Welcome 2012..!

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

So, 2011 is going out and 2012 is popping out. In another day’s time, we’ll be entering in to 2012 with so much expectations and hopes. Wish the almighty sitting above the clouds would render his blessings and his angels would bring us the gifts.

Let’s Welcome Year 2012 !!!!

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Burning Desire

The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire – Marshal Ferdinand

Desire is essential for improvement in life. In my opinion, it’s the presence of constant blue flame in the belly keeps the man focused on what they need and takes them to their goals.

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Nature at your Roof Top

The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you finish the work.

Languishing on the top of the terrace on a stormy day, enjoying the strong & cool breeze, savouring the threatening dark clouds must be delightful for anyone but how often if happens on a weekend? Even if that happens once in a blue moon, for sure neither our Spouse not our work schedule will allow us to enjoy. Hummmmmm!!!!

(This Photograph is NOT artifially modified except for some color corrections in the PP)

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Grand & Old Santhome Basilica

The value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear us, but that we will hear Him.  ~William McGill

Santhome Church – one of the oldest in India. Built in 16th century by Portuguese explorers, this Basilica stands tall in the shores of breezy Marina Beach and remains as one of the prominent pilgrimage landmarks of Chennai.

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In search of LIFE

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible. Arthur C. Clarke

Expecting to be lucky for a day is OK. But to start each day with that expectation just to get that day’s food is really unimaginable and depressing – even to think. Spare a thought for those who lead lives in those tight lines – on a daily basis!!!!

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Love is Christmas

LIFE is all about living for one another,

So live with those who love you the most

Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!!!!

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A Beautiful way to start

A successful marriage isn't finding the right person - it's being the right person.

Marriage day is one of the happiest days in everybody’s life. Of late, lots of effort is being put in the marriage, starting from podium decoration to gifts distribution. The service industry is thinking hard to be creative for to be stand out and also benefitting enormously.

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Faith alone isn't enough

Always ask God what you deserve, and not what you desire. Because your desires could be few but you may deserve a lot more.

We spend a lot of time attracting others to watch our deeds in every walk of our life. It isn't different with GOD either. As much as faith we should have in GOD, we also should have trust in our abilities and put in our sincere efforts. God only helps those who help themselves.

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Champions are MADE, not just born

Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it.

Bike racing is a fascinating sport. Every youth (especially boys) is fond of bike and the acrobatics associated with it. But as a responsible son to a parent, we need to take calculated risks in order not to strife our gifted lives. We’re born to achieve something special and wasting it for some cheap stunt publicity is just daft.

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Tiny & Beautiful

All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.

Dragonfly – I was one of those cruel kids who used to tie the tail of the dragonfly with a thread and do a kite. The Ant & Dragonfly stories which were told to us in the Pre-Schools (where dragonflies are lazy, sluggish, etc) made us feel that these dragonflies deserve no respect.  I feel sad about that now but we as the children were playful those days didn’t know much about life and pain.

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In the company of Shadow

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for its better to be alone than in bad company - Thomas Fuller

There isn’t many clean water bodies available in Chennai. We lost many of them in the past decades. The leftovers are mostly dirty except at few places. But they still continue with their hospitality towards birds. Peak season has already started and one can witness lots of birds even in small lakes and ponds of Chennai. So, get ready for Picnics!!!!

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A Beautiful Lesson

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells him that it's going to be a butterfly.

The moment someone says “Butterfly”, what comes in our mind are those beautiful colors and gorgeous textures in their wings. In a garden, if we sit calmly for some time and watch the movements of a Butterfly, more than its beauty, their activeness, energy, tirelessness and struggle are some of the characters we would appreciate.

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Team Work

Teamwork is the ability to work as a group toward a common vision, even if that vision becomes extremely blurry.

This WORKMEN STATUE is one of the oldest and very famous monuments of Chennai. In Tamil movies those days, this was shown as facet of Chennai. This statue even was mentioned in our text books to depict the importance of work.

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Honey Flower

When was ever honey made with one bee in a hive?
- Thomas Hood

This flower was prevalent near our houses during our childhood. We call it as “Honey flower” as it contains a drop of honey on its head. I am 100% sure there isn’t a single flower available right now there. In fact the open grounds, bush areas, rain water ponds where we had all kinds of fun are now constructed with apartments. One of our favourite play is to pluck this flower, open the top and suck the honey present inside.

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ICON for Humanity & Love

Give your hands to serve and your heart to love

- Mother Theresa

The World really misses this iconic figure who inspired many of us about the meaning of humanity, Love, selfless service and tranquillity. Icons like them come once in a century but leave a mark that lasts many centuries.

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Spreading spark

When a heart is on fire, sparks always fly out of the mouth.

Corn frying is one of the identities of Chennai Marina Beach. Bajji eatery stalls, Balloon Shooting stalls, Sundal, Murukku, etc,– Makes Beach as the favourite pass time for most of the Chennaities. Many of the youths living in Chennai city have developed their friendship and intimacy at the shores of Marina and the tradition still continues.

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A beautiful festival

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
––Confucius

Is there a better festival than “Kaarthigai – the festival of lights” to sit with your beloved MOM and help her set up lamps all over the house? Even while I was a small kid I used to love the beautiful sight of the whole street filled with lamps. Despite the fast moving lives of today, this festival is still holding its fort because people love this gorgeous and heavenly spectacle of illumination.

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Synchronization

Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.

I always feel that happiness and peace can evolve only with proper synchronization of minds. In other words they call it as “Frequency match”. Wife or Friends, unless the thinking is in the same lines, enduring is always an arduous process.

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Courage to Face

It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.

Whether at home or at work, wife or Boss, Friends or Relatives, it’s the lack of courage that always lets us down. Most of the time, we aren’t strong enough to convince our buddies about our priorities and succumb to peer pressure.

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Water Splash

There is nothing softer and weaker than water;
and yet there is nothing better for attacking hard and strong things - Lao-Tzu

My Childhood school was located just adjacent to a lake. During break time, there used to be a contest between us as who makes maximum bounces on the surface of the lake water with a stone. Some of our friends used to carry stones from house since not much were available near lake. Those Childhood days thrust us into competition mode and we're still running...!!!!

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Reputations are build to LAST

The most important question to ask on the job is not "what am I getting?" but "What am I becoming?"

The only time our Chennai Auto drivers follow discipline is when they’re waiting for passengers at Auto Stand. All other time, the entire stretch of road – including the opposite direction – is at their mercy. Unfortunately, they’ve topped all the lists related to indiscipline, rudeness, and disproportionate fares. Out of the 55,000-odd auto rickshaws in the city, finding a tourist friendly driver on your day, is a matter of luck.

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Vintage

On seeing the reception given to the Vintage cars in an exhibition, it struck me that as a person grows older their values also rise with it. But at the same time, it is quite important that one needs to be adorable and active in order to inspire the younger generation.

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Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.
-- Betty Smith