Diary of Kishan Thakker

Hold My Hand....

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:32:10 +0530

Little girl and her
father were crossing a bridge.

The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,

"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don"t fall into the river."

The little girl said, "No, Dad.. YOU hold my hand."

"What"s the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

"There"s a big difference," replied the little girl.

"If I hold your hand and something happens to me,

chances are that I may let your hand go.

But if YOU hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens,

you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold
yours...

This message is too short.......but carries a lot of Feelings.

Source unknown-- I got this from my dearest friend Sumana Ghosh.

History of Valentine's Day....

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:43:53 +0530

As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man"s rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice...

They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier. According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire"s boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.

Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested.

The emperor, impressed with the young priest"s dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor , knowing the consequences fully.On February 24, 270 , Valentine was executed.

While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius" daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.

Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine"s name.

The Valentine"s Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London .

The card is now preserved in the British Museum .

(I have read it some where on net some 2 years back....)

Earthships: Future-proof buildings

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:06:24 +0530

Half buried in the dry, red earth of New Mexico, are a series of buildings, unconventional in appearance and radical in design. They're Earthships -- sustainable, self-sufficient homes -- and the 50 or so that are scattered outside the New Mexico town of Taos constitute the Earthship world community. Earthships are the brainchild of Michael Reynolds.He is an architect graduated from cincinnati.
These EarthShips are build from recycled steel and aluminum cans, tires and other reclaimed materials. They are self-sufficient homes that provide their own water, power and heating. Water is collected from rain or snowfall and stored in large underground cisterns. It is then used a number of times, first for bathing or washing. It is then recycled into "gray" water, which is used to flush toilets before being taken out of the internal water system as "black" water. It is then treated and used to water the Earthship's plants. Power is supplied by solar panels and wind turbines and even in areas where sunlight is more likely to be caught through overcast skies, modern photovoltaic technology means that they can still be effective enough to make any Earthship anywhere in the world self-sufficient.
At it's most basic, Earthships can be simple shelters with their own water supply. Basic but essential, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters, At the time of Tsunami in 2004, Reynolds has built Earthships on the Andaman Islands.
It is really surprising that there is no mention of such marvels in Indian news world either in newspaper or in TV. Hats-off to the silent worker Michael Reynolds.. Who works for the society and contributes without expectation of any publicity in this self-centered materialistic world.

Secret behind the corn field

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:12:03 +0530

A reporter once asked a farmer to divulge the secret behind his corn, which won the state fair contest year after year. The farmer confessed it was all because he shared his seed with his neighbors.

"Why do you share your best seed corn with your neighbors when you're entering the same contest each year?" asked the reporter.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "Didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grew inferior corn, cross-pollination would steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbor do the same."

And so it is with other situations in our lives. Those who want to be successful must help their neighbors, friends, relatives to be successful.

Those who choose to live well must help others live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

SPIRITUALITY vs. RELIGION

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:13:58 +0530

I found this posted on the net somewhere and felt it would be a great blog.

Spirituality says that God is within us, and that we do not need anyone else to make this particular divine connection for us.
Religion says that we are separated from God, and that we need to communicate with and worship this ascended entity in order to make the divine connection.

Spirituality says that we are free to make choices on our own, and that we must accept personal responsibility for our actions.
Religion says that we must make their choices and act their way, depending upon a given religious denomination"s belief systems.

The theme of spirituality is fellowship through the employment of unconditional love.
The theme of religion is fellowship through fear and guilt.

Spirituality does not require us to make donations.
Religion has become a big business.

Spirituality says there is no Hell, no judgment, no angry God, and that we are loved unconditionally.
Religion says there is a Hell, God gets angry and judges us. Therefore, we are not loved unconditionally.

Spirituality says we are free to choose our own path to God.
Religion commands us to do it their way, depending upon a particular religious denomination"s beliefs.

Spirituality says we go to God to lighten our burden.
Religion has taught us to fear their God, depending upon a particular religious demonination"s beliefs.

Spirituality says we should not be ashamed of our sexuality. Rather, it should be a sacred celebration of love.
Religion has taught us to feel ashamed, guilty and dirty about our sexualty.

Spirituality reminds us that we are one with God and one with each other.
Religion means separation on belief which is the opposite of God.

Spirituality says God is within everyone and everything.
Religion says God and His messengers reside in Heaven and that "they" are the only intermediaries for us.

Spirituality says we are born in innocence and purity.
Religion says we are born with sin.

Spirituality teaches that we are on a long spiritual adventure and journey which will ultimately end by reuniting with our Source.
Religion says we have got one life to get it all right, and there is nothing but Heaven or Hell after that.

Spirituality teaches unconditional love for all.
Religion, over time, fostered the Crusades in which many were killed and slaughtered in the name of God.

Spirituality teaches peace and harmony.
Religion has caused more wars and more killing than any other reason.

Spirituality teaches us to have faith in ourselves.
Religion teaches us to have faith in them.

Spirituality says we have all the answers, that we can find them by "going within."
Religion teaches us that it has all the answers and only its answers are the right ones.

Spirituality teaches us to search for the Universal Truths, where from our hearts will tell us when we have found them.
Religion teaches we have no choice but to accept their version of the Truth.

Which one feels better to you? Spirituality or religion?
Go to the depths of your heart for the answer for, indeed, it will never lie to you, my friend.

My First .....

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:47:27 +0530

First....

What does it mean to you? Have you ever realised that some of the firsts make a huge impression on a person. First day @ school, first puff of cigarette, First Glass of beer , First kiss, First child ... etc. What is it about a first that burns into your memory like a picture? You can recall every word, movement, thought, everything that surrounded you at the time. It could be good or bad, but that doesn"t matter, it is forever with you.

First Day to School ....
First Puff of Cigaret ....
First Glass of Beer ....
First Job Interview ....
First Kiss ....
First Child ....
First (and of course last) Experience in Police Lockup ....

First Day at School - I still remember my Dad lead me to my School Building. I was in my White Half Sleeve Shirt and White Shorts. I was wearing Black shoes. I still remember climbing the first five stairs of my school building holding my Dad"s index finger, walking the corridor leading to my class room. My class teacher was elderly grey haired Teacher in his 50"s wearing white Gandhi cap. His name was "LALBHAI". Justifying his name his cheeks were red like roses. He greeted me with fatherly feeling and my fear for school"s alien atmosphere instantly evaporated.

First Puff of cigarette - My age was 17 when I had the first puff of cigarette in my life. I had just started going to college. During those days I used to visit local sports club in our locality. It was winter evening. romantic chill was there in the atmosphere. At 7.00 p.m. One of a club member (who later became very good friend of mine), offered me an imported "Benson & Hedges" to start my smoking experience. He told me that this brand is supposed to be consumed by LADIES (mild). I had my puff sitting on a garden bench in our club premises. Though it"s supposed to be mild, I felt a BANG on my head when I inhaled the smoke, and I was on the seventh heaven.

First Glass of Beer - I had a beer long before I had a first puff of smoke. It was 9.30 in the evening. I still remember, two of my cousin brothers (from Nagpur), both elder to me and quiet experienced with such adventures had come to Kolkata (then known as Calcutta). They were very exited about Calcutta"s night life and were also aware about the joints in Park Street Area of Kolkata. They lead me to "TRINCAS" restaurant. We sat on a corner table enjoying the live band playing some popular western music. They ordered some premium brand "BLACK LABEL" Malt beer and while the drink was getting served one of them asked me whether I have ever tested it or not. When in embarrassment I said "NO" he instructed the waiter to serve ME also with the magic potion. In dilemma whether to-have-it-or-not,� I sipped my drink in anticipation of a sweet "Rose syrup" taste, and got a biggest surprise of my life that "beer taste is bitter and not sweet". It will remain a surprise through out my life that in spite of it"s BITTER taste I still relish a glass of beer before evening dinner during summer (occasionally).