Daring

Do you dare to do something? What does the word ‘dare’ being to your mind? Intimidation? Fear? Or adrenaline rush? How many times have you regretted saying or doing something? On the contrary, how many times have you regretted not doing or saying anything? Is the number of times for the latter more? Humans, right from birth focus on protecting ourselves from something by not venturing into it. If instances of sexual assaults go high – lock women indoors; if a child falls, don’t let him run ever; if you are shunned by the society, don’t interact with anyone; - these are some of the popular resultants that ensue each time that something happens such that it spawns a more fearful society. What if you dared to attack a predator; teach a child to run without falling down or getting up and running without fear and tried better means of communication than isolating yourself with fear?

To convert a daring idea into action, plunging in is the only step forward. And when you do, you will understand that the problem existed only in your imagination and that you actually end up empowered doing what fears you the most. But to do something the right way, take out a paper and make a flowchart. Write down what will happen when you don’t do something and again the consequence that you imagine when you do it. If the former ends up in a void, look at the possibilities of the latter. What you would at most end up is with losing someone or something. But what if you never tried and you anyway lost out on it by being dumb? On the other hand, when you take action and it ironically turns out positive, you will be the beneficiary. When you are so cautious about doing something and your intention is so carefully crafted, there is no way that it yields a negative result. After all what is the point of being buried fearfully in this wide earth if the purpose of life was to live? So stop fearing and get daring.

Crush

This is a word that every human being would have probably heard of first when they entered adolescence. Why do they call a strong attachment towards somebody suddenly a crush? Because, your enthusiasm towards that person could probably be one-sided and they are most likely to crush it. Want proof? What is it called when your crush has a crush on you? Answer: Imagination. Being strongly drawn upon to someone suddenly, although justified with logic or not cannot be reciprocatively honoured back with the same momentum.

When that one person you are drawn towards has a hundred traits for you to adore, the reciprocation puts you on a pedestal to live up to another’s standards and keep on impressing to get even a drop of their love. In the process, you lose your self-esteem and become weak on your knees like never before. On the other hand, you give the volition to your crush to break you into pieces which he or she actually does. Putting back your broken pieces is never easy and a very painful process. It takes a mammoth effort for rehabilitation and being up and running again. Knowingly or unknowingly, don’t let anyone or anything crush you because, you deserve reciprocation of love and if it does not happen, it is not meant to be. Hug yourself wholeheartedly and show some respect for your deprived soul. Move on, count your blessings and not your troubles. Celebrate life for what you are and don’t wait for a crush to crush you down.

Braggadocio

Part of speech: Noun 

Darkness is undermined because it is related to the evil forces. Similarly, braggadocio is detested as it refers to boastful and arrogant behaviour. Have you ever disliked something so much that you wanted to scream your lungs out but held it back because that isn’t the best civilized thing to do? Welcome to the civilized version of contempt – braggadocio. When you despise something and outright express it with your attitude and add to it dosages of class and confidence it spawns braggadocio.

From the outside, it does not get appreciated because it after all carries an air of repel and superiority. Well, who likes to crown someone who is an antonym to humility and amicability? Behind the curtains of pride is a person who has built up that attitude, with life’s experiences and uses braggadocio as his or her armour against undesirable people and circumstances. So before you judge, try tapping the truth. Probably a body language that carries attitude does not equalize to a person’s innate quality. What you see might be different from what you explore.

Braggadocio for a person could be a coat to mark those who take the effort to cross the lines of acquaintance and break the plausible glass ceiling to establish friendship with them. After all, an arrogant person is someone who knows that they are not going to be liked by others and yet sport it because they want to be esoteric.

Animosity

It is a strong emotion of hatred. Have you ever hated someone so much that just their memory gives you a bitter taste in the tongue? Why do we carry hatred when it is clearly something that hurts? Because, not carrying also many at times hurts. Of all the things we say, the things we don’t say hurt us more. Hatred is a sign of self-esteem when expressed. It is a sign of protest for another’s misbehavior towards you. Hatred draws an armour around you and carries the signal that you aren’t someone who can be messed with. It is a sign of confidence that you can afford to have enemies and deal with them headlong. Why so much to a negative emotion? Because, it is what that balances your state of mind. There is no man who is eternally euphoric. Animosity helps you protest and fight for an injustice meted out to you. It gives you a goal to make your enemy apologise or fail and satisfies your hunger for justice. After all, only darkness can help you appreciate light. And animosity can only bring calmness, the peace after the storm. 

Does BJP Ill Treat Tamilisai Soundararajan Through Racial Discrimination?

Throw a stone into the water and it creates ripples. Throw a casteist comment and it creates politics. At a time when caste politics and politics out of caste is used as a tact to trigger sentiments of the common man for votes, even the slightest of things magnify out of proportion when misinterpreted. Add to it, the trendy netizens of today – meme creators, take the volition of driving citizens astray.

That is what conspired when a photo of BJP State President Tamilisai Soundararajan was shared on social media. Seen with the defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman and a few other caders, Tamilisai was framed in a photo, eating in a steel plate while the others from a banana leaf.

A party that is easily blamed for casteist intentions, the picture drew censure and agony from those who buttered out racial discrimination in BJP from an otherwise cordial event. The gentle waft of wind gained momentum and drew more ire as netizens chose to quickly believe the interpretation presented and shared it on various pages.

However, a quick call to the politician revealed the real picture. Breaking into laughter over the interpretation, Tamilisai outright denied of any such discrimination within the party. “The photo was taken during a visit to a house in Virudhunagar. The hosts were only informed about the minister’s arrival and did not expect many people. As it was a small place, they had not prepared for other guests and were short of banana leaves. I picked up a plate and helped myself as a friendly gesture,” she said striking out further confusion.

As elections are around the corner, even a spark escalates into forest fire. Can we use more sense into creating harmony and fight for the right causes than arousing suspicion and hatred? Caste or no caste, lets keep elections out of it and think rationally to cast votes than yielding to caste votes.

Rainy Night

It's a cold Wednesday night. I had made it half way past en route home from office. Just as I stepped out of the metro train station, I heard the rains cheering merrily in their pitter patter. Rejected by an auto who demanded high rates, I lazily took a stroll and spotted the usually enticing sweet stall. Just to take aegis it won't harm to enter, I told myself.

And inside, awaited food porn. Several sweets of unknown varieties and lip-smacking savouries. ‘A light bite wouldn't add up to more calories,’ I consoled and cajoled myself to ask for a snack that didn't have any ingredients that would do my body bad. “Which of these are free from green chilli?” I naively asked trusting the shopkeeper.

Drawing his fingers over an array, he pointed at onion kachori. “Yumm, kachori and yumm onion, give me one right away,” I ordered. Swallowing one bite, I realized that the cunning guy had pointed at it coz it had ground chillies that were not conspicuous. Looking out, I realised that the rain had not ceased. 

Again, I ordered a new sweet. Finishing it off, I saw that the rain was relentless and stubborn. Thus I ordered another savoury. But this time, I made up my mind not to trust the deceptive weather. I walked out munching and crunching up to the bus stop. Like the hug of a mother on a weary day, the fragrance of a wild Jasmine tree embraced me, nourishing my soul. “Aww, I love you too,” I expressed my big bear hug in my mind.

Reaching the bus stand, I witnessed the auto men encashing the situation on a heavy demand for rides and helpless passengers. “This is a blessing in disguise. I want to face the music,” I resolved. For ages I had been eyeing the branded garments store opposite the stop. After a second thought, I ventured inside. Man, what class! The attire were ethnic and yet trendy. “I will shop here at least once in my lifetime!” I promised. 

Taking a last look, I peeped into jewellery section. A blue stone festooned by a leather string read, ‘Rs.3999 only’ “Holy moly! This is theft,” I gasped. My longing to buy the classy suits now changed into content as my contempt increased about the exorbitant prices. “Maybe life has much valuable things to do worth my money,” relief washed over me as I realised that after all class came with an unreasonable price.

“You were born for better things. Your wardrobe is already overflowing. Although some clothes have turned old, you still have way too many to wear and way too many things for a worthy spending. Thank you God for making me, me,” I thought, smiling to myself.

Sitting outside the store, I sat to type my blessing for the day as I watched the rain pouring in steady pace without a truce. Maybe this too is a blessing in disguise to take my me time! *Winks*

Save Chennai Protest

PROTEST

Now that I have got your attention, here's what I got to say!

Chennai has been a city that I absolutely adore and worship more than just for this selfishness that its my hometown. It has cradled people from all walks of life.

And what do we give back?

1. Posters saying, “I love you Chennai.”
2. Protest against the government for anything that you feel is an injustice.
3. Industries, markets, business hubs
Have you ever stopped to look at the city and what it really needs? Now, calling all you noble NGOs and first flag holders for A-Z protest services! Here's what the favours you have returned to the city has yielded:
1. Additional paper waste and waste of time with your posters
2. Herd mentality where one person protests and falls into the ditch and one lakh people fall into the same ditch
4. 100% pollution through population and industries

CHENNAI IS DYING

I'm a hardcore Chennai loyalist. I'm not a US return. But I stay in Bangalore. I live in Bangalore for the past two years and here is what I have realised the contrast between the two cities

1. Bangalore acts as a father. It helps us earn, does not have a street dustbin but people hesitate to throw waste. Even if someone does, from somewhere you get voices condemning the act and forbiding it.
On the other hand, Chennai has been a pampering mother. It gives you so much love but takes in all the abuse you do. Nobody questions and one is always at home, be it polluting or endangering. Trees on a street is cut, and no one cares, People see garbage on road and are dutiful in throwing more garbage, coz something is already there! “Its not you who is going to newly pollute, oh welcome to the club”. And even better, “When you are in Rome, be a Roman, polluting is Indian!”

2. Bangalore has encroachments on river lands but it has encroachment free pavements.
On the other hand in Chennai, pavements are earmarked for parking/hawkers or even better, urinal.

3. Bangalore nurtures vegetation. Undeniably it is also undergoing deforestation in many places. Yet, every house in Bangalore, even though is constructed in congested spaces, has at least one pot plant which they water. The roads are under the aegis of huge age old trees that thrive.
On the other hand, Chennai is like a dry land. Even though there are few trees here and there, every day, there is a tree cut for want of building spaces or other man-made inconveniences for which he destroys green cover.

4. Last but not the least, Bangalore, although is having decreased rainfall every year in comparison to the previous year, is still fresh with oxygen despite the vehicles igniting their engines with carbon print. There is no stench in all the nooks and corners and is blissfully airy and chill all round the year. Even summers here are bright but cool.
Chennai, needless to say, is hot even in winters! It is an oven of freshly baked people ready to switch it on again and again and again until it bursts! If anyone gets a stink somewhere, they know what to do – Close their noses and eyes!
How long can you keep turning a blind eye towards the abuse that you and your siblings are doing to your mother? Isn't it unfair on your part? Doesn't Chennai deserve better at all?

Here's what you can do!

Come join the movement in making Chennai a better place to live in. Mullaivanam, a man with a big heart has dedicated his life towards planting trees. Stall your protests for a while. Just because its easy to point your index finger to get a ticket to the hero platform and stop following the herd. If you really want to do some good before you die, save the earth!
Put your hands together to plant trees. The materials, seeds, place and everything is provided by Mullaivanam. You just need to spend some precious time to rebuild the city from its scratch.
Tree Bank, the foundation run by Mullaivanam has collected one crore neem seeds to be planted all over Tamilnadu. Reach out to this real hero and become one by lending a helping hand!

Contact Details

Tree Bank, no. 9, 1st floor, Kamarajar Salai, Virugambakkam, Chennai – 600092. (Near Arcot road)
Phone: 9444004310/ 9382184310/044-2376431/044-23774310

Why does India have caste violences?

There are three types of people in the country

Type 1

They claim not to believe in caste and ridicule all sacred practices, especially those of the FC. Whenever they are faced with challenges, they flash their SC/ST caste cards to portray they are the poor souls under the iron hand of FC. (Is the vada size small in Nair tea shop? Oh! Thats coz, he's a Nair and the customer was a dalit!) From nowhere they will feel happy to be identified by caste when it comes to reservation and secretly enjoy pulling down deserving candidates.

Type 2

Moderate in religious beliefs. They follow their customs and respect everyone else's too. They celebrate Diwali and yet send Christmas and Ramzan wishes too. But when intimidated about their beliefs, put on their armour and point the sword.

Type 3

These people have a staunch belief in their culture and suspect every other religions of treachery against them. Even if someone tries to be friendly, they are sceptical or fakeness.

Who among these three people are good? With this endless battle, India is facing trouble progressing. And now, there is the enlightened fourth type that claims that there is neither caste nor religion and belittle those with beliefs. You are not intelligent but outright stupid because, even no caste is a belief for which you are fighting for!

People, in the motive to sound intelligent, don't forget that your journey is as important as your destiny. Have your beliefs, but don't interfere in another person's. We are a mosaic of cultures and religious intolerance will get us nowhere. Yes, India was a Hindu country. Yes, now we have Christians and Muslims and so many other religions. Yes, we have survived and lets dare to take a yes to excel too!

People choose different paths to achieve fulfillment and success. Just coz they are not on your road does not mean that they are lost! Spend your time worthy than fighting over such paltry things like trying to change someone else while you are not perfect yourself. Live and let live. Jai hind!

#12 Red Handed

There was something surreal about what was happening. Was Catherine a ghost or did Samantha just run over a wild imagination by calling her Lissy? Why did Sarvesh freak at the sight of her and what was this extraordinary skill of hers to be drawing real people out of sheer imagination? Prakash’s mind raced through rapid thoughts that kept oscillating back and forth. 

His focus suddenly shifted on Catherine’s painting that had Samantha watching over the two babies. ‘Who are the babies?’ he shooted at Samantha, desperate for clues. They are my daughters, she said, frozen at the thought that Lissy has caught her red handed. ‘But Annie was your only daughter, you claimed?’ Prakash snapped, as he could envisage some hidden parts of the puzzle dropping in.

‘Th..that..that was a neighbour’s daughter,’ she fumbled as Prakash’s skeptical look pierced her already terrified heart. She immediately blurted, ‘I didn't murder Lissy!’ But Prakash would not budge. His agonised eyes showed furious fire that seemed to burn her down.

‘Lissy was my daughter! I didn't do it!’ she pleaded, now trying to sound sympathetic. Steven seemed fearful too and gestured to pacify Samantha. ‘What the hell is going on here?’ Prakash broke as he moved closer to Samantha who was willing to reveal everything that she knew.

‘Lissy was my first child through my boyfriend Nick. I had abandoned her because Nick was unwilling to marry me. A year later Annie was born after marriage. But she loved you more than Lissy did. You chose Lissy over her and it pained all of us, ’ she said panting in fear. Before she could complete, an arrow darted to her head from the window and she broke down speechless and spot dead.

The arrow had a note that read,

Roses are blue

Violets are red

When the ghosts conspire

Mind and body transpire

He immediately looked at Catherine and to his shock, she was bleeding in her arms but desperately trying to draw.

                                                     ................

The other chapters include

 #1 A haunted Memory

#2 Three strokes of red

#3 The Red Saree

#4 Black Heart

#5 WHo's NEXT?

#6 Numb3rs

#7 Will O the Wisp

#8 Resurrection

#9 I watched you

#10 Fates Entwined

#11 The Other Side

#12 Red Handed

I now invite Pallavi to take over the final chapter

Note : This post is a part of the “Tagged” Contest by writer Kaarthika and The Chennai Bloggers Club. Kaarthika’s book is being released on May 29. Do pre-order it on Amazon.

Zip

#Z

Here zips my A-Z Challenge. It is a pleasure to save the best for the last. Some of the reflections of having taken part in this for the third time:

1.This is the first time that I'm succeeding in this challenge that I participated in three consecutive years. The reason I'm succeeding this time is my husband Sundar who kept nagging me to post every day.

2. Motivation dwindles with each passing day. To stay in the challenge it takes some excitement in the form of other bloggers. Comment on various blogs and you will never know, your source of inspiration can come from places you never expected from.

3. You don't just write, you read, you learn and you accomplish something each day. You have enough freedom to think and write and it gives great satisfaction.

4. Life is a challenge. With each challenge completion you get life lessons too. So never miss it.

5.Congratulations to me and everyone who survived. You made it!

You

#Y

You are special. Yes, you. As my challenge almost comes to an end with just a day more to go, I take this opportunity to thank all those who have dropped by and kept me pushing along. As yet another daunting day comes to an end, my determination to complete this comes from the strength from all of you. This post is not intended to be witty or helpful or classic. I'm here because I am still keeping my head up the water to stay in the challenge. Thank you for being with me. Cheers and good wishes to all those who survived and those who even attempted it. Trying something matters much more than winning. Congratulations on your endeavor. You have done something not everyone ventured. You are special. 

Xylophone

#X

My first musical instrument was xylophone. It was my birthday gift when I was three years old. It was colorful and sounded marvellous. The sizes of the pipes were different but all put together was out of the world combination.

Life is like a xylophone. Challenges come in different sizes and opportunities in different colors. If you put everything together and play, it produces an unique music.

Wonder

#W

Here goes my favorite line from a song

Take me to your heart, take me to your soul
Give me your hands before I'm old.
Show me what love is, haven't got a clue
Show me that wonders can be true.

I sang this song two years ago with heart full of dreams and yearning. Little did I realize that these desires would bear the sweetest fruit in my life. Wonders did come true and I met my prince charm.

Adorned with an engulfing smile he came walking towards me at the entrance of Tirupathi Tirumala Devasthanam temple an April 18. Dressed in bright yellow T-shirt, he answered like he would like any of his best client interviews in office. And.. He impressed my mom. I was left wondering what kind of wonder this was while my mom and groom chatted away merrily.

But my choice was never wrong. Our connection has crossed one year mark but he has not ceased making me wonder how even little things matter. He remembers every need of mine and makes sure it is satisfied even if I fail to remember it. Today, he has shown me that wonders can be true. And made me believe in magic, the power of love. Life is wonderful.

Vote

#V

In India, we don't practice anything unless we are threatened to be punished. Like the famous line goes, here you can piss in public but cannot kiss in public. That's how we try to project our culture. While an Indian who goes to a foreign nation with stringent laws is all praise for the country’s discipline, the same guy doesn't follow the rules in his own country. So what's the big deal about following rules?

Your character is well defined more by your choices than your abilities. To be a good citizen takes minimum effort and by doing it, you only better your own life. The Election Commission in Tamilnadu has spent over 7 crore rupees for voters awareness campaigns. Are citizens not really aware or act like sleeping?

We have been acting like sleeping already in the issue of global warming. If we don't choose our leaders right, it plainly means we are digging our own grave. Even if it is Nota(An option to vote for none) that is the only thing that you feel like opting, get out of your couch and vote. Freedom without responsibility is like a child without oversight. As we enjoy a democracy, we are entitled to exercise our duty too. May 16 is the D-day. Are you ready to vote?

Ubiquitous

#U

The word ubiquitous means present everywhere. Often times one would have heard religious priests preaching that God is ubiquitous. But the same people do idol worship and emphasize on the fact that the idol is God and rituals to it go straight to heaven. On special occasions or festivals countless number of devotees throng temples to compete against others to prove their devotion and some merely come to get the most effective blessing as given on a D-day.

Although to an extent I agree the fact that the chanting and prayers of many people gathered at a time can have a calming effect, I feel that I am far more closer to God than what the physical distance speaks. To me, goodness is God and he rewards those who are good. Donating food for the hungry is equivalent to getting flowers for God. In fact, the concept of buying flowers itself is to help the poor people generate some income by selling flowers.

God is ubiquitous and he rewards us for our karma or deeds. If you are bad, he teaches a good lesson. If you are good, he gives back to you manifold. He lives in our deeds and stays in good hearts. Although visits to temple might strengthen one’s faith and give the satisfaction of having seen his form, like Swami Vivekananda rightly put, Devotion and salvation is meaningless without service to humanity. God can see you when you wrong-do. He is ubiquitous. God can also reward for your right actions. So embrace humanity and be the beneficiary of God’s ubiquity.

Take

#T

This is a deep line from the movie Kung Fu Panda that I digested drinking in the beauty of its meaning. It says, ‘The more you take, the less you have.’ Not many have realised the depth of what it means. Most of us want more and are never satisfied in life. We seek more riches, more space, more luxury but at the end of it, we have only less. The typical example for this is the scorching heat that Tamilnadu, India faces during this peak summer. 

Every year, the intensity of this heat increases at an alarming rate. And the cause for this? We wanted more space, farmlands were converted into real estate. We took away more trees. We bought more vehicles so that we could travel luxuriously. The core interest of everything was to have a comfortable life. Conversely, we are suffering from the consequence of having taken more and having less of what we actually need. 

This applies to every single thing in life. When you take something, you stand at the weak receiving end. But when you give something, you stand at the strong circumstance of being the beneficiary of it in some way or the other. You don't need to be a millionaire to give. It just takes a good heart to keep a bowl of water for thirsty birds in summer. Even if you contribute Rs 1 for a noble cause, you become a rich person than many others.

Take less, give more and you will naturally receive more!

Sleepy head

#S

The emotion currently associated with me with S as the starting letter is sleep. I am sleepy. I am struggling with this disorder for a long time now. Sleep merely indicates boredom or the lack of excitement in life. Of late my husband and I are suffering from this problem in the morning. We wake up with a grumpiness, reluctant to get out of bed. I, in particular ruin my morning by waking late and a feeling of gloom envelopes with a boring start.

The same happens every time I feel bored and each time I

fall asleep. How can we eradicate boredom and thus avoid sleepiness?

The first aid to sleep is sprinkling water on the eyes and taking a walk down the corridor. Next, you need to replace sleep with excitement. What are the methods to trigger excitement? Here are 10 ways.

1. When at home, jump and dance in the morning. May be tap to the numbers of your favourite songs, it does a world of good.

2.Smile wide and break into laughter.

3. Skim through the newspaper. It not only makes you knowledgeable but also gives you a distraction from your empiness.

4.Plan your agenda for the day. This helps in filling the possible empty spaces where you might fall bored (asleep) and make you think and do what excites you.

5.Some ideas for exciting gap fillers:
 *Draw with an image in mind. Take along colours and color it too.
 *Get out of the couch and travel more. If your job involves sitting in one place for long hours, take a stroll around once in a while and take time to feel nature and things around you.
*Listen to songs and memorise the lyrics.
*Attempt a different way to your usual work. For instance if you've been using MS Excel for calculations, try to search for a new software or any other way to do your work more efficiently. Keep bringing innovation in your job every day.

6. Go home, relax and do your favourite exercise.

7.Repeat step 5 or create a new hobby like learning something new.

8. Write down the negativities of the day and make ways to eliminate it the next day.

9. Put all your worries aside and breathe deep. Smile, and say to yourself that tomorrow is going to be wonderful and you will be instrumental in making it happen.

10. Have a good night's sleep

Rose and Rain

#R

I couldn't segregate the two topics based on which I love or rather loved lesser. I loved them equally. Rain and rose. They are two exquisite and priceless things on earth.

Rose, is the queen of flowers. So elegant and cute, I used to keep buying it and give it to my female friends to express love. Then, the colors took meaning. White for peace, yellow for friendship and red for love. Who wouldn't love to have it after all? The soft petals, attractive color and fragrant smell would grab one’s heart even at the sight of it. But there was something more to it than what met the eye. It kindle my aesthetic sense. It gave an air of joy and beauty. It had the power to elate me. No other flower made such a strong connection with my heart and writing is best done when in a strong emotion.

Rain was bliss. Breaking through the fiery of heat, the first raindrop grants truce to the war between the sun and people. It evokes the smell of earth. It gives life and value to mud. The most subtle thing in nature takes dimension when it rains. And, like a peacock dancing, I used to feel out of the world at the sight of it.

Everything once went in for a toss in the rat race to study. I had to control my imagination and focus on the immediate priority. I couldn't but I strived. In that process, I curbed my creative thinking. I cut it short and hid it from light. The result was that, it didn't grow but stems every time there is light of encouragement and creative people around. I should confess that the rose and rain don't excite me anymore as it did in the beginning. Maybe I seek more light and life :)

Quotes

#Q

I have lived my way with the principle of some inspirational quotes and I'm listing my favorite of them:

The journey is a lonely one,
So much more than we know
But, sometimes youve got to go
Go on and be your own hero.
-- Kung Fu Panda

It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
-- JK Rowling from Harry Potter

If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.
-- Dirubai Ambani

Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
-- West life, Seasons in the sun

Life is a box of chocolates. Some are crunchy, some are chewy and some are nutty but all are delicious in their own way. Without each, it would not be complete.
-- Anonymous

A journey of thousand miles begins with the first step.
--Anonymous

In life,  we meet a lot of people. But make friends with a few. In those few, some touch are lives in such a way that their presence is felt in their absence too. 

--A Sms forward

What are your inspirational quotes?  And have you lived by it? 

Personality

Some tips for a good personality

*Connect the expression of your eyes with your smile. Your eyes should smile when the lips does. It expresses confidence.

*Listen and observe before your open up. When in a new place and you are dying to make friends, do the formal greetings but wait before you take up responsibilities or express your opinion. Observe what each person expresses, even the unsaid words.

*Make your handshake firm, it matters what your bodily contact expresses.

*When you speak, keep your voice audible and yet not to loud or low so that you come across as elegant and courteous.

* Read the newspaper and learn new words everyday. It not only makes you knowledgeable but gives you fodder for conversation.