Savouring Life

We all need challenges to enjoy life. 

Challenge gets our adrenaline flowing enabling us to either fight or take flight, and this in turn creates stress. Some level of stress is in fact healthy and even essential for  us to live exciting and interesting lives. However stress can often become addictive. As with all addictions we need greater and greater doses of excitement to get the same high.

One of the greatest stress creators is modern man's, need for speed. Our lives are running faster and faster, yet rarely do we arrive anywhere meaningful. 

Time is money we are told. Money for whom and what will you do with that money if you have lost your health, your sanity, and your self? We often have no time to enjoy life, nature, our families, our friends and precious moments we live. If we ever do realise our folly, it is often too late in life to do anything about it.

Life is not only to be lived, it has to be savoured. Unfortunately we have come to believe that only through money and power, can we enjoy life and be happy. That too if we have lots of it.

Many things in life can be enjoyed which money cannot afford to buy,  The love and company of family, friendship, sound sleep, good health, mother's cooking, wisdom, etc. etc. 

The sounds and smell of nature, the sun, rain, the breeze, the song of birds and the mischief of youth, the joy of play, music and dance, all these and many other things we increasingly miss in our lives.

When we travel fast we hardly ever notice the scenery and therefore can never admire it or the company of our co-travellers in life. When we zip through life we journey from cradle to the funeral pyre or grave, we hardly get to live. Mere existence is not living, its just existing.

Many years ago I went through a catastrophic personal and business setback. I struggled and I struggled and I struggled, until there was nothing more I could do. 

When all worldly doors close we seek a higher self within our own being. Through the doorway of our soul we seek to find answers and solutions. Eventually, exhausted, I surrendered to God's will. I stopped struggling and that led an awakening.

Now I had time to look within. I now had time to do all the things I should have done all my life, and somehow forgotten to do because I was 'too busy'.

I found I had time to reflect, meditate, pray, go for walks, spend time with my loved ones. I learnt to chew rather than swallow my food. Help out at home, guide and play with the children, read, listen to music and hymns, share stories and fantasies and a hundred other things. I had done many of these things before but grudgingly or almost robotically. Now I savoured them.

I do not regret the years I spent working very hard, for I learnt many things,  achieved some spectacular results, numerous setbacks and  discovered my potential, my flaws and essentially myself, but it was always to be greater, reach higher, move faster. It was always more and more of everything.

I met many fascinating people and worked with amazing colleagues who taught me much. Many liked me and some even loved me but I was too busy and oblivious of their affection.

I still work hard. I teach, consult, and mentor individuals and organisations,  and many other things, but all with greater meaning. No issue is too minor, nor is any relationship too demanding.  A joy fills my being, for I no longer live life but savour it.

____________________

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” 

 - W.M. Lewis

You don't love me

The wife came into the room, snatched the remote control, switched off the TV and said,  "You do not love me".

"Hey! What are you doing? The match is at a crucial stage. "
"See you don't love me, a stupid match is more important than me"
'Damn, how could you say such a thing?" Her flabbergasted husband asked.
"I am breaking my back and killing myself to take care of you and our family".
"Have you forgotten the jewellery I bought you for your last birthday?"
" Did I not take you to Europe for our anniversary?"
"I did this ..., and I did that ...'  and I bought you that .....,  blah blah."
"Don't I give you enough money for your comforts and to enjoy yourself?"

The wife replied, "You are impossible. I am getting this feeling for quite some time now.I will repeat it again and again, you don't love me. You think all that matters is money?"


"I don't understand you at all", he said, taking the house keys and slamming the door shut as he left the house, to figure out the complex and incomprehensible nature of women.


He walked briskly trying to cool his mind. Soon he felt tired and sat on the bench next to the kind and elderly Mrs. Kochhar.  She always looked calm with a serene face.

___________________________________

"Hello Gurdeep, you look upset?
"Yes Aunty, I just had a fight with my wife.  I can't understand her. What more does she want from me?"

Mrs. Kochhar heard Gurdeep  pour his heart out, and she tapped the back of his hand, comfortingly and said, "Don't worry these things happen in all marriages, and they eventually sort themselves out."

Mrs. Kochhar: "May I ask you some questions?"
Gurdeep: "No problems, please ask."

Mrs. Kochhar: "How many years have you been married?"
Gurdeep: "Four years."

Mrs. Kochhar: "How long did your courtship last?"
Gurdeep: "About a year."
Mrs. Kochhar: "How did you spend your time during your courtship?"

Gurdeep: "Oh! We went for long walks, went to the movies, shopping, she loves to trek so we used  to go quite often during the weekend on treks, you know stuff like that."

Mrs. Kochhar: "In the last year how often did you go to the movies, or go for walks or treks?"

Gurdeep: "Hardly, I don't have the time.  My work is too demanding."
Mrs. Kochhar: "Do you really love your wife?"

Gurdeep: "At this moment, I am so angry that I am not so sure, but in my heart I feel I love her."
Mrs. Kochhar: "If you love her, then when was the last time you made her feel that you loved her?" She continued, "Beta, a woman can be pleased by gifts and things, only for a while. If you love her then show her, do the things that show that you love her. Ignoring her or taking her for granted is not the best way to show your love."

Mrs. Kochhar: "All she is trying to say to you is, **'love me or even hate me, but never be indifferent to me'**. A woman will never tell you that directly, because no one can beg for love or security or even attention. Love has to be felt not told or purchased."

Gurdeep went home, saw the untouched food on the table. Crept into the darkened bedroom and got into the bed next to his wife. He cautiously snuggled up to her and whispered into her ear,  I am sorry, I shouted at you, I love you."

She just turned around and gave him a hug. Her wet face showed that she had been crying.

At that moment Gurdeep learnt another important lesson of life which eludes many men. 

When your woman complains that you do not love her, all she is saying is 
'Don't ignore me. I want your attention, to show me that you care for me and our relationship.'
He should not demean the relationship by reminding her how much he has provided for her materially. While she appreciates his providing or gifting her things, she wants to know and feel that he loves her and cares for her.
This is one of the secrets of a healthy relationship. Not to take the other for granted. 

Give her your friendship and love, and your genuine attention. Spend time to listen to her. It may seem trivial or irrelevant, but it may be important to her or she just wants to bond. Try to indulge her a little and see your life being transformed for the better. You will most likely live each day happily, more respected and definitely much more loved.

Of course there is no guarantee but, you will probably never again hear the words, 'You don't love me'.

           

Females make me nervous

                     
                             















I grew up in an all boys boarding school, and went to engineering college  where there were almost no girls. All the teachers were men. 

My interaction with females was very limited except for my mother a few aunts, my  two elder sisters and a few of their friends who only thought of me and my brothers just as little boys. For me females were alien.

I grew up with two ridiculous and extreme views of females. One they were pure, angelic, goddesses  and the other learnt from naughty books and magazines, that they were mere sex objects.

I made friends with girls but could never sustain a friendship with them because I could not understand them therefore unable to sustain a meaningful relationship. Those that I put on a pedestal as Goddesses usually found me dry and boring. Those I treated as objects mainly thought me uncouth and obnoxious. 

I thought I was an exception but many male associates, friends, and former classmates usually from God fearing, religiously inclined, good families held the same sort of stupid beliefs. Our noble opinions are shaped by romantic novels and romantic movies, history and literature.  Nowadays magazines, television, internet and cinema usually portray females as conniving, petty minded evil creatures. 

We men dehumanise females by either idolising them or by being dismissive of them.

Educationists and religious zealots may think it is good idea to separate males and females but it is unnatural and unhealthy. 
Boys and young men from segregated environments inevitably encounter difficulty in relationships and marriage. The most natural thing of engaging with women as colleagues, clients, and as friends always remain a challenge. They avoid females, and even if they do engage with them its often in a dehumanising manner. They cannot be respectful because they know nothing about the other half.

What can be done to build healthier societies?

Young children up to age 9 or 10 should all go to coeducational schools and playgrounds. It is sexually safe, and emotionally healthy. 

Young children are brutally frank and in these early years of their lives they are inquisitive and open. They have no hardened opinions save those planted in their innocent minds and hearts by teachers, parents and priests.

Just before the onset of puberty girls and boys may be separated until they are ready to go to college or go to work. Sexual attraction will be there, as it is perfectly natural, but it will be healthy, respectful and friendly. 

We talk of love, and building a better world, but how can we love humanity when we cannot be respectful or friends with half of humanity? 




Where there is no understanding there can be little respect. Without respect friendship is not possible. Love can blossom only if there is respect and friendship.

p.s.
What do I know about the problems and challenges that females from segregated backgrounds encounter? 
I don't know, I feel too nervous to ask them.

125 years of Jawaharlal Nehru

125 years of Jawaharlal Nehru

This Nov 14 marked the 125th birth anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. India's first prime minster. He was a towering personality and his contribution to our freedom struggle and to the formative years of India's development and growth is significant if not immense.

Like all great men he had his shortcomings and weaknesses, and there were many. So what? Which person does not have his or her failings?

Humans have a tendency to commoditise everything. If God, heaven and hell  can be sold by people why not a colourful former prime minister of India? We have and continue to shamelessly dehumanised Mr. Nehru. We use, misuse, and abuse him and his contribution.

There are two ways to dehumanise someone: By either  dismissing them or by idolising them.

The Congress party dehumanised Mr. Nehru over 60 years by endlessly glorifying and idolising him. Every thing possible, be they monuments, infrastructure,  populist social welfare schemes,  designed to garner votes were named after Mr. Nehru. The Congress party has been for quite a long while a party dominated by sycophants. They could hardly care for Mr. Nehru or his beliefs. It was only important for the party to see how to exploit 'Brand Nehru', and to appease Nehru's descendants now called the Gandhi family. 

The Gandhi family's only claim to fame is that they are blood descendants of Mr. Nehru. Having achieved little by their own efforts, they need brand Nehru to remain relevant so they too encouraged and overused Mr. Nehru's name. As a result few people care about Nehru or his achievements. What a shame.

The current BJP led NDA government wish to dismantle all things that can help the Congress party and its brand value. 

The NDA government by acts of omission and commission have created  so much negativity on this exceptional man who devoted his life to India and her people.  
They too are guilty of dehumanising Mr. Nehru but by dismissing him. What a shame. 

That Mr. Nehru led India in his own dictatorial style within a democracy his contribution cannot be simply dismissed. If India today is an emerging superpower, and amongst the only post colonial country to have never had a military coup, a lot of credit goes to Mr. Nehru and his guiding hand.

It is easy to be judgemental of someone 46 years after he has passed away. Does it seem worthy of the people of this great land which has taught tolerance to the whole world to be so critical and disrespectful of so exceptional a man? Like him or hate him, Mr. Nehru cannot be ignored and should not be dehumanised.


By praising him excessively or by judging him too harshly, by crediting him with all our successes or placing blame on him for all of India's current problems, we achieve nothing except to be undignified and wasting resources on a fruitless debate. Life moves forward not backwards. Let us build a new and better world for our children. 

Let us on this day say a small prayer for this man in appreciation for his immense contribution and a big prayer to find the wisdom to learn from his mistakes and to forgive him for his blunders.

Black Woman Speaks of White Womanhood

“You were afraid to nurse your young
lest fallen breast offend your master’s sight
and he should flee to firmer loveliness.
And so you passed them, your children, on to me.
Flesh that was your flesh and blood that was your blood
drank the sustenance of life from me.
And as I gave suckle I knew I nursed my own child’s enemy.
I could have lied,
told you your child was fed till it was dead of hunger.
But I could not find the heart to kill orphaned innocence.
For as it fed, it smiled and burped and gurgled with content
and as for color knew no difference.
Yes, in that first while
I kept your sons and daughters alive.
But when they grew strong in blood and bone
that was of my milk
you
taught them to hate me.
Put your decay in their hearts and upon their lips
so that strength that was of myself
turned and spat upon me,
despoiled my daughters, and killed my sons.
You know I speak true.“

(Beah Richards, excerpt from “A Black Woman Speaks of White Womanhood")

Flight safety - Pilots & Technicians

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a “gripe sheet,” which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas’ pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.......


Qantas is the only major airline that  has never had an accident. . Enjoy!

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

-

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believably level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what they are for.

P: IFF inoperative.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny.
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Re-programmed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

And the best one for the last ...............

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget.

Prostrate health awareness.

PROSTATE HEALTH AWARENESS LECTURE.

Though this article is targeted at men aged 40 or more years the healthcare enlightenment is for everyone.

Responsible health promotion must provide three things:

1. Information
2. Reassurance
3. A plan of action.

Background on prostate health. 

Everyone has a pair of kidneys.  The job of the kidney is to remove waste. It is the waste management company of your body. Everyday your blood passes through the kidney several times to be filtered. As the blood is filtered, urine is formed and stored in a temporary storage tank called the urinary bladder.

If there were to be no urinary bladder, as a man walks on the road, urine will be dropping.

Now think of the plumbing work in your house. Think of the urinary bladder as the overhead 

storage tank. From the storage tank, a good plumber will run pipes to other parts of the 

house, including the kitchen.

God in His wisdom ran pipes from our urinary bladder to the tip of the penis. 

The pipe is called the urethra. Just below the bladder and surrounding the urethra is a little organ called the prostate gland.

The prostate gland is the size of a walnut and weighs about 20grams. 

Its job is to make the seminal fluid which is stored in the seminal vesicle.

During sexual intercourse, seminal fluid comes down the urethra and mixes with the sperms produced in the testicles to form the semen. So semen technically is not sperm. 

It is sperm + seminal fluid. The seminal fluid lubricates the sperm.

After age 40, for reasons that may be hormonal, the prostate gland begins to enlarge.
From 20 grams it may grow to almost 100 grams. As it enlarges, it squeezes the urethra 

and the man begins to notice changes in the way he urinates.

If you have a son under 10, if he has a little mischief like we all did at that age, 

when he comes out to urinate, he can target the ceiling and the jet will hit target. 

Call his father to do same, wahala dey.

His urine stream is weak, cannot travel a long distance and sometimes may come 

straight down on his legs. So he may need to stand in awkward position to urinate.

Not many men will be worried their urine stream cannot hit the ceiling. 

Toilets are on the floor and not on the ceiling.
But other symptoms begin to show.

TERMINAL DRIPPLING:
The man begins to notice that after urinating and repacking, urine still drops on his pants. This is the reason why after an older man urinates, he has to ring bell. A younger man simply delivers to the last drop and walks away. Just see an older man coming from the bathroom. Sometimes he may clutch the newspaper closely to hide the urine stains, particularly on plain colored trousers.

HESISTANCY
At this point you wait longer for the urine flow to start. There are 2 valves that must open 

for you to urinate – the internal and external sphincters. Both open but because of 

obstructions in the urethra, you wait long for the flow to start.

INCOMPLETE EMPTYING
You have this feeling immediately after urinating that there is still something left.

As all these things happen, the bladder begins to work harder to compensate for the 

obstruction in the urethra. The frequency of urination goes up. Urgency sets in. 

Sometimes you have to practically run into the toilet. Nocturia also becomes common. 

You wake up more than 2 times at night to urinate.  Your wife begins to complain.

Men being men may not talk to anyone even at this point.
Then the more serious complications start.
Stored urine gets infected and there may be burning sensation when urinating.

Stored urine forms crystals. Crystals come together to form stone either in the 

bladder or in the kidney. Stones may block the urethra.

Chronic urinary retention sets in. The bladder stores more and more urine. 

The size of the bladder is 40- 600 ml (milli litres).  A bottle of coke is 50 ml. As the bladder stores more urine it can enlarge up to 3000 ml.

An overfilled bladder may leak and this leads to wetting / urinary incontinence. 

Also the volume may put pressure on the kidney and may lead to kidney damage.
What may likely bring the man to hospital is acute urinary retention. 

He wakes up one day and he is not able to pass urine.

Everything I have described above is associated with prostate enlargement, 

technically called benign prostate hyperplasia.

There are other diseases of the prostate like

1. Prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate
2. Prostate cancer – cancer of the prostate.

This discussion is on prostate enlargement.

I have bad news and good news.
The bad news is that everyman will have prostate enlargement if he lives long enough.
The good news is that there are life style changes that can help the man after 40 to maintain optimum prostate health.

Nutrition
Look at what you eat. 33% of all cancers, according to established research is related to what we eat.

Red meat everyday triples your chances of prostate disease. 

Milk everyday doubles your risk.

Not taking fruits / vegetables daily quadruples your risk.

Tomatoes are very good for men. 

If that is the only thing your wife can present in the evening, eat it with joy.

It has loads of lycopene. Lycopene is the most potent natural antioxidant.

Foods that are rich in zinc are also good for men. We recommend pumpkin seeds (ugbogulu).
Zinc is about the most essential element for male sexuality and fertility.

Men need more zinc than women. Every time a man ejaculates he loses 15mg of zinc. 

Zinc is also important for alcohol metabolism. Your liver needs zinc to metabolize alcohol.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
As men begin to have urinary symptoms associated with prostate enlargement, 

it is important they look at alcohol consumption. 

More fluid in means more fluid out. Drink less. Drink slowly.

EXERCISE
Exercise helps build the muscle tone. Every man should exercise. 

Men over 40 should avoid high impact exercise like jogging. 

It puts pressure on the knees. Cycling is bad news for the prostate. 

We recommend brisk walking.

SITTING
When we sit, two-third of our weight rests on the pelvic bones. 

Men who sit longer are more prone to prostate symptoms. 

Do not sit for long hours. Walk around as often as you can. 

Sit on comfortable chairs. 

DRESSING
Men should avoid tight underwear. 

It impacts circulation around the groin and heats it up a bit. 

While the physiological temperature is 37 degrees, the groin has 

an optimal temperature of about 33 degrees.
Pant is a no-no for men. Wear boxers. Wear breathable clothing.

SMOKING
Avoid smoking. It affects blood vessels and impact circulation around the groin.

SEX
Regular sex is good for the prostate.
Celibates are more prone to prostate illness. While celibacy is a moral decision, it is not a biological adaptation. 

Your prostate gland is designed to empty its contents regularly.

Now I have given you a reason to cheer up.

* My thanks to Gen. Niranjan Malick and Col. RP Singh for this informative and useful article.

New enemies

Whilst on his deathbed, Voltaire was asked by a Catholic priest to renounce Satan. With a smile he replied, 

"Now, now my good man this is not the time to make new enemies"

Who was Voltaire?

François-Marie Arouet a French philosopher was popularly known as Voltaire (1694 -1778).

He was also an enlightenment writer, historian. Famous for his wit, his attacks on the established aristocracy, Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state. 

Voltaire was a versatile writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. 

He was an outspoken advocate of several liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time.  He frequently made use of his works in satirical form to criticise intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day.

Not surprisingly Voltaire faced lifelong troubles with the authorities for critiques of dictatorial, unjust and hypocritical forces. 

Voltaire's activities were to result in numerous imprisonments and exiles. Yet the brave man refused to give up his principles.

He mainly argued for religious tolerance and freedom of thought. He campaigned to eradicate dictatorial priestly and aristo-monarchical authority, and supported a constitutional monarchy that protects people's rights.

The character and beliefs of the man can be judged by his words and actions. In arguing a particular case he declared, "I do not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my dying breath your right to say it." Indeed a lesson for many so called religious and political leaders of today

Despite great pressure and threats from the aristocracy and the Church, Voltaire refused till his dying breath to retract his well-known criticism of the Church.

Satan -The Temptation of Christ - Ary Scheffer 1854

Why do Christians ask that people renounce Satan?

Christians believe that against God's wishes Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Hence they were thrown out of paradise, the garden of Eden by God. God cursed them as sinners and therefore their children would also be born sinners.

Thereafter God felt remorse and wanted to correct the situation. So he sent His own son Jesus Christ, (who was born from the virgin Mother Mary and hence not a sinner) to take upon himself the sins of all of humanity. 

Therefore as per the christian faith only way a person can receive salvation is to renounce Satan, to accept that they believe in God, accept that Jesus as the Son of God who has taken the sins of the believers upon himself.

Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God and therefore evil.

Society is like a stew

"Society is like a stew. If you don’t stir it up every once in a while then a layer of scum floats to the top."

— Edward Abbey

But you can have four wives

Kaveh my friend from Iran, was our guest during a visit to India.

It is normal for people to exchange thoughts about philosophies and culture whenever they interact with foreigners.



I asked him, "You are a muslim, and in your country it is permitted to have 4 wives, is that correct?"


"Yes, but I have only one, though I know some people who have more than one wife"


"How come you have only one wife?"

"Because, I want to sleep at home, not the mosque

Living Genuinely

When you buy something because you like or love it, then value comes not from the price you pay but from the joy or satisfaction it brings to the heart. However if you obtain something for a commercial reason that essential quality goes missing. You always fret about the cost etc. and rarely realise it's value. 

One day a man looking to make a financial investment bought a painting supposedly made by the famous painter Pablo Picasso.  Since this man had bought it merely as a commercial investment with no attraction towards it, he was a worried man.  "Did I pay too much for it?  What if the value does not increase?  The greatest fear, was it a fake?"

He had spent a lot of money and now felt ill with worry. A few days later a friend met the buyer and remarked, how bad the man looked. The man confided in his friend on what was eating him up.

Unlike many great painters who were recognised only after their death, Picasso was very famous and wealthy even while he was alive. The friend reassured him, "If it worries you so much let me help you. Pablo Picasso happens to be well known to me. We will take your painting to him directly and ask him to verify if it is a fake or not."

The man thanked his friend profusely for his assistance. They set a date and time when they would go to meet Picasso himself after the friend had secured an appointment with Picasso. 

After receiving the visitors Picasso examined the painting. After a brief while in a rather dismissive manner, Picasso declared, "This painting is not genuine."

The buyer clutching his forehead the buyer collapsed onto the floor as his knees buckled under him from the shock. moaning, "I should never have trusted that seller, that cheat. Why did I have to buy it? What have I done? I have bought a fake." 

Picasso helped revive the sobbing buyer and said" I never said it was a fake, I said it was not genuine."

The buyer and the friend were  now thoroughly confused. The man asked, "What is the difference? Fake or not genuine, why play with words, is it not the same thing?"

Picasso said, "No, there is a big difference. A fake is something made by someone else. I actually painted this myself, therefore this painting is not a fake. However when I made this painting, I was not really in a creative mood.  A man had come to buy a painting and I had none to show him. I told him to come back next week.  This man would not take a no, he wanted to buy something and he wanted it right away. So I painted something for him in a few hours. This painting is a copy of another painting I had made much earlier. "

"I say it is not genuine because, I never put my heart and soul into it, just some physical and memory work. " This painting it is not a work of art, it is not genuine. It is just some colours on a piece of canvas which lacks passion and a soul. "

______________________________________

This incident explains, why people fall out of love with artists and their creations so quickly.  Why does the song or poem fail to create the magic after some time?

When first produced, it is born out of passion, the story, painting, dance or song has a soul, a life. When we repeat or duplicate it which we often do, it becomes just a mere copy. 

Copies lack a soul, and without that a soul art is just noise, a piece of canvas or paper. Every work of art, or creativity is invaluable. The moment we assign a monetary value to art we give birth to a business and in the bargain we destroy both the art and the artist.

Whenever something is created or prayers offered or friendship made, to earn money, it ceases to be genuine, for it lacks that special quality which it possesses when it is born out of passion and love.

This is also why many relationships personal, social or professional last only for a short period of time before disintegrating. Fakes die soon and genuine endures for long.

______________________________________

Living genuinely is not difficult, all it requires is integrity, to be honest with oneself. Yes it requires courage, to be true to oneself, but it is very worth it.

I have discovered that living genuinely and not as a copy, has enriched my life and made it vibrant. My soul and I are now closer to being one, and nothing can beat that.