Saturday, October 31, 2009
Passion for Photography
Beauty lies all around us, we just have to open our eyes and find it. Here is my attempt to search for beauty around me.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Meaning of Life
For those who claim life is monotonous and boring, or for those that think that all life has to offer is sorrow and grief, do they think that death will give them a way out? A solution to end it all? Because personally, I don't think it does. Death simply ceases existence on Earth, it does not erase events and actions that were once a part of your life.
Life is always worth living for, sometimes what we are living for, is what's not worth it. And we don't realize that soon enough. Sometimes people spend half their lives in search of something that's not meant for them, seeking something they already have, or wanting something they don't need. I think walking around with a meaningless life is the worst punishment you can give yourself. We all have to find a way to give our life meaning, to devote our lives to something or someone that will make it worthwhile, that will give it direction, purpose, and meaning.
Getting what you want is not solace, realizing and understanding why you don't have what you want is true solace.
In Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom writes:
Ever since I read the book many years ago, his words have stuck with me. We are all so used to saying that life is short, now is the time to live, and we always complain about how time ran too ahead of us and we had no choice but to follow. But what we forget in the process is that we're not just losing time or moving steadily towards the end of it all, we are, in fact, growing. The more time we spend growing, the more we understand our true purpose in life, the meaning of life, and the world around us.
You do not simply lose your youth as the years go by, you gain wisdom. You learn to live life to its full extent, to cherish it, to want what you have, and to keep it safe. I read somewhere that success is primarily getting what you want, but happiness is wanting what you have. We are so obsessed with getting the things that we want, but when we finally get them, we forget how much they meant to us in the first place. Sort of like life, when you have it, you don't know what you want to do with it, and when you see it slowly escaping your hold, you realize all that you wanted but never tried to get from life.
Life is always worth living for, sometimes what we are living for, is what's not worth it. And we don't realize that soon enough. Sometimes people spend half their lives in search of something that's not meant for them, seeking something they already have, or wanting something they don't need. I think walking around with a meaningless life is the worst punishment you can give yourself. We all have to find a way to give our life meaning, to devote our lives to something or someone that will make it worthwhile, that will give it direction, purpose, and meaning.
Getting what you want is not solace, realizing and understanding why you don't have what you want is true solace.
In Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom writes:
"As you grow old, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, its also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it."
- Morrie, Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom pg. 118
Ever since I read the book many years ago, his words have stuck with me. We are all so used to saying that life is short, now is the time to live, and we always complain about how time ran too ahead of us and we had no choice but to follow. But what we forget in the process is that we're not just losing time or moving steadily towards the end of it all, we are, in fact, growing. The more time we spend growing, the more we understand our true purpose in life, the meaning of life, and the world around us.
You do not simply lose your youth as the years go by, you gain wisdom. You learn to live life to its full extent, to cherish it, to want what you have, and to keep it safe. I read somewhere that success is primarily getting what you want, but happiness is wanting what you have. We are so obsessed with getting the things that we want, but when we finally get them, we forget how much they meant to us in the first place. Sort of like life, when you have it, you don't know what you want to do with it, and when you see it slowly escaping your hold, you realize all that you wanted but never tried to get from life.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Question of Marriage
I wrote this post a week or two ago, and never got around to publishing it. Better late than never though:
I was actually watching the news, which is usually something I never do (I prefer the internet), but they were showing the whole balloon boy fiasco and I was curious. Anyways, I caught that whole bit about the Louisiana justice who denied the interracial couple a marriage license. I thought it was outrageous. I don't think his argument makes sense at all, 'its hard on the kids'? If he's worried so much about the kids, why doesn't he start working with those couples who are getting divorced left and right without thinking twice of their kids futures, and letting their families fall apart for insignificant reasons? If he's really worried about the kids, why doesn't he prevent those same race couples who shouldn't be having kids in the first place from producing? If he really does care about the future of unborn kids, he should go talk to those women who are aborting their kids. His excuse was ludicrous and it has racial prejudice written all over it. I do not think anyone has the right to tell someone how to live their life.
Now, as far as how society or even we ourselves see association with those of a different race goes, I think we, through human nature, for some reason are more comfortable with those who are of our race. And there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a certain hesitation when they interact with somebody who's unlike you - whether its race, ethnicity, religion, etc etc. Our minds simply work that way. If you or me, were walking alone down a dark street, we'd feel more comfortable if we ran into someone of our race walking by, rather than someone of another race. It's an innate reaction, a natural tendency for us to search for people who are more and more like us. And I think we have to accept that its natural and move on, labeling it as prejudice doesn't do anyone any good. But obviously, there are always people who go overboard and take things to the next level - and that is where racial prejudice comes in.
This got me thinking and led to this extremely long rant on marriage, from a different, yet related perspective. Make sense of it if you will.
Coming to a more personal level, I don't think it is just a matter of what parents think. For example, in the case of marriage, sure desi (those who originate from the Indian Subcontinent, pronounced day-see) parents would have a heart attack if they knew their child was wanting to be with someone who was of a different race. But I do not think its because their bad people, or racists, or because they hold certain stereotypes, I think its because, again, they feel uncomfortable around people who are not like them. All parents want their children to be with someone who shares the same beliefs, morals, and values as them. Again, an innate tendency.
My opinion is that I need to be with someone who shares my culture, my faith, my beliefs, and my values. I feel that these similarities are necessary to build a common ground, and from that common ground, the art of compromise can begin. But if compromises start coming in the way of these very central beliefs, these values that make us who we are, I think living with that person, sharing a life with them, becomes very difficult. I'm not saying its not doable, obviously it is, and people do it successfully as well, but talking about me personally, I have certain needs as a person. Forget even religion, to me culture and tradition hold so much meaning, and my strong liking for it makes me want to share it with someone. Sure, it would be nice to blend cultures together and see what new traditions you create, but those original traditions hold their own meaning. And why limit it to culture - going beyond it, I need to share the same language, the same types of foods, the rituals, the clothing, the behavior, and eventually faith and religion. And that becomes harder and harder to do with someone who comes from a completely different world than your's. It is not a prejudice, but just a matter of different perspectives, and I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting things a certain way.
I have heard that love is quite intoxicating, but I don't think there is anything in this world that could convince me to defy my parents. See, personally, I don't think that I even have the capacity to do something against my parents' wishes. It is not because I am weak, or that they suppress me, or compel me to do things that I cannot do, but because I love them too much to even imagine ever hurting them. But that by no means indicates that those who do defy their parents do not love them. Obviously, we make our own choices, and sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, right? But I do always remind myself that what my parents want for me is the best and greatest. If they stop me from doing something, it is with my best interests in mind. Unlike us, parents are not selfish, they really do care. But sometimes, parents want so much for us that their real intentions are lost along the way. They want us to learn from their mistakes and to not commit the same ones in our lives, but what they forget is that they did not learn from their parents' mistakes either, and therefore, we will have to learn from our own mistakes as well. If we really put our minds to it, we can assess both viewpoints. There is no right or wrong answer, both sides have a point, but neither is willing to compromise.
Nothing in this world is absolute. You cannot ensure anything before it happens. That's just not how life works. I know that, and I realize that. But just because life and the future is uncertain, does not mean that your present has to be. Even marriages within the same culture, faith, beliefs and values, don't always work. And I accept that, I mean, what other choice do we have? One can still hope for the best, can't they? If I pick someone with base similarities, someone who I think I can spend the rest of my life with, and then things don't work out, then it wasn't meant to be. But at least I did my part, and beyond that I have no control. As far as arranged marriages go, I think fate plays a large role, as cheesy as this sounds, I do think that in the end up you end with someone you're meant to be with, and that's what matters.
I was actually watching the news, which is usually something I never do (I prefer the internet), but they were showing the whole balloon boy fiasco and I was curious. Anyways, I caught that whole bit about the Louisiana justice who denied the interracial couple a marriage license. I thought it was outrageous. I don't think his argument makes sense at all, 'its hard on the kids'? If he's worried so much about the kids, why doesn't he start working with those couples who are getting divorced left and right without thinking twice of their kids futures, and letting their families fall apart for insignificant reasons? If he's really worried about the kids, why doesn't he prevent those same race couples who shouldn't be having kids in the first place from producing? If he really does care about the future of unborn kids, he should go talk to those women who are aborting their kids. His excuse was ludicrous and it has racial prejudice written all over it. I do not think anyone has the right to tell someone how to live their life.
Now, as far as how society or even we ourselves see association with those of a different race goes, I think we, through human nature, for some reason are more comfortable with those who are of our race. And there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a certain hesitation when they interact with somebody who's unlike you - whether its race, ethnicity, religion, etc etc. Our minds simply work that way. If you or me, were walking alone down a dark street, we'd feel more comfortable if we ran into someone of our race walking by, rather than someone of another race. It's an innate reaction, a natural tendency for us to search for people who are more and more like us. And I think we have to accept that its natural and move on, labeling it as prejudice doesn't do anyone any good. But obviously, there are always people who go overboard and take things to the next level - and that is where racial prejudice comes in.
This got me thinking and led to this extremely long rant on marriage, from a different, yet related perspective. Make sense of it if you will.
Coming to a more personal level, I don't think it is just a matter of what parents think. For example, in the case of marriage, sure desi (those who originate from the Indian Subcontinent, pronounced day-see) parents would have a heart attack if they knew their child was wanting to be with someone who was of a different race. But I do not think its because their bad people, or racists, or because they hold certain stereotypes, I think its because, again, they feel uncomfortable around people who are not like them. All parents want their children to be with someone who shares the same beliefs, morals, and values as them. Again, an innate tendency.
My opinion is that I need to be with someone who shares my culture, my faith, my beliefs, and my values. I feel that these similarities are necessary to build a common ground, and from that common ground, the art of compromise can begin. But if compromises start coming in the way of these very central beliefs, these values that make us who we are, I think living with that person, sharing a life with them, becomes very difficult. I'm not saying its not doable, obviously it is, and people do it successfully as well, but talking about me personally, I have certain needs as a person. Forget even religion, to me culture and tradition hold so much meaning, and my strong liking for it makes me want to share it with someone. Sure, it would be nice to blend cultures together and see what new traditions you create, but those original traditions hold their own meaning. And why limit it to culture - going beyond it, I need to share the same language, the same types of foods, the rituals, the clothing, the behavior, and eventually faith and religion. And that becomes harder and harder to do with someone who comes from a completely different world than your's. It is not a prejudice, but just a matter of different perspectives, and I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting things a certain way.
I have heard that love is quite intoxicating, but I don't think there is anything in this world that could convince me to defy my parents. See, personally, I don't think that I even have the capacity to do something against my parents' wishes. It is not because I am weak, or that they suppress me, or compel me to do things that I cannot do, but because I love them too much to even imagine ever hurting them. But that by no means indicates that those who do defy their parents do not love them. Obviously, we make our own choices, and sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do, right? But I do always remind myself that what my parents want for me is the best and greatest. If they stop me from doing something, it is with my best interests in mind. Unlike us, parents are not selfish, they really do care. But sometimes, parents want so much for us that their real intentions are lost along the way. They want us to learn from their mistakes and to not commit the same ones in our lives, but what they forget is that they did not learn from their parents' mistakes either, and therefore, we will have to learn from our own mistakes as well. If we really put our minds to it, we can assess both viewpoints. There is no right or wrong answer, both sides have a point, but neither is willing to compromise.
Nothing in this world is absolute. You cannot ensure anything before it happens. That's just not how life works. I know that, and I realize that. But just because life and the future is uncertain, does not mean that your present has to be. Even marriages within the same culture, faith, beliefs and values, don't always work. And I accept that, I mean, what other choice do we have? One can still hope for the best, can't they? If I pick someone with base similarities, someone who I think I can spend the rest of my life with, and then things don't work out, then it wasn't meant to be. But at least I did my part, and beyond that I have no control. As far as arranged marriages go, I think fate plays a large role, as cheesy as this sounds, I do think that in the end up you end with someone you're meant to be with, and that's what matters.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Searching for Words of Comfort
There are good days, there are bad days, there are days where everything is just right, and then there are days where nothing is right. Occasionally, life sneaks upon one of those days where nothing is wrong, but neither is anything right. Today is definitely one of those days. I have so much to do, but no motivation to do it. I have time, but no inspiration, I have books, but no concentration, I have deadlines, but no devotion, I have everything, but with it, too much emotion. All I feel like doing today is to sit in a corner, away from the rest of the world, where I can stare into space and think of absolutely nothing. But it seems like the world doesn't want me to do that either.
I keep telling myself that I'll get through this, through this week, and then everything will be okay, but I somehow can't convince myself of it. Why is it that in moments when you are feeling down, all sorrows somehow return back to haunt you? Some rise from the dead, some come out of hiding, where they were buried deep within our hearts, and new sorrows take birth, all in that one moment. At times like these, I want to cry my heart, to vent, to complain about all the things that life has done and not done, but somehow, I can't even manage to bring about a tear. I think that perhaps shedding a tear or two will make this heavy load a bit lighter, but perhaps I am simply expected to carry it with me.
I had hoped that writing it out here would have helped my overactive mind, but even that was too much to ask. So I go again, to my books, in hopes that motivation will come find me, since I obviously am unable to find it.
I keep telling myself that I'll get through this, through this week, and then everything will be okay, but I somehow can't convince myself of it. Why is it that in moments when you are feeling down, all sorrows somehow return back to haunt you? Some rise from the dead, some come out of hiding, where they were buried deep within our hearts, and new sorrows take birth, all in that one moment. At times like these, I want to cry my heart, to vent, to complain about all the things that life has done and not done, but somehow, I can't even manage to bring about a tear. I think that perhaps shedding a tear or two will make this heavy load a bit lighter, but perhaps I am simply expected to carry it with me.
I had hoped that writing it out here would have helped my overactive mind, but even that was too much to ask. So I go again, to my books, in hopes that motivation will come find me, since I obviously am unable to find it.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Flower of Hope
Some thoughts that came to mind after a deep conversation. I felt the need to share.
Life is like a blooming flower. It gives us many moments of happiness that fill our hearts with joy, but those moments soon wither away. However, the happiness that they once brought remains for eternity. Perhaps that's why even in moments of sorrow, when there seems no way out, we somehow manage to find hope. We find a reason to live again, remembering the happiness that life can give, remembering what life can be, and forgetting what life is. Our tears dry but the moments of happiness, no matter how brief, are carved in our hearts, waiting to revive the soul whenever necessary.
Here's to undying hope, may it reside in each of our hearts until death do us part.
Life is like a blooming flower. It gives us many moments of happiness that fill our hearts with joy, but those moments soon wither away. However, the happiness that they once brought remains for eternity. Perhaps that's why even in moments of sorrow, when there seems no way out, we somehow manage to find hope. We find a reason to live again, remembering the happiness that life can give, remembering what life can be, and forgetting what life is. Our tears dry but the moments of happiness, no matter how brief, are carved in our hearts, waiting to revive the soul whenever necessary.
Here's to undying hope, may it reside in each of our hearts until death do us part.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Moonlit Night
When the moon strikes its shadow
Upon the dark blanket of night
I look outside the cold window
Searching for you under the moonlight
As the cool wind blows in my hair
For a second, it takes my breath away
I open my eyes to see if you are there
But the light shines back in dismay
I turn away from the shining moon
But the silvery light crawls back
Your beloved memories are strewn
Across the night, in glints of black
The moonlight whispers your thoughts
Into the silence of the dark night
The sparkling stars with grief distraught
Listen to these memories so trite
It retells me stories of those days
And brings tears to my sad eyes
Showing me dreams gone astray
A moment of happiness in disguise
When the moonlight touches you
Do you also remember days gone by
The same sorrow that I go through
Also force you to turn away and cry
Upon the dark blanket of night
I look outside the cold window
Searching for you under the moonlight
As the cool wind blows in my hair
For a second, it takes my breath away
I open my eyes to see if you are there
But the light shines back in dismay
I turn away from the shining moon
But the silvery light crawls back
Your beloved memories are strewn
Across the night, in glints of black
The moonlight whispers your thoughts
Into the silence of the dark night
The sparkling stars with grief distraught
Listen to these memories so trite
It retells me stories of those days
And brings tears to my sad eyes
Showing me dreams gone astray
A moment of happiness in disguise
When the moonlight touches you
Do you also remember days gone by
The same sorrow that I go through
Also force you to turn away and cry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
