This was narrated by an IAF pilot at a Seminar recently on Human Relations :

Venkatesh Balasubramaniam (who works for IIT) describes how his gesture of booking an air ticket for his father, his maiden flight, brought forth a rush of emotions and made him (Venkatesh) realize that how much we all take for granted when it comes to our
parents.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on Jet Airways. The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for a window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen. He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him. When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me. But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child, how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for cricket bats, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have catered to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us? Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have t give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young. It is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments. Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care needs to be given to our parents and elders. Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes.

Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

Take care of your parents. THEY ARE PRECIOUS

Please read the news item in the following link.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/30lalu.htm

An accused in a criminal case gets elected as MP, given a ministerial berth - a cabinet berth. Now seeks release of passport.CBI which is under the control of the accused's cabinet colleague has to fight the case. In 50s and 60s politicians give up their posts till such cases are disposed off. But now that custom has gone. Only if somebody is convicted he resigns, like Sibu Shoren. The entire system Government, Judiciary and Prosecuting agencies like Police, CBI etc are making us fools. Ridiculous!

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/15rajiv.htm

This is very strange in view of the following.

1.The family still justifies the killing of 3000 innocent sikhs in 1984. All the three fellows Sajjan Kumar, Tytler and Bhagath who led the mobs were rewarded with ministerial berths.

2, Rajiv in his first press conference after becoming PM justified the killings by saying ,'When a big tree falls there'll be a tremor.'

3. After 20 years not a single fellow has been convicted.

4.If Priyanka wants she can visit the Sikh families in Delhi and seek forgivance.

Her visit to Vellore jail and meeting with Nalini is pure vote bank politics. Congress , as usual, wants to alter it's political misfortune at the expense of Nehru-Gandhi family. God bless them.

A foreigner has taken upon herself the task of exposing the corrupt Indian Bureaucracy more than seeking justice to her dughter's killing. We boast of our country as a country of cultural values like treating women as our own daughters, sisters and mothers. A wayward British teenager gets drugged, raped and killed. Not protecting the child itself is a matter of shame. But our bureaucracy goes one step further and tries to hush up the matter. We should be ashamed that this happened to an 'Athithi'.

I saw the NDTV debate on this incident at GOA, few weeks back. The girl's mother reacted very sensibly to rather reckless remarks on her. The irony is that most of the nonsense emanated from women.

A mother of teenage children in Goa commented, 'I never feel GOA unsafe for my children. Of course, drugs are there, I keep them off bad company. This is a case of bad parenting.'

A girl from software industry said, ' I frequently visit GOA alone, I don't find the place unsafe. If you are under the influence of drugs, it's another matter.'

I am not arguing that it's OK for teenagers to take drugs. But is it not the Govt's responsibility to keep the country free of Narcotics? The NCB has sweeping powers. What is it doing? Making money. Most of the fellows in Police, Customs and NCB are bribed by drug peddlers. This has the blessings of our political leaders also. At least GOA TOURISM should be honest enough to warn hapless tourists to keep a guard on their children and save them from drug peddlers.

Shameless Bureaucrats and Conscienceless citizens. MERA BHARATH MAHAN!

The concern of my previous blog was children. It is quite OK if spouses find themselves a mismatch and take the drastic step. May be, if enough care is taken while making their choices for life partner, the cases of mismatch can be reduced. Anyway, this generation lacks respect for the institution of marriage. If respect for the institution of marriage is not part of ones values, he / she should not get married for the sake of comforts it provides.

This subject is well handled in Tamil movies - 'Mouna Ragam' and

'Piriyamanavale'.

Are broken families good for future generation?

Are men alone responsible for broken marriages ?

Are today's spouses aware that they are here only because of the sacrifices made by their parents?

How much should one scarifice and when should he / she take the drastic step?

Do we have answers for all such questions?

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/17mum.htm

How absurd is this ? These fellows have no vision about their future. No noble mission to carryout. All they seek is low quality pleasure in life. They black mail girls into love affair and pledge their life for it. My sympathy goes to his parents. He has shattered all their dreams. The girl who innocently accepted his friendship also deserves sympathy.

The country's economy is growing at 9%. Nobody can deny the role of women in this growth.

In 1970 women were allowed to work.

In 1980 working women were favourites for a middle class male getting married.

In 1990 Urban Middle Class accepted the reality that a family can go on only when both spouses earn.

In 2000 all middle class families admitted their girls in Engineering Colleges. Girls outnumbered boys in the top ranks and they got into Premiere Institutions,

Today women are everywhere in the Indian Industry. They outperform men in their workplaces.

But the working women face problems both from their male counterparts and spouses. We can see the following scenario in all organisations.

1. A woman who performs well in her job is rather 'tolerated' than cherished by her male colleagues, that too, if she is very modest and does'nt raise her voice on issues.

2. Few women are celebrated by their male colleagues , not for the work they do, but for their benovolence in accepting them as friends. In some industries this kind of friendships are essential for the women to enter and leave the work place safely.

3.For supervisors it is easy to give a job to a woman than a male subordinate. Very few women assert themselves and do the due share of work. Most women are overloaded compared to the male colleagues.

4.Few women make advantage of their gender and get favours from colleagues and boss thus tainting the image of working women.

5.Single women are courted in the work place and mostly they fall in love with the person who is pestering more. Most of these love affairs are out of sympathy and the women silently suffer the miserable marriage for the rest of their life.

6.At home her spouse rarely understands her problems at office and simply complains that her care is falling in quality as the days go. If both spouses work in the same office she is more miserable. He can not digest the appreciations that she wins at office. Sometimes she also doubts his friendly interactions with another female colleague. Despite all the best qualities our Indian Women are very possessive and she is not ready to share her spouse's love and affection with even her mother in law, forget about another woman.

Our women keep working in such situations and win laurels for the organizations they work. My appeal to them.

"Please Continue Your good work.

Be Assertive and not arrogant.

Qualify yourself further.

Keep climbing the career ladders.

Keep outperforming males and set new standards in quality of Work."

My appeal to men.

"Please understand your working spouse. Never doubt her.

Lend support to her as she desires.

Also treat your female colleagues courteously. Appreciate their work openly and lend support to them whenever they need.

Compete with them and win them in terms of quality of work. Never be jealous of them and never look at them as rivals."

Let us all evolve a better understanding of women on this Woman's Day and resolve to make their life more comfortable.

Only few men turn messengers of GOD like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Vivekananda etc. But almost all women are messengers of GOD. They bring to earth the souls despatched by GOD pledging their life. We would not have had great men like Acharya Adhi Shankara, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Mahathma Gandhi .. etc on earth, but for the labor of their mothers. That is why Acharya Adhi Shankara performed the final rites for his mother breaking all traditions.

A mother gives birth to a child risking her life.

Brings up the child making many sacrifices.

Once he is an adult graciously hands over the job to another woman. In few cases the transition is not smooth.

The wife takes care of both her husband and children . Sisters also pray for the welfare of their brothers.This cycle goes on.

In a family, definitely the care for children will be more. This is quite natural. Most misunderstandings emanate only here.

Men should understand that their ultimate value is - facilitator for the Survival of children. We should never cause conflicts between the roles of motherhood and spouse. Perhaps those women who do not have children pour all their love on their spouse and consider him a child.

A woman, whether she is single or married, whether she has borne children or not, is always a mother. That is how GOD creates her.

Let us cherish and worship women on this International Women's Day.

Naradha got puzzled,'Lord , do you really mean it?'.

'Ofcourse , watch him for a day and comeback to my abode.'

After watching the farmer for a day, Naradha got more confused as to how the Lord rated him better. He came back to Vaikundam asked the Lord,'Please don't play with my devotion for you. The farmer you mentioned wakes up in the morning and chants your name once and after the day is spent in his chores, again chants your name when he goes to sleep. Only twice a day. What is so great about it? In what way he is superior to me?'

Lord smiled and gave a cup filled with oil to the brim and said,' Take this cup and go around the world , not a drop of oil is to be spilled. Come back after finishing this task, I'll answer your question.'

After few days Naradha came back successfully and handed the cup back with glea. Lord said,'How many times did you chant my name when you were carrying the cup?'

Naradha replied.'My entire attention was on the cup. I did not chant your name for the past few days.'

Lord smiled and said ,' That answers your question. You are a great saint. The task given to you was very ordinary. Still you did not find time to take my name once. Look at the farmer. He is supporting a big family. He is going through all sorts of ordeals daily. Still he never forgets to take my name twice. You tell me, who is superior?'

Naradha hung his head in shame and realised that true devotion to Lord does'nt confine to a particular form.