Old is gold

I was always thankful to be born in this age of internet and other technologies that has helped us improve our lives in more than one way. Connecting with people, increasing our knowledge has got so much easier now, than ever before. However, on many occasions, I have also realized that in the older days, like 100 of years or before that people lived life more honestly and passionately than now.

One such occasion was when information about how TAJ hotel of Mumbai is still standing strong even after such serious terror attack was in news. There are a lot of such historical constructions that are much stronger than the recent constructions. Even though, we are more advanced now, it is during those days that we saw such supreme quality of work… quite contradictory isn’t it?

Take the example of Doctors, today it will be very rare that only one visit to the doctor will cure you of an even minor problem like flu or viral fever. Even for that you have to go more than once. It takes time for Doctors to understand the problem or it’s just a smart way to get more business… only Doctors can answer that better. I have heard from my elders that even with less research done, the Doctors in the olden times were far more effective in their treatments.

Or talk about News channels, as a kid I know how boring the news channels were but now I understand that, then they would give only news that mattered. These days news channels works hard on everything but hardly on the real news. And even if they do it sounds more like a drama!

Similarly, in all professions we see the standards are going up only superficially not necessarily from deep within. The quality of work is reducing every year and the reasons for this could be many. But the root of all is the fast paced life. It’s a fast life, people want to quickly finish one project and start with another… more projects means more money and more money means more success!! And where competition is more, dwell on the regular customers, making them wait for 10 years what can be delivered in 1 year.

It’s strange that our ancestors with less in their hands could give more and we with more are giving less!! Probably, because they found joy in giving and we are trying to find joy in taking. But the question is… are we really finding the joy we are looking for??

Dose of Denial

Life becomes sweeter with a little dose of denial; if you satisfy all your desires, life begins to turn insipid. Deny yourselves many of the things your mind runs after and you will find that you become tough enough to bear both good fortune and bad.
- Shri Satya Sai Baba


My friend shared with me this thought quoted by our beloved Baba. I was not able to accept this and asked my friend why we should deny anything in life when we are anyways denied so many things by life. Why should we add to it?

After thinking it over for sometime, I interpreted that what it probably means is when we want something and don’t get it, we should learn to deny it, instead of running after it. It would make us tougher when we stay away from what we want most. It is difficult to follow but worth trying.

Few thoughts later, I also feel that the denial should not be done for basic requirements of life but for the not so basic requirements. Now if I want water I have to drink water sooner or later to survive I can’t deny it. However, if I want Pepsi badly, and I don’t get it then I can surely strengthen my resistance and by my own will refuse to have it.

Having said that, it should not be the case of sour grapes. Deny it without denying its worthiness. By doing this we can save ourselves from being miserable and as Baba says it will make us strong over a period of time. Thank you Baba and thanks friend for sharing this quote with me.