LIFE LESSON IN QUOTES- HUMOUR

It is said that a smile can win hearts, peace and even nations. If this be the effect of a smile on another person encountered, then one can imagine the gratitude one can earn if one can make the other smile and laugh away the worries. Conversion of the smile to a frown is easier and the reverse in reality is a herculean task.

Similarly, laughing at other's mistakes and blunders is easy but laughing at oneself is difficult. It is in this context, that the legendary Khushwant Singh remarked that Indians have a poor sense of humour.

The much adored Charlie Chaplin said

" I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying"

The iconic Chaplin also held humour very close to his heart that he ruled that

" A day without laughter is a day wasted"

Highlighting the courage involved in making a fool oneself to amuse others he said 

It must be indeed be difficult for one to laugh at oneself. Yours truly made an attempt to laugh at one's own failure and must admit for the records of posterity that many futile attempts later, on a few occasions on being prodded to laugh managed a smile.

In fact, in the younger days we had the occasion to laugh our heads off on a digest titled "Laughter is the best medicine" - a sure recipe for the present day COVID warriors. Little did one know that this also was out of a quote of the iconic Chaplin who said

" Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain"

Bob Newhart went one step ahead to make it the mantra for survival itself when saying

" The only way to survive is to have a sense of humour"

The news that distilleries and bars will remain closed due to the lockdown could have a heart wrenching effect on the liqWuor addicts which is what the words of P G Wodehouse capture in these words,

" Freddie experienced the sort of abysmal soul-sadness 

which afflicts one of Tolstoy's Russian peasants, when, 

after putting in a heavy day's work strangling his father, 

beating his wife, and dropping the baby into the city's reservoir, 

he turns to the cupboards, only to find the vodka bottle empty"

Returning to Chaplin, he said

" At the end, life is a gag"

And what better way to conclude than to cite a typo error which is amusing where a vacancy notice read as under:

" A male sales girl is wanted"

Thus, H for Humour becomes the next life lesson in the A to Z series.

LIFE LESSONS IN QUOTES - GRATITUDE

Man is a social animal and is dependent on others for various reasons. The acknowledgement of this fact and recognition of the aid received from another forms part of the soul choosing to cherish it. This can be termed as gratitude. It is said that deeds make a person memorable that one need not make an effort to remember such a person.

The Mahabharata shows one such character in Karna who is filled with gratitude for Duryodhana having acknowledged his abilities and provided him with an opportunity to be uplifted from the status of a charioteer's son to his rightful place among the princes. However, the gratitude turns to unflinching loyalty which leads to dire consequences. Therefore, the epic draws a fine line between gratitude and loyalty or friendship. 

However, Marcus Tullius Cicero held an unconditional view

" Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, 

but the parent of all others"

The charismatic John F Kennedy laid the edict

" We must find time to stop and

 thank the people who make a difference in our lives"

In the era of microblogging one must definitely give it to Brene Brown for bringing the profound topic of gratitude in the barest of words,

" What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude"

Probably, these words need to be placed at every public place for people to stop feeling entitled to whatever they get and comprehend the reality that they in fact are lucky to be enjoying the privilege. In fact, the fabled economist Adam Smith echoed the same and said

"Entitlement is such a cancer, because it is void of gratitude"

This is driven home by one of the fables as well as is attributed to the Bard of Avon William Shakespeare

" I cried when I had no shoes

 but

 I stopped crying when I saw a man without legs.

 Life is full of blessings, sometimes we do not value it"

These words are also attributed to Guru Nanak which in essence bring out the same lines

 

A crude translation would mean that many legs wander without shoes, many heads do not have a shelter. The Lord has given me everything, why not express gratitude." Would request any reader well versed with Punjabi to correct any error with gratitude

The recent fad of uttering thank you is welcome but has become a lip service. It is therefore, that John F Kennedy says

" As we express our gratitude, 

we must never forget that the highest appreciation 

is 

not to utter words but live by them"

William Arthur Ward clarifies that this does not mean that you do not express your gratitude in these words

" Feeling gratitude and not expressing it 

is 

like wrapping a present and not giving it"

And what would merit gratitude is brought out in these words by Oscar Wilde

"The smallest act of kindness 

is worth more than

 the grandest  intention"

It is G K Chesterton who makes a life lesson out of it by saying 

" When it comes to life, 

the critical thing is 

whether you take things for granted 

or 

take them with gratitude"

Thus, with gratitude and due apologies to all the luminaries, the life lesson of gratitude for G with quotes is now part of this series.

LIFE LESSONS IN QUOTES - FORGIVENESS

Easter Sunday cannot have a better message than " Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing". Forgiveness is a virtue that is propagated by all religions and is often followed in the breach. Undoubtedly, it is a virtue easy to preach and difficult to practice. Jesus remains the greatest forgiver of all times.

The spirit of forgiveness has been fostered by appealing to one's self interest in the words of Jonathan Lockwood

" Forgive others, 

not because they deserve forgiveness

 but because you deserve peace"

Yours truly was once counselled with these words

" Life is short. 

Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably 

and never regret anything that made you smile"

This was further strengthened with the words of the apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi

William Blake, however, pointed out the human frailty in these words,

" It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend"

Mark Twain invoked nature to drive home the difficulty to forgive as well as the evident cruelty of the wrongdoer in these words

" Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that crushes it"

The Buddha proclaimed 

" With gentleness overcome anger. 

With generosity overcome meanness. 

With truth overcome delusion."

He laid out the three steps to forgive - first is that you have better things to do in life than retaliate. Second is to develop thoughts of indefinite goodwill and third to hold on to the five precepts namely no killing, no stealing, no intoxicants, no lying and no illicit sex.

Desmond Tutu of the South African movement could practice and preach the words

"Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning"

This brings to the fabled story in Ramayana where Rama sends Ravana back to return the next day for the final battle. In the Mahabharata the urge to revenge the wrongdoing is epitomized by Draupadi and the ability to forgive generations of wrongdoers is presented in the form of Bhishma.

However, to ensure that the wrongdoers of the world do not have expectations of every other person being as munificent as Jesus or the Buddha, Tony Gaskins has said

" I forgive but I also learn a lesson. 

I won't hate you but 

will never get close enough for you to hurt me again. 

I can't let forgiveness become foolishness"

The art of forgiving of yours truly has only reached thus far and no further.

Thus, the F for forgiveness but do not forget becomes the sixth life lesson in this A to Z in quotes.

LIFE LESSON IN QUOTES - EXCUSE

It is oft heard sentence from teachers and bosses- Do not give excuses. The term excuse is a reason or explanation given to justify a fault or offence. The important limb here is not the reason or the explanation but the intention being to justify the fault or offence or to lessen the blame attached to the commission of such an offence or fault.

The letter E of the life lessons taught at the knees of our parents and teachers is never to take shelter under an excuse but be courageous to admit, apologize and ascertain the reason so as to remedy the same in future. The term excuse has the taint of being self piteous and self righteous even in wrongdoings.

This being a lockdown period when the life saviours are being placed on high pedestals, none would dispute the dedication of Florence Nightingale the iconic nurse. If her dedication is not in dispute and her success is sought to be replicated then her words are here to follow:

The famed author Rudyard Kipling, therefore, said,

" We have forty million reasons for failure but not a single excuse"

Henry Ward Beecher challenged one's ego and sense of responsibility by stating

" Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself."

Criss Jami brings to our memories the fable of crying wolf wolf while saying,

" Like crying wolf, 

if you keep looking for sympathy as a justification for your actions, 

you will be left standing alone when you really need help"

Benjamin Franklin put down a person who seeks shelter under excuses in this manner

" He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else"

The futility in making excuses was driven in by the words of John Wooden Wooden in these words

" Never make excuses. 

Your friends do not need them and your foes won't believe them"

Steve Maraboli warned us sternly in these wise words,

" We may place blame, give reasons, 

and even have excuses but in the end, 

it is an act of cowardice to not follow your dreams"

Benjamin Franklin again told us that an apology should not be substituted or diluted with an excuse

" Never ruin an apology with an excuse"

To caution us that this does not mean that everything has to be found a way in accordance with others' emotions, Yadin Kaufmann enlightens us

" Loneliness is no excuse for compromise. 

Be comfortable with yourself 

before you choose to be 

with someone else just to avoid being alone."

The legal maxim "Ignorance of law is no excuse" also makes it amply clear that while we would like to wallow in the self imposed world of self sympathy and self righteousness, in the words of Edward Murrow

" Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts"

Thus, the life lesson E for excuse in quotes makes it clear that this is one word that needs to be exterminated from the vocabulary and psyche of a person to attain peace and success.

LIFE LESSONS IN QUOTES - DREAM

August 28, 1963 is a red letter day in the history of the world. This was the day on which Martin Luther King Jr delivered an iconic speech at the Lincoln Memorial where he enthused the masses for years to come and generations to pass with the words,

" I have a dream"

Decades later, a young aspirant to the White House invoked the American dream to successfully win two terms and also author the book, " Dreams from my father". The author Barrack Obama connected to the world over with the American dream.

He in a sense lived out the words of John Lennon,

" A dream you dream alone is only a dream. 

A dream you dream together is reality"

Whether to make an attempt or have a plan B one must have the courage and also have a great dream. Harriet Tubman said,

" Every great dream begins with a dreamer. 

Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, 

and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

One of the greatest dreamers of modern times that India produced said,

The former President of India lived the words of Swami Vivekananda who said,

" Take up one idea. 

Make that one idea your life-

 think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. 

Let the muscles, nerves, every part of your body be full of that idea, 

and just leave every other idea alone. 

This is the way to success."

Dr Kalam poke of a dream while Swami Vivekananda also told the process of creating a dream.

Probably it was the inspiration of these words which made the iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to say,

"Enjoy the game and chase your dreams. 

Dreams do come true."

It may have also led to the popular slogan, Eat cricket, Sleep cricket used by the soft drink giant Coca Cola to promote itself without any apologies.

The warning sounded by the industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani is probably the world's shortest autobiography,

"If you don't build your dream, 

someone else will hire you to help them build theirs"

He also showed that the following statement of Eleanor Roosevelt was a reality to be lived and demonstrated

" The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"

Each of these persona have scientifically proven beyond doubt the truth in the statement of Edgar Cayce that

" Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions."

In the case of anyone feeling discouraged by the society in pursuing a dream, the words of Mahatma Gandhi would be the ideal tonic

" First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. 

Then they fight you. Then you win."

Thus, the letter D of the alphabet goads us to dare to dream, knit together a dream, pursue the dream and achieve the dream. This life lesson makes it a sweet life to be proud of rather than a nightmare to shudder with.

MEDIA IN COVIDTIMES - CAN IT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

Social media, electronic media and the people behind them have a strange way pushing their opinion as facts. In one of the earlier blogs yours truly had pointed out that news is made out of exceptions and not the rule. In hours of crises the media and its people ought to make news out of the positivity and not highlight the erratic behaviour of a certain person or a group. 

In the times of lockdown, the idle mind is already a devil's workshop which requires no fresh fodder. The world is astounded as to how a country of 1.30 billion could not only be asked to lockdown successfully but also the population also suggests a phased withdrawal or an extended lockdown to beat the virus at its own game. This intrinsic value was highlighted by the populace clanging bells and lighting up India on a mere call given. The billions may not understand the genetic structure, the protein component or the probable cure. They do understand that it is a new disease which spreads exponentially and could affect and infect anyone.

Imagine a country as diverse and densely populated as India with the geographical extent and variation have muted many of their traditional festivities. The lockdown affected the New Year celebrations of the population of Maharashtra, Goa, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. 

The Jain population which largely is present in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan muted the Mahavir Jayanti celebrations.

The Jews who commemorate the liberation of the children of Israel from Egypt by Moses in the Passover gave it a pass without much ado.

The Christians who spend the Lent in prayer observed Palm Sunday, Good Friday and will celebrate Easter through live streaming despite it being the most significant religious festivity.

The Muslim community of India showed to its brethren that Shab e Baraat, the joyous occasion of the Allah providing for atonement and the Prophet entering the holy city of Mecca could be celebrated at their homes with social distancing.

The extended lockdown will also see the Buddhists celebrate Budha Purnima in a subdued manner.

People irrespective of caste, creed, colour, race, religion, gender or even nationality set an example of solidarity. Migrant labour were housed. Many came forward to feed them in a dignified manner. There were no facebook posts or whatsapp messages to tom tom these efforts. Less than a minute was devoted to a young lad parting with a princely sum of Rs 4,000 towards the PM Cares Fund set up which was his lifetime savings. 

We fail to see the strength in ourselves and divide our attention to certain black sheep. These sheep require attention but not social media or electronic media. These are to be brought to the notice of enforcement agencies and left to be dealt with appropriately. On the action being taken the news would highlight the enforcement agency acting efficiently on errant people and not on the errant actions. Vigilance could be mounted to ensure that the agencies act without influencing opinions of the masses. Let us devote more time to provide the information on helpline numbers rather than decide who is right or wrong. Would this happen? Will the trolls end?

Time will answer if someone shares this on social media.

LIFE LESSONS WITH QUOTES - COURAGE

Life lessons are learnt many a time unconsciously. As we proceed to the third of the sequel we need to look back to the legendary Martin Luther King who laid out the maxim

Among the various definitions of life one says life is a battle which as to be fought. There is a story of how the great philosopher and teacher Socrates. He had the courage to stand by his conviction and accept his sentence with grace that it has a lasting impact on generations that have passed. No wonder, Plato his beloved disciple had the courage to define the term

“Courage is knowing what not to fear.”

― Plato

Another historic figure who is renowned for his courage put it succintly

“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on –

 it is going on when you don’t have strength.”

― Napoleon Bonaparte

The man who put decades of imprisonment behind to lead a struggle that led to the independence of a nation had the courage to say he learnt what courage was in the following words

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear,

 but the triumph over it. 

The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid,

 but he who conquers that fear.”

― Nelson Mandela

But does it mean that courage means being valiant, it couldt be even the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel

“Courage doesn’t always roar. 

Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says 

I’ll try again tomorrow.”

― Mary Anne Radmacher

Nearer home, we had the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi said

"A coward is incapable of exhibiting love;

 it is the prerogative of the brave"

The courage to accept failure and mistakes, accept the truth as well as move on is part of life. Thus, one more life lesson is learnt and is part of the AtoZ challenge.

The courage to accept the challenge and foray into this sphere of bloggers has led to this piece which is part of yours truly's many life lessons learnt