My Prayer

Two lion cubs playing together = Sisters

A group of dolphins playing together = Cousins

Two rams fighting with their horns = In-Laws

 A penguin protecting its new born in a harsh snow storm = Father

Earth zooming out = Mother

I witnessed the world’s greatest prayer at the San Diego Sea World during Shamu show.

Science is My Religion

I have been questioned about which religion I belong to almost by every person I met on the planet of this earth who spoke to me. BTW - I don’t enjoy bashing religion or other religions. I mean there is more than what meets the eye.

To my knowledge, I was born in India to “Hindu” couple. (If you want to know, they come from different castes). So, does that mean, I am a Hindu?

I was told to go to the temples during Hindu festivals, Churches during the Christian holidays, and Mosques whenever. We all made it a point to especially visit the Gods’ houses right before the test results were released to ask them to magically change the scores (cliché). My mom loved all Gods. She included Gods and Goddesses she ever heard about in her prayer room. She also made sure we did not discriminate against any of the Gods.

My dad made sure we read the Bhagavat Gita, Holy Bible and Holy Quran. I can’t speak about my siblings, but I think I read the first pages of all three books. I really wanted to read all those books to be close to God and to be a good human being. But those books were too fat like 100 times the size of any comic book I had read. Hey, I remember the cover of the books till date (I think).

I learnt about a few rules and regulations each religion imposed on its devoted followers. I despised all of them. Come-on I was rebel and I did not like the concept of following the teachings from a guy who died thousands of years before I was born. How can a rule or regulation from a thousand years still be relevant to the current situations and times? Following it blindly, is following it blindly. There is no meaning in it, there is not beauty in it, and there is no love in it.

Over the years, I also learn about the origins of some of these religious rules and the original rules that have been modified and hybridized as per convenience. This caught my attention; I had more leverage to argue against the holy men. I also understood and really liked the fact that some customs were actually adopted from other religions.

I enjoyed any bit of science behind a religious rule. I felt religion tried to make the lay man follow the beneficiary science in the name of God will, which is in fact a cleaver thing to do. (BTW, I absolutely hate all the rules where the God men imposed on the lay man where the God man got to enjoy the benefits). I found that there are several things I liked in each religion I came across.

There was also a time when I decided to not believe in Gods and Goddesses of any kind. But when I think long and hard about the innocent concept of higher beings who want us to be the best we can, it is so beautiful. I did not want to distance myself from that.

What if I believed and loved all religions in the world? What if I followed all the silly little things that I liked from each religion?

If I was in a party (the world), and everyone had a balloon (religion), I would have more fun by having a bunch of balloons in all colors and shapes. It would be great time pass to poke fun of others balloons and argue mine was the best. But having more instead of one or none is a lot more fun. So, that is exactly what I did.

I don’t have a name for my religion and hope I will never have one.

Since COSMOS proved to me about how I came into existence. About how the iron in the sun ended up in my blood and more, it was clear to me that my actual parents are the Sun and the Earth. We are always very enthusiastic to worship our creators. Since the Sun and the Earth created me, they are my Gods. 

I will worship them by respecting and using more of the natural resources like the solar power from the Sun and try to leave as small of a carbon foot print by being organic on my Mother Earth.

I am very thankful to be born in an age where my beliefs are respected even if they are not understood.

I stopped searching for the Needy

One day when I was young, I went through an experience, which made me start to see things a bit differently. One day our relatives came to our home visiting. It was 7:00PM and as usual the power was cut. There was not enough time to make and serve in the 15 minutes he was staying. So my mother asked me to buy some snacks form the nearest sweet shop. The shop was just a mile away.

I went on my sunny (motor bike). While the sweets were being packed, I wanted to buy some snacks for me and my cousin and so, I went to the nearest snack stall.

Right then I saw an old homeless man ‘begging the stall owner for some snacks. He was starving’. The stall owner seeing me approaching the stall for purchasing didn’t want to loose his customers. So he threatened the homeless guy to leave or to beat him up. The old homeless guy determined to get some food came to me begging. I asked the stall owner for $10 snacks. While he was packing, I asked him if he sold snacks  worth $2. The stall owner said of course and packed the $2 first.

I took the packet and turned to the homeless man and offered it to him. The man was speechless and took it with great thankfulness. I did not expect this much of emotions from him. I knew I was helping him or giving him food. But I did not expect this much for $2.

I couldn’t get the old homeless man out of my mind. So, the next day with a good intention of feeding the old man, I went to the stall and asked for him. I waited and waited for more than an hour. It was already 7:30Pm and it was not a good thing for teenage girls to roam around in the dark even on sunnys. So, I instructed the stall owner to give the old man some snacks and paid him $2.

I went home and was restless. After a while I told my family about what had happened a day before and how I wanted to help the old guy again. My mom who had just come from the kitchen to call everyone to dinner heard this and said to me that I was a very selfish person. I was hurt. I was confused too. I kept quite through the dinner.

After the dinner and the dishes, I asked my mom about why she called me selfish. To that my mom replied  - "You are not wrong in wanting to help a man. You are wrong in hoping a man to starve, so that you could help him".

And she was right. It was selfish of me to want a old homeless person starve, so that I could have the opportunity to help him out. I learned to not go looking for needy people. I still do what I can, but don't assume that they cannot (or should not) live without my help.

Gold Digger vs. Sugar Mama

In the wild life the lioness hunts and brings home the food for the male lion to feed first. This is her way of protecting her cubs from being eaten by the lion (the king of the jungle) out of hunger and laziness.
In the movie “Gentlemen prefer blondes” Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) asks Mr. Esmond Sr. (Taylor homes) ‘if he preferred his daughter to marry a poor man? And why is it wrong if she wanted a rich husband?’
 She is generally thought to be a gold digger. And yes, we all hate gold diggers who stay at home and don’t have a profession to show. What if she can take good care of the family and make sure everyone is taken care of for the future to come. Is she still a gold digger or is she just choosing wisely?
What would we call a financially successful woman who enables her man to be lazy, irresponsible and even feeds the man and bails him out financially? (All for some attention or social status) Isn’t she a desperate Sugar mama?
We live in a world that ‘gives’ equal rights to the woman. Out of being a Gold digger and a Sugar mama, whom would you choose to be?
I would choose to be a gold digger. At least I get to be a with a real man who can take care of himself and take care of me. If he can lavish me with gifts, even better.  I mean, where am I running away with all the gifts? They are only going to compliment me and him and help us out in times of crisis. 

Greatest Love Story Ever

I am by no means an expert of love and marriage. I do know that love should be unconditional and marriages should have conditions. But I am not here to tell you what defines true love or marriage.

About a decade ago one lazy afternoon, I was watching Jerry Springer show where couples with hidden issues of insidious nature come in and attack each other for the viewer’s entertainment. One such show was about a guy who started to have a mistress just about the time he got married to his wife. He brought both the ladies up and they both fought with each other screaming and yelling about how the other person was not right for this man and they were the correct partner for the man even though he is such a useless piece of junk. After 45 mins of this nuisance the guy tells both the women he is leaving both of them for another man. And now both the women are tired of him and they are ready to walk away from him.

The second show was about a man and woman who were living in the country. The man had a secret and he wanted the wife to know about it. He had been having relationship with someone else for a while and he wanted the wife to know about it. The wife was curious to know the person he was in relationship with. The man then brought out a cow dressed as a bride. The man was all over the cow, kissing and hugging. Then Jerry Springer asked the wife what she is going to do? Has she had enough of him? Is she ready to leave him?

The woman answered “<strong>NO</strong>”. Her reason was – her husband needed help. What he did was disgusting, and the reason for his doings is, he is sick. That was the moment I understood the true definition of love and marriage. She could have got up and walked away and everyone would have supported her decision. She chose to stay because her man needed help. She knew she won’t have a good life after all, but she stayed. Hats off to her!!

The Hollywood romance is beautiful and I want to so badly too. But what the woman did for her husband is true love, real love. I don’t know how many of us can do it?

One set of people

One set of people think they have gained enormous knowledge once they complete reading a book from cover to cover, because now they can apply the knowledge.
One set of people think they have so much more knowledge to gain once they complete reading a book, because they realize that knowledge cannot be contained in one book.

One set of people think there are 10 ways to carry on a particular task, since they know all the 10 ways.
One set of people think there might be an 11th or 12th way to carry on a particular task, since they only know the 10 ways.

One set of people start to calculate the number of people on this Earth as soon as they learn about the rate of growth.
One set of people start to explore more strategies to calculate the number of people on this Earth as soon as they learn about the rate of growth, to be prepared for a mathematical quiz.
One set of people start to worry about the future of life forms of this Earth as soon as they learn about the rate of growth, and calculating it with their knowledge of Earthly resources.
One set of people start to come up with strategies and suggestions to contain the growth rate based on the available resources and thrive as soon as they learn about the rate of growth.

One set of people have decided what is good for them is good for all, because they understand every person is a person like them.
One set of people have decided what is good for them may not be good for all, because they understand each person and their situation and experience is unique.

One set of people do not like to take risk by exploring the unknown.
One set of people take risk because they have no other choice.
One set of people like to take risk because they understand the risk and are alright with taking responsibility.

One set of people take pride in a promotion, because it is the reward of their hard work.
One set of people acknowledge responsibility that comes with a promotion, because they know that power comes with responsibility.

One set of people think they are better, since they did not fall behind or made the same mistakes as others.
One set of people work with others who fell behind or made mistakes to correct the issues.
One set of people feel bad for making a mistake, because not making a mistake is being successful.
One set of people feel better by learning from the mistakes, because they know no one makes mistakes on purpose.

Your dream = Some ones nightmare

He was a loving person. He had a lot of love to offer.
She was a loving person. She loved almost everything on the earth and in the universe.
He saw her and knew instantly that she needed him.
She saw him and knew he was passionate.
He spoke to her.
She answered his questions. But did not ask much.
He understood she was hesitating and he had to make the first move.
He made the first move.
She did not reciprocate.
He knew she was shy, but could not wait.
She tried to be polite because she knew he was in love.
He was too strong for her.
She tried to resist him.
He knew when she gave in and he was the happiest man.
She did not want to insult his love.
He thought he loved her and made love to her.

She always loved to fall in love and be loved.
When this love was forced on to her, she felt insulted.
He thought, he saved her from a life of loneliness.
She never asked for his love.
She was happy with what she had.
He thought his intentions were good, so it was okay.
She felt violated, dishonored and imprisoned.

We all face this issue, in the form of people who mean well but believe what is best for them is the best thing for the whole mankind.
They somehow feel lost and worry for people who do not walk their path.
They think it is their duty to drag the non path followers into their path.
They do it with the best of intentions.
But it hurts so many people in their hearts and minds when they try to avoid it politely and the person does not listen.
Some are gullible enough to give in after a while and leave the path that gave them absolutely no issues until now.

Be it imposing a cuisine, religion, opinion, process, life style, sexual orientation, anything, if the other person did not ask to learn about it for themselves, they do not deserve to be dragged into it.