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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Poem:Until you say goodbye again

I say goodbye
You say goodbye
before I chance to miss you
You come running right back

I wrote a few words
For this beautiful night
and before I chance to miss you
I feel you running right back

Until you say goodbye again
Until you come running back

--Tarun Betala | +91 897 656 1640 | BBPin 251ED1FC

Poem:Until you say goodbye

--Tarun Betala | +91 897 656 1640 | BBPin 251ED1FC

Friday, February 25, 2011

To live by this would be bliss

"While I may not agree with what you have said, I will defend till death your right to say it"
--Tarun Betala | +91 897 656 1640 | BBPin 251ED1FC

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Not sure who wrote this, but it amazed me

In life, one tragedy is not getting what we want. The other is getting it.


--Tarun Betala | +91 897 656 1640 | BBPin 251ED1FC

Sunday, February 6, 2011

In the world, but not of it

A fellow was renouncing the material world - he was to take what Jains call "sanyas" which means giving up what creates temptation. Before that however, the family of that fellow throws a huge bash - that's the tradition, some of the kings were amongst those who renounced the world, and since then this tradition continues. It's a going away present. He sits on a kingly stage and everybody sits on the floor around him, there's more food than a small city could eat, and no shortage of music and festivities. This is perhaps not as ironic as it is thought provoking - perhaps his family wanted to send him off with a bang and meaning to let the world know that he is worth all that for understanding and taking a courageous step to renounce this world.

However, Im reminded of an incident from not too long ago, when I met a Sikh man, who told me how many of them renounce state-of-mind-altering substances (alcohol, drugs, tobacco etc.,) but they dont renounce the world. They live in this world, they are to develop the world, they are to find ways to make this world a better place, and they are to understand themselves better not by renouncing everything, but by renouncing that which gives them temptation and alters their mind temporarily or permanently. and not by just giving it all up - that's a sign of weakness, a sign of not enough willpower.

Yes it does take a lot of will to decide to give everything up but the basic necessities (as a sanyasi would do) but isn't it even harder to get to know yourself better by facing the challenge head on? Being in the midst of all of the temptation creating objects but not surrendering to them.

This is of course about perspective, and there is no way that I want to play down the courage of the fellow who was to become a 'sanyasi'. I hope he finds himself.