Seeking God

Those who seek God for worldly goods are fools. Those who think that achievement and wealth can bring them happiness are fooling themselves. Their pursuit is certain to end in disappointment.

God must be sought for what he is. The creator of all things. The greatest joy in life is to understand the mysteries of life and the universe around us. The greatest of the joys lies is creating something of value. The greatest of the joys in life lies in being of use to the world. Knowing the mysteries of life is knowing God. Creating is being God like. Being of help to others is doing like Him.
Whatever comes to you as a result of that - love, riches, respect, power is incidental. It cannot be the purpose for which you do things.

To know the mysteries of life take interest in whatever you do. To create something, keep an open mind. To be of help to others look out for those who are in need.

Forgive Yourself First

First of all learn to forgive yourself. Sometimes, we are too hard on ourselves.
While life and living is about exerting yourself to bring out your best. Sometimes we are in too much of a hurry. Sometimes we define excellence and success and happiness too narrowly. Sometimes we lose sight of that which is special in us. In the process, subjecting ourselves to undertake things that we may not like the most or be the best at. Or do things that is out of tune with our rhythm and pace in life.

Forgive yourself, because even the most talented people fail. Even the most talented people have to try repeatedly. Even the most talented of people have to go through the grind.

Forgive yourself. Because you are more than your mistakes. You are more than your limitations. You are more than your failures. You are more than anything that can be said about you.

Forgive yourself and be happy. Forgive yourself and look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead. The past is dead and gone.

I can hear my Master cry

The Master is disappointed with me
I can see that in every eye
I can feel it in me and inside

Can't cover it up with things
Can't drown it in all the wine
Can't forget it in stories
Can't silence it by talk
Not by all the lies

It shows up on my face
Always and all the time

And still he calls out again and again
watch out! don't let yourself fall
Wake-up! Stand-up high
I know it's hard
but just give it a little try

He calls out again and again
fainter but without respite

This and that

I asked of this and I asked for that
I told you this and I told you that
I thought you this and I thought you that
I talked of this and I talked of that.
I looked in you for this and I looked in you for that

I showed me to be this and I showed me to be that.

That you are better than all the this and that of me,
This I saw when in your eyes I caught the ugly sight of me

I thank...

I thank the night for how else would I know the beauty of the day
I thank the cold and wet and hard or how else would I know of the warmth and dry and soft

I thank the heartless for they show, how to love, and how to adore
I thank the illness or how else would I know of health and spring and living more
I thank the lazy or how else would I know the worth working more

I thank the fools or how else would I know the worth of wise
I thank the conceited and the vice, for how else would I know of grace and rise

I thank the stubborn, for they taught me how to yield
I thank the deceitful, for who is true now I know

I thank the sloppy, they taught me lessons of earnest care
I thank the quitters, for they teach me to persist and to dare

I thank the darkened sky, for they show me the beauty of the starlit night
I thank the emptiness of the space, for it tells me I am at home alright

I thank the hurry I thank the rush, it taught me how to stand and stare
I thank the noise, I thank the blare, or how would I know of silence clear

I thank the treachery of death and end, for it tells me I am life with long miles yet to go that never-end.

How can our story be any different

All of human history is the rise and fall and rising again of men.
It is a story of people failing to rise and rising when it mattered most.
Of falling to miserable depths and of rising to divine heights.
It is a story of brilliance and grave errors.
It is a story of unquestionable loyalties and bloody treachery.
Of people living mediocre existence and of legendary deeds.
Of failing to see meaning and of finding meaning in the most hopeless of times.
Of persistent stupidity and amazing intelligence.
Of selfish pursuits and great sacrifice.

How can our story be any different?
It is part of the grand design of the creator

The greatest amongst the Gods

Once the foremost amongst the Rishis, Bhirgu was asked to help know who amongst the gods was the the greatest.

So he went to Bramha first and showed him no respect. Bramha was unhappy and upset. Bhrigu then went to Shiva who was unmindful of the lack of attention from Bhrigu. So Bhrigu started showering insults on him. Shiva then got very angry and came after Bhrigu. Bhrigu some how managed to make it to Vaikuntalok where Vishnu was lying peacefully asleep. Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on his chest. Vishnu woke up with a start and rather than be angry with Bhrigu, asked him if he was hurt in the leg and tried to comfort him.

Clearly, Vishnu turned out to be the greatest amongst the Gods.

One of the lessons one can draw from this story is that Silence (Shiva) is greater than Knowledge(Bramha) and that Love(Vishnu) is Greater than that.