Birthdays..Facebook..Time..

Not so often would you come across such a question on your birthday 'Is there any particular wish or statement by someone which has resonated in your mind since morning?'

Made me think.

One from last year perhaps. A statement from Nidhi Ji. 

(Nidhi Ji - If you read this someday, Please believe I can 'imagine' the proud smile on your face.)

While wishing me last year she made sure that she adds a special touch to it - '....Bhaiya I wish on your birthday because I remembered it not because I saw it on Facebook.' She has not been a fan of Facebook - this I have known but had never thought about how we often tend to connect to our friends only on their special days that too because we see a reminder. However, I personally don't fully disapprove of the Facebook reminders, perhaps on one day people make someone feel special - even if it is for one day and that too because of reminders. Though it would have been better if we remembered people and their days without any external help.

Yesterday was filled with connections - wishes from family and friends, even from the Facebook world. Not much different I would say - same as it must be for everyone. I was at work yesterday therefore was not able to spend quality time with the wishers. A learning that I would like to take forward from yesterday is to take off from work on birthdays - there's a world that would connect to you on this day and you must receive it 'fully'. At so many points during the day, I felt I wasn't doing justice to the friends who took out time from their schedules to connect with me. Anyhow, there is something to learn and take forward - that's more important.

For many years I have thought how nice it would be to have everyday as a birthday - one receives so much love and warmth from friends which on normal days one doesn't hear. I don't think that warmth, love is absent on other days and suddenly rises on your birthday but think everyone is busy on their chores, and seldom they pause to express it. Birthdays are just such opportunities when people come to express via their wishes. However yesterday I was thinking the opposite - how about birthdays being days with not super jet speed? At least you don't feel guilty of not being able to give time to people as you would do normally. Its strange - normally people don't get time to pause and on this day you don't get time to reciprocate. Anyhow, not so serious topic to think about :)

Crux is to be thankful - even if people wish because of Facebook, take out time to receive gracefully, and when it comes for you to wish - try that you make people are a part of your life so that you don't have to depend on external reminders. And most importantly - treat everyone, everyday as it is their birthday :)

LOVE is spelt as T.I.M.E.

I remember this article where a father reads through his personal diary to find out how he had wasted one complete day from his busy schedule on his lost son's useless and fruitless fishing campaign. To man's surprise, his lost son also had made an entry in his personal diary. However, the son had described same day as the most beautiful day of his life, when his father took him out on a fishing campaign. Towards the end, author made a point "To a child, Love is spelled as T.I.M.E".
It strikes to mind, that same statement holds good for any individual, why speak only of a child? Friends need time from each other, Parents from children, Boy friend from Girl friend, Wife from husband...all of us seem to ask for time in one way or the other. Most of the time, we ourselves dont have time to ask for anyone's time..but the fact is there are silent moments, when one asks for time...and it is this time when the relationships are built stronger. Not only worldly, but the spiritual too.
This is one of the formulae I have seen working for making relationships stronger! Giving T.I.M.E. aka Love genuinly to someone without asking anything in return!

BAU ;-)

He called me around 10. I wasnt expecting him to phone me at that hour especially when he would have been at college and I at work. Before anything else I asked him - Are you okay?

It was a bit unusual to receive his call, so I wanted to confirm if things were okay with him. He said smilingly - Ya Ya bhaiya, I just read your thought on Divine Souls group so felt like talking to you.

It was BAU...we both talking and expressing our mixed emotions. I guess phone call went for half an hour or so before we ended the call.

It always has been a pleasure to hear his voice and inspirational thoughts. I went back to the days when he too was in Bangalore and we shared a joyous time together. Then he went to Delhi for his studies and I received his call that day. That day I had contributed for 'Thought of the day' series on Divine Souls group, possibly he would have read my name and called me up. It was a pleasure again to hear him.

Day went as it does normally. While on way back I was again remembering the thoughts that he shared on the phone call that day. Also was appreciating how he connected to my name on the thought...why wont he? The thought itself was so good that anyone would have picked up his phone and called some one important in his life. The thought went something like - If you had only half an hour left in your life and one phone call to make, whom would you call? And why are you waiting? This thought is one of my favorites, and perhaps that's why I shared it with all those on the group. Reminds me not to take time for granted, each moment is precious...and should be used very judicially. Good that he called. And all of a sudden my thoughts went around - Oh ! he called me after reading that thought...but I myself did not phone anyone. Before wasting another second, I called some one whom I felt I should be hearing once again.

When I look at myself, such incidents keep happening now and then. I keep talking loud when I see you around..but at times I do fall short of what ever I myself have spoken. Maalik, bless that I follow your guidelines. Rightly did I hear that devotion is a path of selfishness. It has taken a while to understand the meaning, that before anyone else my soul needs to be cleansed. If talks give reminders to others very well but talks would be worthwhile only if I am able to follow. I remember George Ji sharing other day - Irony is that we talk about God, we don't talk to God ! May the connection between You and me keeps getting strengthened, rest is BAU ;-)

4 mins

I was sitting with saints after sangat got over for today. I did realize in between that time for my bus' departure was getting closer. However thinking that saints are going to drop me in their car to the bus stop I took a loose stand, and kept enjoying the chit chat that was going. Just some time before the departure I got up and got into saint's car. Saint mentioned that he cannot drop me to the bus station for some reasons however he would happy to drop me at a convenient point from where on I can continue traveling to Bus Station.

I had already got late, and had no option other than following what saint had to say. I reached Bus Station but a little late. I had got late by 4 mins. I checked the next bus' timings. The one where I could fit in was 4 hours from then. I really regretted getting late by just 4 mins which made me wait for 4 hours. A sheer wastage of time.

At the same time, I remembered my friends, my dear ones who have heard about the message but for some reasons, may be not fully convinced are ready to risk their futures for some chit chats that keep them busy at present. 4 mins delays caused 4 hours wait time. This is not with the life though. I knew next bus would be there after 4 hours and will have seat vacant for me. But in life, who knows when the breaths stop, and when is the next bus that would take them along...

Babaji, bless that your message gets heard and understood. May people understand that each 4 minutes slot, rather each millisecond counts. Let all understand that these chit chats wont have end, at one moment they all would have to rise and walk for the destination.

When blessings are being seeked for others, I cannot stand apart. May I also understand your message in real spirit. Let me also not forget that my life too comprises of these small small moments which I keep on wasting for some reason or the other.