
Friday, March 27, 2009
Intellectual Isolation
Few months back , a friend of mine used to tell me about the vacuum she feels around her working environment and used a phrase innovated by herself, I assume, to describe it -" intellectual isolation"
Time to time we all have to face this extrema feeling of loneliness in the professional capacity. She is in an entirely different field than mine yet I also feel that phrase has something related to me.
I am trying to finish long waiting work despite my physical weaknesses these days. I got sick after long hours of talking without much break during last weekend and still recovering. This is my work and I have to do it. But "sharing " the progress is like a part of my work-in-progress. I know the work I am doing is correct but I know it is not perfect until friend of mine showed me tiny dots which I might have forgotten to erase.But my colleagues are busy with their work and the absence of 'sharing' has reduce my energy level & loosen my interest. Finally called my friend who introduced me to this phrase , at least to share the experience.She of course understood the situation -being the inventor of this professional disorder.We talked about the feeling of being isolated in professional or intellectual capacity, which is more difficult to bear than personal isolation. Anyway I wonder whether its only me who suffer from this "II" in my profession.
Time to time we all have to face this extrema feeling of loneliness in the professional capacity. She is in an entirely different field than mine yet I also feel that phrase has something related to me.
I am trying to finish long waiting work despite my physical weaknesses these days. I got sick after long hours of talking without much break during last weekend and still recovering. This is my work and I have to do it. But "sharing " the progress is like a part of my work-in-progress. I know the work I am doing is correct but I know it is not perfect until friend of mine showed me tiny dots which I might have forgotten to erase.But my colleagues are busy with their work and the absence of 'sharing' has reduce my energy level & loosen my interest. Finally called my friend who introduced me to this phrase , at least to share the experience.She of course understood the situation -being the inventor of this professional disorder.We talked about the feeling of being isolated in professional or intellectual capacity, which is more difficult to bear than personal isolation. Anyway I wonder whether its only me who suffer from this "II" in my profession.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Do "what I want" Vs " what make me happy"
Happy to see the new life options, freedom and interesting challenges waiting for our young generation. Many young people I know will have an appealing future in the materialistic measures ; but some of them may not see the beauty of life. Inner beauty is not a thing sensed by some of them.
Some are constrained in to limited life style selected by or imposed on them and would not wish to see the world beyond their pre-defined structure; If you are a programmer , you are a programmer and no need to think why your father look pale and unhealthy these days ; If you are a network guy , you may need not to concern what is going on at IDP camps vauniya these days.I wonder whether the lack of diversity bundled with lack of appreciation for nature and art has make their lives narrow as well as selfish.
In a society where no high-tech communication media was heard about , we brought up with nature, people and books which all contributed to shaped our lives.I can remember I bought "Amma" novel while I was in grade 5. The love for freedom as well as caring for the whole not the individual was in blood of many of us. Our generation later has to reached the adolescence with background of crucial political conflicts in my motherland.We had to spend aimless years, stuck and struggle much to find our path in life. In spite of all the pathetic incidents, there are things which I can still admire about many of my peers; We represented the desire to move forward with whole , while respecting the individualism. We are different from each other, yet collectivity has some value as well.
The amount of focus on individualism by our young generation is shocking. "I want to achive what I want at any cost" is the motto of some of them. The "right" comes first with little attention to "duty". The "right" to be "myself" but not "right" of the society as a whole. It is great to see the courage and the confidence of them. But where have gone the youth who dream about a better society where everybody gain something , who does not hesitate to make a self-sacrifice and go out of the way to help others ,who holds a big heart to offer kindness and caring ? When people go old, it is said that many of these qualities vanishes. But when these qualities die at very young age, what would happen to them when they grow old?At age of 19 , somebody can declare that he want to stay rest of his life abroad and will not bother about what does it meant to his family. Of course what you want to do has to be decided by you-but can anybody decide everything completely neglecting social factors and considering himself only as an individual?
I wonder whether we can try out another option as well when deciding our life ; do what we want instead of do what make us happy . Doing what make you happy need you to analyze yourself and see what really make you happy. Then comes the problem of sensing what make us really happy. By accumulating or by giving, by being rigid or being flexible , being selfish or being kind ?After a careful analysis we might found that at least some things which have demanded by us as "need do do" may not actually make us happy or make our hearts lighter in the long run.
Some are constrained in to limited life style selected by or imposed on them and would not wish to see the world beyond their pre-defined structure; If you are a programmer , you are a programmer and no need to think why your father look pale and unhealthy these days ; If you are a network guy , you may need not to concern what is going on at IDP camps vauniya these days.I wonder whether the lack of diversity bundled with lack of appreciation for nature and art has make their lives narrow as well as selfish.
In a society where no high-tech communication media was heard about , we brought up with nature, people and books which all contributed to shaped our lives.I can remember I bought "Amma" novel while I was in grade 5. The love for freedom as well as caring for the whole not the individual was in blood of many of us. Our generation later has to reached the adolescence with background of crucial political conflicts in my motherland.We had to spend aimless years, stuck and struggle much to find our path in life. In spite of all the pathetic incidents, there are things which I can still admire about many of my peers; We represented the desire to move forward with whole , while respecting the individualism. We are different from each other, yet collectivity has some value as well.
The amount of focus on individualism by our young generation is shocking. "I want to achive what I want at any cost" is the motto of some of them. The "right" comes first with little attention to "duty". The "right" to be "myself" but not "right" of the society as a whole. It is great to see the courage and the confidence of them. But where have gone the youth who dream about a better society where everybody gain something , who does not hesitate to make a self-sacrifice and go out of the way to help others ,who holds a big heart to offer kindness and caring ? When people go old, it is said that many of these qualities vanishes. But when these qualities die at very young age, what would happen to them when they grow old?At age of 19 , somebody can declare that he want to stay rest of his life abroad and will not bother about what does it meant to his family. Of course what you want to do has to be decided by you-but can anybody decide everything completely neglecting social factors and considering himself only as an individual?
I wonder whether we can try out another option as well when deciding our life ; do what we want instead of do what make us happy . Doing what make you happy need you to analyze yourself and see what really make you happy. Then comes the problem of sensing what make us really happy. By accumulating or by giving, by being rigid or being flexible , being selfish or being kind ?After a careful analysis we might found that at least some things which have demanded by us as "need do do" may not actually make us happy or make our hearts lighter in the long run.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How to add a comment?
Thank you my friend who commented via email
You have asked me how to add a comment
In any blog , after a post( it is like one small article ) , a small label with text "comment" appear . It is clickable , that mean when you click it some other page or document may open.In a blog setting , once you click on"comment" , a text box will appear ( a blank area where you can type text) just below the post. You can type the comment in that area and then press the button "Post Comment". If you want to see how it appear in the blog before posting, use "preview" button"
You have asked me how to add a comment
In any blog , after a post( it is like one small article ) , a small label with text "comment" appear . It is clickable , that mean when you click it some other page or document may open.In a blog setting , once you click on"comment" , a text box will appear ( a blank area where you can type text) just below the post. You can type the comment in that area and then press the button "Post Comment". If you want to see how it appear in the blog before posting, use "preview" button"
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Cultivate the Habits of Friendship
an interesting article on managing relationships
Young Professionals: Cultivate the Habits of Friendship(by David Maister 2005)
http://davidmaister.com/articles/3/47/Monday, March 9, 2009
Human Relationships
I feel that human relationships have something valuable than what we have used to believe. Everything is about creating and maintaining relationships. Its not only outward but inward too. If we can maintain a good relationship with ourselves, it would help to add little fragrance to relationships with others too.
Recently I got a chance to look deeper in human relationships. I was shocked to see how I was affected by a small change in a close relationship. I am a person believing on different relationships which may have lot of overlapping in general terms(friend, sister,brother, student, colleague, companion,son, ..threewheeler driver, lecturer,office assistant, CEO, simply a human being just like me )therefore I am lucky to have close connections with different sort of people in harmony.
We do relate to people in different manner at different levels but wonder whether we have time to pay attention to tiny strings that weave different bonds even without our knowledge. Of course I was not let down by my partner;This is something different and this different helps me to dig deep inside our emotional world.We were no longer resonate in same frequency and the music was faded and only dull sound lasts. Then only I realized how much a relationship would have meant to me.
The best part of this incident is the insight it gave to me. I did my best to understand "WHY" it has disturbed me? How our emotions work ? How do people become close to each other?What maintains a good relationship? Why do we get hurt when people move away? ( feeling of let down,worthlessness,loss of sharing,+...).I came across even interesting articles about different relationship models experts have developed and it helped me to learn that there are people really worrying about these "minor" things and taking them seriously. I am not alone.
I feel we are used to the word "think" too much and its like there is nothing called " I feel" , "I sense" exits anymore. I know that people have difficulty in expressing their feelings.But do they know they have feelings in the first place ? or in the hectic digital life of modern era does "100% logical reasoning +0% emotions" is the recipe? It is always better to increase the awareness of our inner world, our emotional world even though we do not want to share them with others. The self-awareness would help to increase the bond with ourselves. Once we know ourselves, be-friend with our emotions , it is easy to reflect the same towards the outside world also. After all , many are willing to live in community not in isolation. Our close links may be with single digit circle of close human beings. More we can let the other person to be himself,more closer will be our relationship.But how can we let another person to be himself when we do not know to be ourselves?
Recently I got a chance to look deeper in human relationships. I was shocked to see how I was affected by a small change in a close relationship. I am a person believing on different relationships which may have lot of overlapping in general terms(friend, sister,brother, student, colleague, companion,son, ..threewheeler driver, lecturer,office assistant, CEO, simply a human being just like me )therefore I am lucky to have close connections with different sort of people in harmony.
We do relate to people in different manner at different levels but wonder whether we have time to pay attention to tiny strings that weave different bonds even without our knowledge. Of course I was not let down by my partner;This is something different and this different helps me to dig deep inside our emotional world.We were no longer resonate in same frequency and the music was faded and only dull sound lasts. Then only I realized how much a relationship would have meant to me.
The best part of this incident is the insight it gave to me. I did my best to understand "WHY" it has disturbed me? How our emotions work ? How do people become close to each other?What maintains a good relationship? Why do we get hurt when people move away? ( feeling of let down,worthlessness,loss of sharing,+...).I came across even interesting articles about different relationship models experts have developed and it helped me to learn that there are people really worrying about these "minor" things and taking them seriously. I am not alone.
I feel we are used to the word "think" too much and its like there is nothing called " I feel" , "I sense" exits anymore. I know that people have difficulty in expressing their feelings.But do they know they have feelings in the first place ? or in the hectic digital life of modern era does "100% logical reasoning +0% emotions" is the recipe? It is always better to increase the awareness of our inner world, our emotional world even though we do not want to share them with others. The self-awareness would help to increase the bond with ourselves. Once we know ourselves, be-friend with our emotions , it is easy to reflect the same towards the outside world also. After all , many are willing to live in community not in isolation. Our close links may be with single digit circle of close human beings. More we can let the other person to be himself,more closer will be our relationship.But how can we let another person to be himself when we do not know to be ourselves?
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