Clock and Time

"Don't watch the clock, do what it does. Keep going." - Sam Levenson, American Humorist.

'Tick, Tick, Tick..' the sound that usually awaken many memories of the people. The sound you may feel less important, but at times it is important in many ways. This is because you can rewind the hands of the clock, but not the time gone. The time once flown will seldom comes to your hand.

Do you cringe or abhor the idea of being so bored that you find yourself uselessly watching the clock or watch. That's fine, But what will be your mindset after watching the clock reluctantly for minutes. Every clock will teach the same lesson, keep going - do not wait for anything. Make yourself get with it.Time is fleeting. It is changing. It never stops. Neither does it wait for anyone. 

Some people say money is important, and some fame is important, but only the wise and modest will know time is important than them. Time is not money, Time is more than money. Even the strongest and powerful monarchs have been helpless before time. No one is strong enough to command the time to stop. All the successful people in life in this globe are the ones who made the best use of time. 

Time is running very slowly and silently, But only the few wises could able to pace with it and reaches the heights in time and rose with glory.

Also, We know - Tomorrow will come but today will not. I just try to emphasize the maxim “A stitch in time save nine”. Unnecessary delay and lazy attitude towards one’s assigned duty is very dangerous to us and others.

We grow in time, live in time and perish in time, but what we are doing in our time given. We can only cheat ourselves, not the time, because world revolves around the time not around us. 

Life teaches us to make good use of time and Time teaches us to make the good value of life. 

      Time is free, but it is priceless.

         We cannot own it, but we can use it.

            You cannot keep it, but you can spend it.

               You can waste it, but you cannot regain it. 

"We say we waste time, but that is impossible. We waste ourselves." -Alice Bloch

Those who have ears, listens.  

International Women's day - Nation is strong iff women are strong.

Every year International Women’s Day provides an occasion to reflect on women’s lot, past and present. Each year we do celebrate International Women’s day on March 8th with a re-determination to commemorate the achievements of women, and to acknowledge the special status they deserve in society. The significant question is what difference has it changed to the status of women? Have women become really strong, and have their long term struggles ended ?

Though women have progressed in a number of spheres, yet looking from a broader perspective, the situation remains grim. With respect statistics made by CARE, out of 1.3 billion people who live in absolute poverty around the globe, 70% are women. Astonishingly, two third of the 774 million adults in the world who cannot read is women. The context in the developing countries like India is worse. Women here are still subject to ‘honor killings’, they are still denied their basic rights to education and freedom, and face violence, sexual assaults and abuse. Still a vast number of women do not have their own life choices, and speaking locally, nationally or globally, empowerment is still in its nascent stages.

I strongly believe education is the most possible way to untie the discrimination and inequalities, which can empower the women in society.

"You educate a man, you educate a man. You educate a woman, you educate a generation.” - Brigham Young

Women are the inherent part of the society and cannot be suppressed owing to lack of power and authority. She plays vital role in every part of her life as sister, wife and mother and empowering the society, but still she is living in the chains of problems. With more than 100 International Women's day have gone by, still we could see the inequalities in all aspects around the world. She is the most basic unit of society, She decides how the family should be, her family decides how the home should be, her home decides the society and which makes the nation. So If you want a nation to be strong, Women are to be uplifted. This can be done by educating her, but before education she must be respected by men. Respecting a women is the first step of making a country supreme power. We can see the great difference between developed, developing, and under developed countries in the way they the women. Western countries are considered as a developed one and you can see women and men work shoulder to shoulder in the same pace for the development of the countries. 

We can love her because She is your daughter, She is your sister, She is your lover, She is your darling wife, She is your mother, But We must respect her because She is a women. Every women deserves certain amount respect. Circumstances have been made difficult by those who do not agree. If women were treated equally, women could perform well than men. She has more determination and prioritising skills than men.

"A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Regards,

Joachin Joseph

Keep Smiling :)

"Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of the love." - Mother Teresa. 

Many of us, would have come across this and having bitter experience when meeting a serious guy at first sight, thinking why these kinda people are still alive. It doesn't a matter how big or important you are, It will take days or months to change the opinion one set.

It really doesn't a matter whether you are happy or sad, It will not influence anyone much, but Keeping a smiling face really matters. Keeping a smiling face really costs nothing but your wrinkles. Your wrinkles either show that you're nasty, cranky, and senile, or that you're having a smiling face. People say First impression is the best impression but your attitude of keeping smiling face is the best impression you could ever give on the first impression, that could change many.

It is contagious! Not only a great way for you but for others as well. When people are smiling they are most receptive to almost anything you want to teach them. People who smile are solid magnets for others, a welcome sign, open arms, hope and acceptance. If you could give something away today, try a smile. It opens many hearts, accepts the downtrodden and gives hope to the hopeless. That is the love what society needs now, Can you spare some for others.

Try to have the attitude of keeping smiling face when meeting each other, soon or later that will become your character and people will start liking you more, because hard fact is even the new born child will get more love when it is having smiling face. When I look out at the people and they look out at me with a smile, Then I will get a vague idea that I am loved. That is the day when I have no worries, no problem.

Ever wondered, Why we say "cheeseee" while being clicked ?,  simply because we look better a step ahead to be liked.   Then how great the neighbours would be,  if you have that  smiling  face all over they time. 

Smile - lifts the face and makes you look younger

Smile - The best way to defeat your enemies and makes you successful 

Smile - Releases stress

Smile - changes your mood and makes you attractive. 

Regards,

Joachin Joseph

World's ugliest women turns beautiful, converts bullies into love - Lizzie Velásquez may inspire you

Lizzie Velásquez, an American woman who has an extremely rare medical anomaly preventing her from gaining weight. She has 0% body fat, never weighed more than 29 Kilograms and also she is having impaired eyesight.(my small urge, please be informed of using gratifying dulcet worlds like physically challenged, visually challenged/impaired, hearing impaired, medical anomaly than using handicapped, deaf, blind, etc... It doesn't looks sense on calling so, only because we are in majority). I strongly believe her extreme rare medical condition has led her to become an author and motivational speaker. On contrary, I would not have even thought her to become the same when is she is like us. However I don't want to perturb the essence because I already wrote an analogous post on medical anomaly motivation, about Transgenders.

When she was born, doctors said her parents she would not walk, think, speak, crawl by her own. What her mother told you know, "I want see her, take her to home, love her as much as I can and bring her best of I can". Apparently one of the best motivational speakers now and stands a great example to us. She has completed her graduation in communication studies and Authored 2 two books, Her autobiography and "Be Beautiful, Be You".

When Lizzie, now 24, was in high school, she discovered an eight-second video on you tube that featured a photo of her face labeling her the "world's ugliest woman" and had been viewed more than four million times with more than 1000 comments. She cried out of anguish and was mocked and tormented. Velasquez’s parents attempted to get the YouTube video taken off, but the unidentified figure who posted it professed he would never remove it. Instead of suffering from anger, hopelessness and depression, Velasquez took a different approach to her attitude. You don't belive that a 8sec video changes one life. Shockingly some YouTube users had commented that Lizzie should “Please just do the world a favour – put a gun to your head and kill yourself.” and "set fire and burn yourself." But she converted all the stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

 "God has blessed me with the greatest blessing of my life, which is my syndrome"- Lizzie

When I saw Lizzie Velasquez speak, I was brought to my knees by her dauntless strive, but also by her normalcy and good nature. Watch this below video and see for yourself. In just over 13 minutes she managed to suffuse my mind with optimistic inspirational thoughts—I bet she does the same for you. A stone can be a stumbling obstacle block and a stepping stone, It depends on how you see it.

"Am I going to let the people who called me a monster define me? No. I’m going to let my goals and my success and my accomplishments be the things that define me.” - Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Velásquez

She has proven to be compassionate, intelligent, and persistent...This is beautiful. Learn the meaning of beautiful and "Be Beautiful, Be you."

Lizzie Velásquez personal website

Lizzie Velásquez on twitter.

Regards,

Joachin Joseph

Life is a competition or a challenge ? How about yours ?

Life is not a competition, but a challenge. 

I don’t recall what has touched off the thought, but over this new year break I had a little insight into the vital difference between a challenge and a competition of life.

Either God nor Nature is creating us. Nature and God never fails to remind us every second that We are the unique and most successful right from you killed 20 million other sperms before you are formed and till date. Amongst the 7.2 Billion people, everyone of us is unique and everyone of us have at least one difference with one another. Then what is the purpose of competing with others? because, Everyone has their own unique track for their destination.The truth is none of us have to succumb to the spirit of competition. There is no competition with one another but only challenge with our journey. 

A competition is something like a sport event where there can only be one winner. It is an event where the winner is determined as a function of relative position. A challenge is an event where there can be multiple winners because winning is determined as a function of achievement based on static criteria.

People often say, 'my work is so competitive', 'my business faded down, due to competition'. That's why people do not teach business tactics and maneuver to others. It does shows mere jealously and selfishness than competition. There is a much difference is saying 'I should win' and 'I alone should win'. Life is so simple- Learn, earn, Teach others and let them also earn. Then this blue planet will be heaven and its riches and glory shall be distributed properly to everyone. 

Opportunities are swimming inside the lake of life. Whoever puts their nets will surely get it. Opportunities seldom gets reduced when number of nets increases and where you put your net, matters. 

Life is not about reaching first, but reaching your destination you set. The distinction here might seem trivial, but I believe that we can find some valuable benefits from being able to distinguish between a competition and a challenge.

Life is so simple. 

If you believe yourself, you see your life as a challenging one.

If you fear yourself, see the life as a competitive one.

Competition is defeating other's life,

Challenge is succeeding your life. 

Conceive and steer your life in a right way. 

You can put max 2-3 goals if you consider life as a competition. Your team can put 11 goals if you consider life as a challenge.

I will give an example which may give you a good insight.

In case you and your colleague are both looking for same promotion and as the time for the decision is approaching fast, your colleague asks you for your help in finishing a presentation task because that specific task is something that you excel in. Just assume that you're not mandated in your job description to agree to help on this task. Do you help out?

There are arguments both for and against helping. Let's break down both of them:

case 1 : 

No, I don't want to help him. Why should I help him? If He's so qualified for this promotion then why does he need my help? Then when I agree to help him and the rest of his presentation is lacking he can blame me for its failing? No, I'll just let him crash and burn and be there to pick up the pieces. That way I'll look even better to the bosses, and he'll look much too incompetent to handle the promotion. This is my opportunity to stand out!

Result: You refuse to help out, citing your own heavy workload, and the task is finished by your colleague. The presentation turns out to be decent, but not as good as it could have been. The colleague receives glory for doing the best he could under the circumstances, but the company fails to receive the increased revenue it had hoped for as a result of the presentation. The company continues on as a limited growth business, unable to expand as it had anticipated. You get the promotion because the colleague is deemed "not ready" for a position of such responsibility. It means a meager salary raise for you, and a similar increase in revenue for the company. You're happy with your decision. Not much else changes.

Or, case 2 :

Sure, I'll help you. I couldn't let him give this presentation that represents the company without it showing the company's best work. And because I'm most fit for the promotion, I am the company's best worker. I wouldn't want the company to look bad when I know I'm capable of producing better. If this presentation fails, then the whole company fails. When the bosses find out I have helped him they'll be so impressed with my willingness to help my opposition for the promotion in the name of what's good for the company that there will be no way they don't promote me. This is exactly the opportunity I need to show what I've got. This is my opportunity to stand out!

Result: You agree to help out, despite your heavy workload and together you finish the task. The presentation turns out to be excellent, resulting in a large number of sales for your company. Your colleague receives a lot of praise for him hard work on the task and you are also mentioned as someone who sacrificed for the betterment of the company. The large influx of sales allows the company to grow faster than originally planned and now they are looking for two people to be promoted rather than one. Remembering the unselfishness and teamwork that you and your colleague showed on this most recent task, as well as its high quality output, the bosses decide you and your colleague are deserving of the promotion. The company continues to grow, perhaps faster than it would have had the presentation not been as successful, and in a few short years, you and that colleague have risen to two very prominent, powerful positions within the company. It means an enormous salary raise for you, and company culture is much more pleasant and cooperative.

I don't know about you, but I would definitely prefer the case 2 and recommend the same. Sure, it doesn't always work out that perfectly, but the point is in order to get ahead yourself, sometimes you have to help others first. In this particular case, by helping your colleague first, you, him and the entire company benefits. 

“Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

-Regards,

Joachin Joseph

Dream your Dreams and Dream above your Dreams...

  Dream bigger and pragmatic. There is no wait and obstacle in dreaming high and big. People have always an attitude of dreaming within their limits. Winning 1Cr lottery or 1 lakh salary paid job. Why don't people dream that they won 10,000Cr lottery or got 5lakh job or becoming president of US? Will police catch them next day morning for dreaming of winning a 10,000Cr lottery? 

  Dreams will become the touchstones of our character and Our character will become the measure of our dreams. Ordinary people dream what they can achieve, but only Successful people dream big. Mahatma Gandhi dreamt big about an independent India. At that time, people did not believe in his dream because it seemed impossible. However, he was determined and never gave up. Because he dreamed big, he managed to reach his goal.

  Absolutely everyone in our childhoods would have dreamt of becoming scientists or pilots or detectives or astronauts. But how many are chasing the dreams to make it success? In our childhoods, We were encouraged to dream high on what we would want to become. As the time rolls up and getting matured, the same people will tell us to suck up the dreams and look after our career and face reality. Eventually the high schools and colleges will make you to focus on the profession courses depending on the scope. 

  We lock up our childhood dreams, which have now evolved into something more concrete, in a silent corner of our heads and we swallow the pass-code key. We throw away our creative hats and bow our heads, now to crack the board exams, now to pass the entrance exams, now to make it through college, now to land in a good MBA school, now to fight for the best ‘package’, now to settle down aka get married and have kids. However at some point of our time in life, we may look forward to the key which swallowed unlock the dreams.

The question was once asked of a highly successful businessman: "How have you done so much in your lifetime?"

  He replied, "I have dreamed. I have turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night I dreamt about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw the way to make my dreams real. While other people were saying, 'You can't do that, it isn't possible,' I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted." As Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the U.S., said: "We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers."

  Lets make a resolution to look forward with a great passion to make our own dreams reality. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty and visual aspect of their dreams. Often times we walk away from our dreams afraid we may fail, but at the end of our journey, We aren't going to regret the things we've done but only the things we did not do. Even though the world may laugh at people who dream big, it is not an excuse for staying within one’s comfort zone. To be successful, one needs to take risks.

"Dreaming big is the first step of success..."

I just want you to remind again, So many of our ancestors dreams at first seem impractical, then they seem improbable, and then, when they summoned the will, they soon become inevitable. Where there is a will, There will be a way always. 

The lesson of Prodigal son - Repentance.

Parable of Prodigal Son
This is the gospel dated 09-03-2013. I could say, One of the best masses I attended ever. I have been coming across this story since my childhood, but today is the day I understood the meaning of the story well. I should say a big thanks to Rev father anon, Perungudi, Chennai. Parable of the prodigal son is the longest parable in the gospels. What is the main point or focus of the story?

The Parable of the Lost Son :

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

Inference : 

• " Father, give me my share of the estate.". The words, 'Give me' shows the selfish of the son. We are also committing the same.We ask for the God's presents, but not the God's Presence.The fact that the younger brother instigated the early division of the family estate showed a rebellious and proud disregard for his father's authority. Whenever we sin against him, we are disgracing the kingdom of Heaven.

• "younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth"- Even at times We go far from the God's presence and  till we get any trouble we will not turn back. A wasted hour or wasted day or wasted life is a tragedy like how the young son wasted his wealth.We were created to serve and worship God. When we choose to ignore this, we are going far away from his purpose.
• Famine : "After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine". This is what happens when we give our whole life over to serving ourselves and going away from him . We will end up missing out on so much. We lose the blessing of our Heavenly Father. We waste our lives, and we become trapped and enslaved to our own sin. 
• Poverty : "to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything." it reveals that he had fallen as low as he could possibly go. This son represents a person living in rebellion to God. Sometimes we have to hit rock-bottom before we come to our senses and recognize our sin.
• Spiritual Awakening : "he came to his senses" It is the same realization we all should come to when our hearts cry out "God, I’m guilty. Please forgive me”.
• Repentance - "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him" He does three things: "accept," "arise" and "say." These words show us his repentance. Another way of looking at repentance is that it is a change of direction. It is when we have a change of mind and a change of heart about sin. Then that change in our heart produces a change in our actions.

• "make me like one of your hired servants". "Make me." Those are beautiful words! They are words that show that his cry has changed from "give me" to "make me." He is showing his desire to come under the authority of his father and leave self behind. Jesus wants us to look at our own hearts and ask, “Am I saying, ‘give me’ to God, or is my response ‘make me?"
• "God is a loving Father". He had been watching for him all this time. God waits and watches for us while we are separated from Him. Remember it is only our sins that keeps us from Him. When we come to Him in true repentance, He sees us and has compassion on us, and He runs to us with hugs and kisses. What great love! No matter what our sin has been, when we truly repent, God our Father receives us this loving way. He will completely forgive us and remember our sins no more.
• "Bring the best robe, Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate." He offers us everything in his kingdom, restoring full relationship with joyful celebration. He doesn't even dwell on our past The robe signified that he was the guest of honor at the banquet. The ring was given as a symbol of his authority,
• " For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." What priceless words for a father to say to a child! He is going to celebrate because this is his son, restored to him! Our Heavenly Father loves us very much and wants us to come to Him no matter what we may have done.

• The son felt the father was unfair, totally unjust, and even foolish. "How could you do this to me?!" Not once did the elder brother show the slightest hint of  joy for his brother returning. He was irate, nearly in a rage about this welcome home party. Yes, legalism hates grace, because grace forgives on the basis of love and not performance.Can you accept it? God is love. He is the lost sheep .we see that the elder son is clearly a picture of the pharisees. In their self-righteousness, they have forgotten to rejoice when a sinner returns to God. Bitterness and resentment keeps the older son from forgiving his younger brother. It blinds him to the treasure he freely enjoys through constant relationship with the father.

Question of Reflection :

In this parable Jesus gives a vivid picture of God and what God is like. God is truly kinder than us. He does not lose hope or give up when we stray. He rejoices in finding the lost and in welcoming them home. Do you know the joy of repentance and the restoration of relationship as a son or daughter of your heavenly Father?Who are you in this story? Are you a prodigal, a pharisee or a servant? Are you the rebellious son, lost and far from God? Are you the self-righteous pharisee, no longer capable of rejoicing when a sinner returns to God? Maybe you've hit rock-bottom, come to your senses and decided to run to God's open arms of compassion and mercy? Or are you one of the servants in the household, rejoicing with the father when a lost son finds his way home? Decide your answer, who you are? 

From the day 1 ever since it was created, everything has changed except the mind of Human. Still Mind of Human is filled with pride, covetousness, greed, ego, arrogance,  hauteur, sins, anger, envy and jealous. Until we change our mind and ask repentance, we shall enter into the kingdom of God. Our sacrifices, lent fasting, offerings will not give you perpetual life but only repentance. He is ready to accept you, will You ready to ask repentance by heart not by words?  

"Lord Jesus, may I never doubt your love nor take for granted the mercy you have shown to me. Fill me with your transforming love that I may be merciful as you are merciful."

Have Peace in your life
Joachin Joseph