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Night travel have always attracted me, night travel doesn’t mean the night travel to reach a different city altogether, but night travel in city buses where you can enjoy a lot of things like, peaceful bus commuting without any mad crowd, cool breeze from the ever entertaining darkness outside, speed, yes we all have to accept that once in a while we just want to live that moment, without worrying about “Speed thrills but kills”, though being careful is absolutely necessary.
I have always been lucky, for I have got a lot of opportunities right from my childhood to travel by late night buses. During my early childhood, we used to live in a place which was about 15 kms away from the city centre, and was connected by a single road, a state highway. During those days, I just used to sit beside the window and enjoy the cool breeze/wind from outside hitting on my face along with my cool bro, who used to like that, still acted as though he is a “Big brother”.
Then came the days of high school, when I used to travel to school by public buses only. During those days, I couldn’t actually travel much during night by late night buses except very rare cases. Then came by std 10th tuitions, when I was traveling easily about 20 kms one way to attend tuitions, I just loved it. Evening, I used to start and reach the tuition centre by late evening and attend an hour of tuitions 5 days a week. And then came the most exciting part of that day … yes … traveling. Used to commute by again a state highway, which most of the time had very scanty traffic. As again, I used to live my childhood days again sitting beside the window and enjoying the whole “ride” till I reached home, and on the way studying. Yes, I used to study on the bus as I used up 3-4 hrs of my day in commuting from the tuition centre and back.
Then, during Pre-University ( 11th and 12th days), I hardly used to enjoy the commute back as I used to travel from a centre of the city to my locality and most of the time, the buses were hardly empty, it used to be crowded and I really couldn’t enjoy the travel.
Then during my Graduation days, the only time I used to do night traveling was when I used to attend “Placement written tests” and return home by 9-9:30. So again, it was hardly enjoyable, as either I would be worrying what to study, if I had got selected for the next rounds of interview or I will be thinking why I didn’t get through, except for once, when I can cleared both the written test as well as the interview. Only on that occasion I really loved every minute till I reached home and handed over my offer letter to my mom and saw the smile on her face and felt satisfied for all the efforts I had put till that day in my life..jpg)
From past few weeks, I am “forced” to travel by night public buses once in a while, as there is a release nearing and I am slogging towards it. I live every moment when I am traveling, that too the road happens to be the ring road and bus driver makes sure he touches 70-80Kmph, though this might seem to be a small thing for two and four wheelers, but to hit 70 or 80 on a six wheeler and at the same time hearing the whole bus wobbling every nook and corner as its moving at that speed is altogether a different experience. I was so thrilled that I took a few pics and just enjoyed the commute.
I really don’t know whether I will be getting this chance again and again but wanted to make the feel immortal, so decided to publish a blog post about it and here it is.
How do I spend the day
What s question? A question everyone asks and few understand the true meaning of it. Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Nights, Years pass by and we are scarcely aware of the Time passing ,or is it surpassing Time ? Who conquers ultimately? - It is time. We are victims - unwittingly, unwillingly.
When Time conquers us we flow along Time unaware of the havoc it has caused in our lives – scarcely knowing that we ill-spent time misspent time destroyed the preciousness of Time. When we are victims of Time, we are unconscious of time. We are not even aware of the subtle concept of time. We see watches but we are nit watchful. We see Time passing but we don’t know we are passing. We see seasons change but we don’t change. We tear-off calendar pages but do not realize that twelve months of our life have been torn off our calendar.
We make holy resolutions on the New Year eve and forget them before the end of January. Pause, my friend, my soul mate, do not go very fast or else, Time will devour us!. Halt and find where does Time conquer us.
It is when we get up without a purpose - when good mornings are digital and cold, breakfasts are bland, when rush hours to office drive one crazy, when work at office is heartless and mechanized, when evening sets in to bring us an uninteresting TV show and a cup of coffee lies unheeded on the side table. When children seen to irritate, spouses seem to nag and supper is a silent meeting of company isolates not companions who belong to us. When sleep comes without a tablet and the day is gone – we are gone! Where ???
Do not worry! Do not fret! Life is a lovely gift of the Maker and make is it lovelier by offering it to Him! To conquer Time is to use Time the right way. Indian seers told us to care of the body, mind and soul! What a holistic approach to human welfare!! Any lopsided emphasis in this formula leads to disaster or despair! Give the body its due - look after it or it is the vehicle of the indwelling soul! It is the holy temple of the Maker. A healthy body cannot afford addictions! Keep fit physically to keep fit mentally! He body is a lovely machine or several factories put together with no noise! No pollution Automatic in its functioning and consistent in its action. It is amazing in its powers and fascinating in its capabilities. Give it its due! Care for it. Groom it, make it grow strong and not weak and sick! Spend a few minutes of the day in looking after the body. Habits and food play a major role in body care. Habits are to be developed, not as a fad or fashion as the mob commands, but healthy habits which prevent one from dissipation of energy- a precious gift of god. Food has to be sathvic – leading to serenity, tranquility and peace. Moderation in food and various indulgences is necessary. We cannot eat all that we want and as much as we want. Excessive food leads to obesity, insufficient intake of food leads to anorexia! Both are forbidden by Indian sages.
Along with habits and food – consider activity and rest as equally important. Activity is a must but not frenzied activity. It should be meaningful, mind elevating sols regaling activity. At the some time one should not over exert oneself. Many call themselves workaholics and end up as physical wrecks! The body needs rest and sleep. It is necessary to rest and enjoy sleep to keep the body fit!
Give time for the mind! Let it not move long the beaten track of a mob! Let us celebrate on cerebrate cerebrations! The Maker gave us a subtle power of the mind which has infinite capabilities. Make it help us grow. Let it not guide us from darkness to pitch darkness but to infinite light! Let it feed us with noble thoughts and prompt us to nobler deeds. Let us put value before all valuables! Let it be the driving force of our life towards the pinnacle of excellence!
Mind and body help us function as professionals! Our job requires time, energy and brains! Do not think that frequent holidays and sudden resignations are solutions for problems at work! They only aggravate the agony! Love your work! Love your job, it is a God-given job, a God-propelled job! Duty is cumbersome when one performs for oneself - Tension and depression are natural outcomes of such a duty. At the end of a heavy day, if u are still smiling it means you know how to disburden yourself. Ego prevents disburdening. Humility accelerates it. Ego makes you tense, humility says relax. Ego says I do it, humility says He makes you do it. Ego is battered and shattered by set backs, humility accepts, setbacks as essential experiences for a journey of excellence. Duty becomes delectable when offered to one’s Maker and when it is done in a spirit of excellent dedication.
At the end of the day, quickly review the day. Have “I really lived” or “has the day passed by”, “Did I help only myself” or “someone who needed my help!” selfless deeds of kindness are the prizes the soul wins in the course of the day. Make the soul dwell on the ultimate goal – remembering man is a mini-god in the making. Compassion , conviction, courage are the qualities of the Maker and present in the soul – these need to be kept alive.
Have we forgotten enough time for the soul, the propeller of our life, the one who outlives the body, outgrows the sensuous, ascends the eternity, expands into infinity and dissolves in the divinity! If the answer is yes, it is a well-spent day.
Have a nice day, may soul mate, my friend, my reader, a meaningful, purposeful, happy day leading you from man to man, man to Nature, man to GOD.
This day, previous year.
Agenda
The little country schoolhouse was heated by an old-fashioned, pot-bellied coal stove. A little boy had the job of coming to school early each day to start the fire and warm the room before his teacher and his classmates arrived.
One morning they arrived to find the schoolhouse engulfed in flames. They dragged the unconscious little boy out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to a nearby county hospital.
From his bed the dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die - which was for the best, really - for the terrible fire had devastated the lower half of his body.
But the brave boy didn't want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the mortal danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be a lifetime cripple with no use at all of his lower limbs.
Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a cripple. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just dangled there, all but lifeless.
Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever.
When he wasn't in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him.
He worked his way to the white picket fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then, stake by stake, he began dragging himself along the fence, resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs.
Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk haltingly, then to walk by himself - and then - to run.
He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the sheer joy of running. Later in college he made the track team.
Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run - this determined young man, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest mile!
(I had published this story in Indian Express- YES Vibes supplement on October 30th 1998)
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1. If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?
2. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?
3.Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, only to be troubled and insecure?
4.What's another word for synonym?
5.Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?
6. When sign makers go on strike, is anything written on their signs?
7. When you open a bag of cotton balls, is the top one meant to be thrown away?
8. Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all"?
9. Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
10. Why do they report power outages on TV?
11. What should you do when you see an endangered animal that is eating an endangered plant?
12. Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?
13. If a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?
14.If a turtle loses his shell, is it naked or homeless?
15. Should vegetarians eat animal crackers?
16. If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
17. Why do people who know the least know it the loudest?
18. If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
This photo of an UFO spotted in Baghdad
