Vesak, and its Colors, a set on Flickr.
"Vesak" is a religious festival among the Buddhist community around the world, commemorating the Birth, the enlightenment, and the attainment of Nirvana of Lord Buddha, which are believed to have happened on the Full Moon Poya day of Vesak.
Seen here are the colorful decorations done in Colombo, Sri Lanka, mainly at and around the Gangarama Temple.
Objects and Subjects, a set on Flickr.
Here and there, everywhere.. anywhere, when I had my camera with me...
Go to sleep my Son
This manger for your bed
You have a long road before You
Rest Your little head
Can You feel the weight of Your glory?
Do You understand the price?
Does the Father guard Your heart for now
So You can sleep tonight?
Go to sleep my Son
Go and chase Your dreams
This world can wait for one more moment
Go and sleep in peace
I believe the glory of Heaven
Is lying in my arms tonight
Lord, I ask that He for just this moment
Simply be my child
Go to sleep my Son
Baby, close Your eyes
Soon enough You'll save the day
But for now, dear Child of mine
Oh my Jesus, Sleep tight
Two years in silence... well that is the period of time that I had to spend thinking of problems like exams... work... music (the love of my life, but yes, it was a problem for me at one point!)... unstable relationships.... and many more....
Now, since I think that I have fewer things to worry about, here I see myself doing something I enjoyed much... things which I did when I had no job to worry about two years ago. Looking at myself; looking at how I spent the past two years of my life, thoughts pour into my mind, which I would like to share.
There were times when I was able to enjoy what I did. I met nice people, whom I worked with happily. People whom needed my help and who in turn were with me when I needed them. I’m blessed that most of the people around me fall into this category who are there to share my happiness as well as grief.
On the other hand, there were situations, I wished that I'd never faced. Decisions I wished that I've never made. Things get worse when I had to do things that I didn’t like. When I believed that I wanted to say no, but people whom I love and care believed otherwise. There are some people who were interested in supporting me. I thankfully welcomed them; never even thinking that one day they would come back with a list of “help”s they’ve given me, demanding me to work against my will.
The expected result out of a decision is called “success”. Then what about unexpected results?
I call them “EXPERIENCE!!!”
Nevertheless, it's too late to worry about, because it's history already. An invention is yet to be made that allows man to travel the time, when one can go back and change what he did in the past. For the moment it's restricted to one's imagination. Then what should be done? Well, learn from your mistakes and move on.
"Where would you want to be in another five years time?"
A "FAQ" at job interviews. Where would it possibly be? If they are not judging me, I'd love to say that it is the time I spent at school. Not in five years, if it's possible, I'd like to be there right now. Nothing to worry, nothing to bother, all things are taken care of by someone else. Be it your parents, your teachers, your relations... be it anyone!
"Those were the days my friend
We’d thought would never end
We'd sing and dance for ever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fought and never loose
For we were young and sure to have our way"
The chorus of a song that fits exactly, to the state that has surfaced my mind right now.
There are people in the world who do what they like in life, who had a goal to achieve and which they succeeded in... Well, I see them as lucky people. Why? Because they are happy. How? By doing what they like.
Are all of them happy? Not necessarily!
Every man or woman on earth has something that he or she lacks in life. For example, one would perceive a great career and status constitutes a successful life, but there are enough and more successful men in their careers who admit to have spent a life imbalanced, hence an unsuccessful life.
I’m drawn back to a word in the last sentence – IMBALANCE! Then who decides the balance? Well, it depends on each person. I should decide my balance of things that I want, the way I want, when I want. However, I should be mindful not to hurt others by physical or mental means.
I was watching an animated movie last evening with my niece. It was “Kung Fu Panda.” The ultimate message it delivered seems to be relevant to what I was trying to say above... There is no secret object or formula in this universe that can make a person the most powerful or the most successful man/woman on earth. It’s only you who can lead yourself to success or failure. Your actions will make you the most admired person on earth, or the most hated. The decision to be made lies within you.
Stated above are just thoughts, as I mentioned earlier. If I've hurt anyone, apologies; it was not intended.
Cheers!
Kavi.
T’was a morning, but not a bright one. With my father, I was looking for our vehicle in the neighborhood. It was a bit weird though, that we could not pick it up among a few cars parked here and there at the parking slot. In fact, it was not there.
Then I found my self running along the streets hoping it was somewhere nearby. But something was not right about it.
A faint sound was heard overhead and it was with no doubt that I understood it to be an aircraft. A few of them flew over our suburban residential area once in a while. However there was something queer about it. All the people outside, including me, was looking up to capture what was different about it.
Surprisingly, a series of aircrafts appeared, and to our horror, none of them were passenger carriers. By now the flyers were letting off some sort of “dots” which sprang down to meet the ground. And the first to do so, expanded into a huge cloud of fire and smoke, followed by the terrible sound. And there were more flyers one after the other, and we knew that more explosions were on the way.
I ran homewards. So did everyone else. But to my greatest surprise, folks at home were not a bit shaken and were holding onto there own work.
Then it was gunshots, and so it went on.
And suddenly, it was relief……. I woke up from a nightmare.
But in reality, how few of us would be as lucky as I was, to see it only in our dreams? How many of us would be living with such, in their minds, trying to avoid it? How many of us would be running away, leaving behind all what is theirs’, and sometimes even their loved ones, just to save one more day of life?
My dream would be something that no one would ever wish to come true. But for some, it would be their life. Just imagine about people who are living with it, who undergo pain and suffering, not just from physical injuries, but the hardest to stand with; memories… memories that would linger around them throughout their lives, memories of their loved ones falling down before their own eyes…. Will they ever try to justify the reasons or intentions of the people involved? Why should they?
I write this with no view of criticizing the efforts put in by the defence forces. There would be a group of men, courageous soldiers, carrying guns, may be crawling beneath trees, or over muddy fields, just to give me the right and the privilege to sit in front of a computer to type this. We consume the luxuries we have with out giving much thought to what is happening outside our window, when he is suffering to give us the right to live one more day.
Picture this. He is staring at a movie, consuming his comforts, when you, a soldier, holding onto a gun, trying to survive from your enemy, so that you can protect your country and your people. Will you not feel that you are being a victim of injustice? Why should you risk your life for a mere twenty-thousand salary, or even less, when he is enjoying his life to the max, without a risk factor attached?
Generosity! There is no other generous person as him, who treads this earth. Who has no money to uplift the life of the poor, or even his own, but has a life instead, which he willingly puts forward to defend another. Hats off to the members of the defence forces, the police, and their families.
More than sympathy, “empathy” is what needs to be cultivated, which obviously, is what we lack, but also essential to arrive at an effective solution to almost all the problems we face.
A fascinating site of the moon with a clear background made me try a new feature of my cam that I came across, and this was the result.
It brings life..
