All Entries Tagged With: "Relationships"

If everyone wanted to move on after the fun and games, who would be around for each other in moments of agony and pain? Is that why so many youngsters were lost and depressed in the downturn? And many even contemplated taking their lives?

Now marriage as an institution is an attempt by the human mind to bring some order in the chaos that sexuality brings. The average humanity goes through this mill and it is the only kind of evolutionary sadhana an average person goes through.

Marriage is team-work and this is an acquired trait which has to be learnt and practised with serious intent. Of course, we complement each other but most of us would be equally happy living alone, content in our own selfish balloons.

As I reach my middle age, I realize and look back with amusement and amazement at the sad designs we drew for ourselves and those we professed to love.

This style of belittling others is a quaint little habit. You will notice it is a regular habit in some people. Their persona is wrapped around it. It is impossible to make a statement or ask these people anything and it becomes an opening for them to show their wit rather than answer the question in a down-to-earth way or give a plain unadorned answer.

You know that the bond between a mother and a daughter is indeed very unique, and nothing can ever break it. But once your daughter grows up and becomes her own person, this bond is often tested to its limits. Yes, it remains the most complex of all relationships. Despite mothers and daughters sharing a special bond, there are some complex emotions that play a role in this sacred bond.

I frequently see folks going to great lengths in their effort to develop and incorporate an “attitude of gratitude” into their lives, lugging around special gratitude crystals, rocks, or stones, keeping special gratitude journals, and/or resorting to all sorts of other “props and crutches” as I like to refer to them, when *all* that’s *really* required is developing the simple habit of saying “thank you”.

Most of us take our role as a parent too seriously. We feel completely responsible for our offspring’s welfare. We consider it our duty to guide them in all aspects of their lives. After all we are the parents; we know what is best for our children. If we will not guide them, who will? [...]

Control freaks are always in a hurry and in their hurry end up destroying quite a lot of things around them that they themselves have built up. The trick is to let them rant but keep the control of the final action and pacing in one’s own hands

The title may seem as if I am going to talk about being professionally busy or posing as such. No I have another story this time. These are the two words I hear very often nowadays and I am prompted to talk about some of the incidents that I have experienced.

Becoming a parent is embarking on a journey that never ends. Parenting may take different forms and functions as time progresses, but I believe no one ceases being one. Long after your child outgrows you, and leaves you, you remain the parent that loves and cares for him as much as when he was still a baby.

The truth remains that adolescents deal with their own demons in their own way. To be accepted by their peers means a lot to them. They need to belong in their peer group. If they harbour a poor body image, or any other perceived inadequacy; it can play havoc with their mental peace. They encounter enough pressure in their own little worlds. All they need from us is complete acceptance. Accept them for what they are.

Amongst the many experiences we have in life, our interpersonal relationships are the most involved and intricate interactions we ever have to endure. Relationships invoke and involve all the five senses along with the mind and heart.

If you take the desire for someone to be different out of the equation – you can meet them where they are. You can meet them in the real moment. You can meet them in their despair or their magnificence.

Why catch up? Why meet up? I had carried these questions with me to India and found somebody I thought could answer this question.

And so the cycle of life continues continues along for another generation. Sons are born, fathers brim with pride and expectations abound. But with the years they grow apart and there are bruising conflicts along the way. But usually the relationship survives in one form or another.

It’s about time you stop comparing yourself to and liberating yourself from men. Enjoy your power as a woman and your role as a nurturer as you complement and balance the human equation to make it whole.

Life is all about choices.
I came to realise.
I also came to realise that my main choice in life has been to walk.

WARNING: if you’re a hopeless romantic, searching for Prince Charming or Miss Marvelous, you better leave now. Because I’m about steamroll any Disney-drenched happily-ever-after scenario

But I’ve noticed that even shiny, sexy, wide-awake people don’t talk that much about sex. The general conversation starts and stops with whether you’re getting it or not. “It’s good.” “We need to make more time for it.” “Haven’t gotten around to it.”

Sparkle Determination ripples out. Your appearance tells the world how to treat you. When you take care of yourself, life tends to pitch in. When you aim to shine, life pays proper attention to you – and that includes your lover boy (or girl.)

When the words seem frozen, And the opportunities seem chosen, The melodies from life seem stolen, And the morality of people seems fallen…. But when I look into your eyes Dear I see the world is still Shining. When the compassion in people seems dried, And their judgments seem all tried. When the lips of [...]

I’m not sure there is a bigger question than this. It bears repeating: what…is…your relationship to life? I was in Kauai in the fall and read Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth between beaches. And this question of his became my walking, rambling, meditation. “What is my relationship….to LIFE?!” Daunting. Spectacular. Galvanizing. Perhaps my favourite question [...]

One fine Sunday morning, I was sipping my tea as usual and enjoying the newspaper when my dear friend happened to drop by for a visit. We talked about college days, those good old days when people looked at our figures and said, “WOW!” Today today when they look at us they say, “HOW?” We [...]

Radha and Krishna, Romeo and Juliet, Laila and Majnu, Heer and Ranjha, Shree and Farhad — these couples did not or could not marry and yet they were all popular and inspirational through the centuries. Some are actually worshipped today.

They say you are a fool. I say, “I know.” They say stay focused. I say, “I am.” They say then don’t veer off your path. I say, “I don’t.” They say don’t play games. I walk away. Every day brings with it a new dream, a new path, a new goal. Then why not [...]

Have you ever wondered how certain couples were able to stay together for many years? What are they doing right? What are the factors that contribute to the success of healthy, long term relationships? There are a few fundamental components that will improve your chances of having a successful relationship. These include: Fighting Fairly; Healthy [...]

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived to have stitches removed from a wound. He said he was in a hurry, as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour [...]

I am off for a well deserved vacation. During the last 6 months I have been a gracious host to lots of relatives and friends so it was about time I perched my ample butt somewhere comfortable and sipped something cool while I did NOTHING. So this morning over a cup of chai, I scanned [...]

Today when I opened the papers, the first thing that put a smile on my face was a comic strip and a piece of news. I was thoroughly amused. It was also proof that the world was in agreement and in tune with me in many ways. A few days back I was talking of [...]

At home, getting into a battle of wills is not something that’s new or rare. Regardless of the size of your family, the possibility of ruffling up each others feathers is always present. Instead of trying to eradicate conflict all together (which would probably be impossible), you should instead focus on how to recognise its [...]

This quote popped out to me like a shot. And it put into beautiful words something that I was trying to understand. Everything became clear in a flash. Edward R Murrow says: Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.   That doesn’t leave much doubt, does it? This is [...]

HR units and trainers are tumbling upon each other and doing great work to give yeoman’s advice to people so that they can improve themselves, execute their jobs better and fit in the working environment with success. I feel most of it goes down with no one and achieves very little. Especially all the writings [...]

Mention the word ‘metrosexual’ and watch Gramps and Grandma glare at you like you have just said something vulgar. Metrosexual, a word that has recently gained popularity, is a neologism, looked at as the new black. We can go into a whole paragraph defining the meaning of a metrosexual but to keep it simple, it’s [...]

I do not agree. Whenever we hear these words the appropriateness of our thoughts comes into question.  Mostly we react to disagreements the same way regardless of the source of their origination. We do not realize that it is fruitless to try to sort out a disagreement with a random strategy until its origination is [...]

All right, let’s face it. Nobody likes housework. We’ve seen it all on popular TV before. You know, waiting for the weekly visit from your army of housekeepers which includes your nanny, clothes folding guy, ironing lady, washing lady, butler and what the heck, let’s throw in the maid. Oh snap out of it, you’re [...]

It started with a man I saw lifting his hand to intimidate a school girl outside the school where I go to drop my girl. This enraged me and I could not resist intervening. But wonder of wonders, before I could get going, my wife who fears for my well being and is afraid that [...]

It must be common to have realizations inside an ICU as one is in the vicinity of uncertainty & an unknown world beyond that. I understand that and I also understand that feelings one has towards their parents are usually not shared especially amongst the male populace. So I thought this would give me a [...]

Becoming a “real” dad was a combination of slow and natural process of “awakening” and conscious self-reminding, self-training, or self-conditioning that I am already a father and I have to change my ways. Not all of them are pleasant, or voluntary, I’m telling you.

“I demand an apology!” If you have to demand it, is it really worth receiving? Forced apologies are kind of like nice plastic. Shiny, maybe even useful, but ultimately, just trash. For a long time, I wanted an official kind of apology from my husband for some jerk-like tendencies he was trying out on me. [...]

“If you reach out to the world with all that you have, like a star, you can never be hidden no matter where you are.” This is a rich country but still we are required to call ourselves a developing nation. Our society has affluent culture and tradition. People are open & broad-minded. They are [...]

This is about how my gesture of booking an air ticket for my father, his maiden flight, brought forth a rush of emotions and made me realize how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents. My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport [...]

Victor and Janet go past each other inside their office. Both of them were previously teammates. Victor just moves past Janet without wishing her.  They again meet at the cafeteria. Again Victor seems preoccupied and does not acknowledge Janet. Janet assumes that Victor is angry with her or trying to avoid her. Janet feels neglected. [...]

Today the topic of this ‘tickle’ came to me like an illumination, a glimpse of light from above. Would anyone call it enlightenment? You single? Yes. It is a long story filled with suitcases and international travels, me moving Monday and no one able to follow my route, me longing for love but me refusing [...]

My favorite day of the year has always been Valentine’s Day. It didn’t matter if I was alone on that day or not, I still adored it. Valentine’s day for me is a celebration of love, love in its many forms, romantic love between a man and a woman, the never-ending love of family and [...]

My brother Raj had a huge crush on this girl ever since his adolescent years. Now in his late thirties, he still blushes at the mention of her name. Today, she has 2 kids, and is happily married…to someone else. Why? He did not ask her to marry him, he never told her he loved [...]

My daughter is 16, and on Cloud Nine because Valentine’s is around the corner. Ever since she turned 10, Radhika has been collecting gifts, cards and sweet nothings that fill the air around the 14th of February. According to her, the generation gap is a convenient excuse to say “NO” to just about anything she [...]

If you want to move up the ranks of masterful communication, you have to watch what you say to others. Not just in the showpieces of communication such as a presentation, a memo, or a meeting, but in everyday interaction. Learn these 7 rules and you can quietly and unobtrusively become a master of interpersonal [...]

It’s easy to fall in love, but very few people know how to stay in love. How can you beat the odds? More relationships break up because people don’t know how to validate each other than for any other reason.  Over time, their pent-up frustration turns into anger. This is truly a shame, because the [...]

Lyndon Baines Johnson was the 37th President of the United States. Politically, he has gone down as one of the most unsuccessful presidents in history due to his inauguration following the assassination of President John Kennedy and his pursuit of Kennedy’s policy in Vietnam. However, Johnson was a great people person who endeared himself to [...]