Giving back, better than we found it!

I recently was in a short discussion on understanding financial terms in day to day life and understanding about the financial aspects in a typically life of people living in country life and I realized that Years have passed by from Independence and still we look up to ignorance and the evolution of looting because of lack of education and basic guidance on principles of savings and livelihood.

So, made me realize where are we? And how are we going to move forward in this topsy turvy society and what are we as individuals going to do about it.

As we began to understand the process of finding out of basic awareness of financial literacy, I began to understand that at some point of time, there has been a evolvement of mis-representation of facts and figures, and since majority due to the trustworthiness that someone in the family has asked them to go on forward, trusted and went with the process and finally what returned was fake reply and ending up in loss both psychologically and mentally.

                And despite of numerous handout and knowledge available, majority still fail in this process and end up nothing in hand.

                We realize that as the system is confined to this we, now exist in a catastrophic condition and finally we realize that it’s a big mistake, when you ask why did u do it? Finally comes a lame reply that there is lack of awareness and that we still look for a dawn when my solution is going to end.

                We are in a diverse world and understanding the fact that there is a lot available digitally, when you enter the grass root level, these ideas don’t reach the common man, and that there still exists a big gap, between the intention, the root cause and the end user.

                This is where we need a guide map to accept the process and help a lot more individuals to help who is in need. We need people to guide and help the society to accept that awareness can help correct and lot of hindrances to common man and that we still feel a lot of commitment is required to reach this idea.

                Even if the idea reaches, then the process of sustainability comes into thought and that where you and I Can give back the best way we can! Many areas there don’t require money or pride it just requires a little bit of understanding of the concept and helping the unaware aware.

                Many organizations to my understanding begin this process but at some point of time, ideas get build not leading to purpose and things get diverted, ending up, from something to nothing.

                So as we progress to a dawn of 2021, let us rethink about the commitment we can extend to people who still need to look up and possibly giving them the sense of responsibility and making them aware and becoming better individuals to manage their professional and personal livelihood.

 

Joseph Kamal Francis

BECOMING THE BALANCED HUMAN

            When I say BALANCED, I am referring to a long term individual, who is a complete human, and I quote it refers to years of hard work, be it anything, life, work, family and commitment to society, but I am here to refer the most widely known, reference known as the power of compounding for life, and focusing on long term value and not settling for the short term. There are many risks involved but the ultimate is to sail through the ocean and bring about freedom in life and wealth.

Power of compounding is essentially an act of 'adding interest on interest,' i.e. the amount of time you invest will generate value from both the initial time spent and the awareness and guidance it holds Eventually, thus, power of compounding helps grow your wealth and also attain virtue of freedom over time

We have all had this stage, where we have had our mentors carrying down consistently that apart from studies, you got to focus on the other extracurricular be it sports, or other activities and many days, the usual saying goes, to improve your language you got to read your daily newspaper, as we go forward in life, we move out of our higher education and get enrolled for the next level of education where many decide one thing be it the course the family wants, or be it the studies the individual wants to do something, and gets the freedom to go through a wide range of material throughout his basic graduation in college.

All through life, we understand that we read and become and go through an enormous process of advancement be it the phone we use, or the material we use for learning and development. All this holds a greater value to us, when we think about and take our first Job, the dreams, of finally independence and start to live life the way we want, but fortunately or unfortunately, majority instances it doesn’t end up like this.

At this hour of time, like all I would like to tell you the values that you can imbibe be it school be it college, be it college or be it the place we begin our career and earn for living, in all this we realized that the art of pleasing is a top priority and we lose quite a lot of time, with it, but rather if we focus on what matters our priority! Like the one thing! That matters referred by Jay Keller we tend to shift our focus and a whole new development transforms our living.

We understand and by the time, we decide to do something, the others aspects of life begins and we lose the race. Understanding the power of oneself, there is a lot of things, which can be transformed to doing what’s priority to becoming independent and free in all forms of life.

Today’s generation amidst pandemic, is a complete shift of the transform of life from one level to an different experience which many are still looking to understand, I believe, that we still looks for the would’a should’a but rather the mindset needs to be like I did is the ultimate task that matters to all of us.

The power of compounding I referred to will not bring a drastic change, if we are to settle in life for the smaller things, but rather if we look at the long term perspective, then all this matters, the same example of reading news paper, can help you to improve and improvise your language but also helped you to get a job.

Investing the minimum and saving for the long term, must the focusing aspect of every individual to attain financial freedom, a lot of people speak about the investing but I suggest why not take it up to understand the financial vocabulary, like how the word is pronounced why not look up to learn the basic of finance world, that can help to bring a clarity in what we invest for the long term.

                Always gently remind our self, the single actions does matter most in life and that we need to accept the reality with patience be it investing or be it the house we buy, all holds value but do we wait to see it? Is question I leave with you for thoughts!

Joseph Kamal Francis

How optimistic are You?

In my recent venture to nominate myself to be part of a global organization, we had two other comrades, who were of a African and a native from Middle East unfortunately we had elections and I was the odd one out, but for the good or bad, I realized, that even if I don’t win, and if I cannot do what the organization is expecting, then my fellow comrades, will definitely do a better job, I realized, doing matter who does doesn’t.

We were having a discussion at work place about how optimistic are you? When it comes to managing things and keeping that brave mindset, despite all odds, I believe optimism comes when you understand what actually is happening around yourself and you hold a sense of belonging and hope it’s going to be okay! And that positivism just keeps things pushing.

What matters in today’s context is more self aware and that you actually needs to know, who you and what your sense of purpose! Going back in life to our previous years we may have set an expectation and a resolution that this year is going to be my year! And we move about re-aligning to the other expectations and by the time we realize its end of the Year.

Being optimistic doesn’t really mean that there in life, you can’t always be there uplifting your soul, yes as a matter of fact, we fail and move forward, but optimism is all about body language portraying who you are and how it is going to reflect your inner self to the outer society.

I believe, we may have seen the last ball hit out to the stadium by Captain Cool lifting the world cup by India after 28 Years, is all about optimism and the body language that you hold in moments that define who you are.

So let’s come to a little bit of science where optimism can help, thinking that is focused on the future and how the future will unfold. It helps improve our lives and make us happier.  Numerous research studies have confirmed the benefits of optimism which include better health, longer lives, faster recovery from illness, and even healthier babies.

Let’s now unfold what is takes to be optimistic in life, be it our moments in life or be it the situations that define us! I would say it’s all about how good that oneself is in his situation an how he handles not losing his calm matters, being optimistic can help.

When we are optimistic, life looks a little bit more interesting to new avenues, challenges and thoughts can be more impactful and that we don’t have any second thoughts about where are we heading with this!

I believe that one can practice optimism all his life through various methods and strategies, but I still feel and believe that there’s more to life and this attribute that can help you doesn’t need any a tool but rather self understanding that positivity can help to survive better day’s forward.

Optimism isn’t a big thing- it’s all about a word or a sentence or may be intent of oneself in his quest of success and the intention or a help he/ she does to anyone.

 

 

 

Joseph Kamal Francis

The Missing “ME”

                 The other day, being the Month end, I was working on a late shift and had possibly a stretch of time due to unfinished works and had to make up of what’s been up so far and ended up very late for dinner and to bed. It struck me in awe to understand what will be the reality, if this is going to be a day to day story, where in the world amidst pandemic are we going to go? Was realistic question to understand and think?

            I quickly made some quick pointers to understand what’s been the missing part because of this!, and listed that I will be missing to catch up virtually with friends, no time for family, no time for other things in life and it also came to big eye-opener that I will also miss that time for me!, the thought on goals, aspirations, passions and what more!

            I then took up a recent statistics to understand is it my problem but realized that its become a global problem of missing work-life balance for many ending up in major either health issues or mental disorders to struggle with life.

            Every time in life, we end up being busy but we don’t know, actually what are we busy about and ending up losing the moments in life, made me realize that there needs to be an actual plan of some order to come out of this scenario of what’s been the need of the hour.

            We may have lot of unfinished things in life, that we may or may not have promised to some or to many but our only solution, to this is have a list down of what it is and to make a commitment to either do it in the upcoming months or if that’s not going to happen then we may decide to wipe out that thought forever, which will reduce our burden to manage things amidst busyness.

            I reiterate, amidst the world where earlier meeting people, face to face conversations, attending class room study was a matter of enriching life to its full is slowly fading away to virtual ways of living, it is our responsibility to stick back to limiting the ways of media over the week and also in the weekends and making to spend time on other things!

            Many a times, we maintain a To- do List thinking about what is our priority and we end up multi-tasking but virtually ending up in only finishing a limited tasks, but rather planning for a To- Achieve List of taking up only what’s necessarily for you, for example mails addressed directly to you to act immediately can help oneself to accept that there is time for everything.

            It’s the law of the land that there is 24 Hours in a day and we need to give up time for family and friend and also a matter of priority our health, we need to figure out organizing our responsibilities to understand that reflecting on our day still can be part of everyday life.

            Today is life—the only life you are sure of, why not spend on something not worth living for but rather looking up to look up on our achieve list and make life more happier! That what is was so far!

“If you don't take time out for yourself, you're doing yourself and everyone around you a disservice.”― Melissa Ambrosini,

 

Joseph Kamal Francis

 

All Lives Matter!!

In recent days of Pandemic, I was awe struck to see a lot of individuals supporting a global cause of mankind with the global language of All Lives Matter. It made me self realize that just that there was an incident of dashing and harsh treatment between two different races which eventually ending with the lesser power individual had to end his life, recently there was another instance where a flight crashed in Pakistan leading to a lot of people losing themselves, many losing their loved ones, eventually leading to one question! If a problem happens, does it mean that I stay foot and defend myself? Or I look up to society and ask what can I give back to the support of my own brethren, all these events flashed and made me realize why do such things ever happen? And what are we going to do about, it’s not about which race that matters, but rather all lives that matter, we have grown as a whole and have lost this sense of empathy, looking into the other person’s shoes and respecting the value and ethnicity.

It begins with simple things at home, when you ask for help when you are bowed down and when you can’t do what’s been assigned to you and when you step out seeing somebody being hit by an accident.

It purely depends on us whether do we realize and decide, do we take all accidents as incidents or do we think about doing something about it.

Being in our Busy World, there is no time, to look into the rest, being a world bow down by Pandemic and the recovery to every individual matters, oneself needs to accept that only when he support and gives that sense of Push to his fellow human being, then the world will look up to a newer way of living.

It gave a sense of responsibility and feeling of unity when all greater nations stood in support of individuals despite, caste, color, creed but what do we do if it happens to one of our own?

Being Empathetic doesn’t mean that oneself can find a solution to all the problems for his/ her who raises a hand for help, but rather being there in accompanying the journey to find the solution.

We at a society being differentiated by so many other things , can we voice out in the simplest way possible and that do we help to understand what’s best is there for us but rather see something happen for our own fellow human being and supporting them emotionally can make the feeling and sense of unity to a greater level.

We are living at a time of Revolution, a time where’s got to be a change, People in power admit but if we are going to wait for somebody who is going to lead the change, then we will be waiting for a long time, and who we are doesn’t matter but what we are capable of doing matters. The simplest way is the greater step in starting a revolution of humanity, and the time is Now!

Being a Plant Parent!

In the past couple of years, being a plant parent has become very common.

In the present situation, more than ever before, being surrounded by greenery and potted plants is a great destresser as well as a huge blessing, especially when we are all confined indoors.

With our lives and daily routines turned upside down, having a little greenery around your home can be an instant source of great joy and a wonderful mood lifter.

Most people are eager to get back to  their normal routines, but for many people, like me this ‘pause’ was a blessing and allowed me to do the things I had put on hold for ever so long.

Most of all being able to spend so much time with my beautiful family, all my plant babies and experimenting and trying out old and new recipes in my kitchen.

 

So Happy Gardening everyone :)

And

I do hope you can see the "up side" of this pause, that we've all been in together.

Maya Balthazar

A Happy Parent

@mayabalthazar

#plantmom #plantsofinstagram #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plants #urbanjungle #houseplants #houseplantsofinstagram #houseplantclub #plantlover #indoorplants #crazyplantlady #plant #indoorjungle #plantlady #plantparenthood #plantlove #plantlife #plantstagram #urbanjunglebloggers #houseplantcommunity #plantaddict #plantsmakemehappy #greenthumb #plantcollection #plantgang #plantsplantsplants #plantparent #plantshelfie #succulents #bhfyp

The Four Letter Word

I was excited seeing grandpa at home after school everyday. I ran and hugged him. He rightly sensed that something was wrong. "What is it", he asked. "I am bored with school. I wish I could stay with you all day at home", I said. "Come, I'll tell you a story" he said with a grim look. We settled down in our usual story place.

"When I was a small kid just like you. The world froze and stood still" as he said this his eyes became big and wide and I could literally see the story come live in his eyes. "Everything came to a halt. All of us stayed inside. We were all scared of it. All the people were hiding in their homes for a long long time." "Was it a dinosaur or a big monster" I asked , the story just got interesting. "It was a tiny virus. We cannot see it with naked eyes. But it was all over. It spread from person to person. 

When they sneezed or coughed, it traveled in the little droplets. It was there wherever it landed. If some person touches it, it sticks to their hands and if they wipe their face with the same hand, it gets inside their nose or mouth and they fall ill. It was like a chain process. It was going on and on. So, people decided they need to break the chain and they stayed inside." He said. I asked, " So, what about schools. Didn't you have to study at all." " I was very young. My mother taught me stuff at home. I remember having a lovely time. My father stayed with me and we all spent lot of time together. We did gardening, we played games, we cooked together, watched movies, read books it was like a fantasy. None had such a time ever before that or after that. It was a tough time but still we made the best out of it" Grandpa said.

" The whole world had a great holiday then?" I asked surprised. "Oh no no. Each of them faced something different. The doctors and nurses were working hard. The sanitary workers ensured hygiene. The police maintained law and order and kept everything under control. The Government was running heading it all. The essentials were supplied by shops and the people helping in delivery did an exemplary job. The scientists were busy finding ways to identify the infected people and worked to find vaccines to prevent and medicines to treat the infection.  They were the main frontline warriors in the war against the virus pandemic. They were our super heroes. We kids wanted to become one of them when we grew up. I wanted to research and discover a cure so badly" he said.

"Wow, so that's how you became a scientist grandpa. I am so proud of you. Hmm Tell me more about the war" I said. " Yes. Each family, each person fought his own small war admist the big virus war. What do we do for food if we don't go out. I thought we could always get food delivered but that was just not it. My father was working in the computer from home so we got some money to buy us things. The shopkeepers had money from the goods they sold. But the people who worked for daily wages had no work, had no money. The farmers, business persons, workers, fishermen, drivers so many people suffered. One day we also did, they said shops don't have things to sell. That day was when even the rich could not get food though they had money. So we all had our part in the war, every single person" he said with a sigh.

"Grandpa, that would have been very hard. What happened then", I asked. "We learnt to share and care, love to live, respect and treat all as equals, lead life with bare minimum essentials. Nature taught us many lessons. After months of quarantine, the warriors took control over the situation and we won the war over the virus. We did lose a lot of people in the battle. We lost warriors as well as people. We still think of all the sacred souls and we salute them" he said teary eyed.

"It is getting dark. Come let's go inside. Your mom will be here to take you for your first COVID all vaccine. Its discovery is one huge milestone in human history. Did you know that COVIDV20 found in 2020 is the father of the COVIDallV vaccine that we scientists found out sometime back for all of the Corona virus diseases? It is like a magic potion for the virus that was, is and yet to come. Scientists made sure none of the future generations suffered as we did way back then. That's why even if there is a COVID90 in 2090 at present, we don't have to worry dear" he said enthusiastically.

Mom took me to the doctor and he was poking the injection. Ouch it pained a lot. So I screamed in pain and opened my eyes. My five year old son was standing with his toy syringe. "Ma, look I found a vaccine for Corona virus. I am a great scientist" he said and jumped all around. Was it all a dream? 

I sat up and looked at my phone it was still 20th April 2020. My son dragged me to the living room..The news on the television showed increasing stats of Covid19 victims. My son looked into my eyes turned my head with his hands and showed me all the four letter words he had formed in the game he played. I could see hope, life, love, care, help, live, fate, stop, stay, safe, home.

Let's spread HOPE. LOVE all. CARE for each other. HELP those in need. After all we have one LIFE. Let's all LIVE till the end. STOP worrying. STAY HOME. STAY SAFE!

Aruna Dhanapal

A Budding Writer