Excerpt from a Speech by Chetan Bhagat

Don’t just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.
There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.
"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die. ……………….
One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? …………….
It's ok, bunk a few classes, scoring low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices........." :)

"Don't be serious, be sincere."!

10 Ways to Increase Imaan: A Reminder for Myself

1. Recite and ponder on the meanings of the Quran. Tranquility then descends and our hearts become soft. To get optimum benefit, remind yourself that Allah is speaking to you. People are described in different categories in the Quran; think of which one you find yourself in.

2. Realize the greatness of Allah. Everything is under His control. There are signs in everything we see that points us to His greatness. Everything happens according to His permission. Allah keeps track and looks after everything, even a black ant on a black rock in a black moonless night.

3. Make an effort to gain knowledge, for at least the basic things in daily life e.g. how to make wudu properly. Know the meanings behind Allah's names and attributes. People who have taqwa are those who have knowledge.

4. Attend gatherings where Allah is remembered. In such gatherings we are surrounded by angels.

5. We have to increase our good deeds. One good deed leads to another good deed. Allah will make the way easy for someone who gives charity and also make it easy for him or her to do good deeds. Good deeds must be done continuously, not in spurts.

6. We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of death is the destroyer of pleasures.

7. Remember the different levels of akhirah, for instance when we are put in our graves, when we are judged, whether we will be in paradise or hell.

8. Make du'a, realize that we need Allah. Be humble. Don't covet material things in this life.

9. Our love for Subhana Wa Ta'Ala must be shown in actions. We must hope Allah will accept our prayers, and be in constant fear that we do wrong. At night before going to sleep, we must think about what good we did during that day.

10. Realize the effects of sins and disobedience - one's iman is increased with good deeds and our iman is decreased by bad deeds. Everything that happens is because Allah wanted it. When calamity befalls us - it is also from Allah. It is a direct result of our disobedience to Allah or perhaps a test, But whatever it may be, It is for our Best.

Warm and Cool

I've always tried to figure out different patterns in pictures, paintings, numbers, words and even nature. The way they intertwine, complementing and supplementing each other.....like fire and ice, earth and sky, black and white, etc. is quite fascinating and the differences make us appreciate everything around us.

Well maybe I'm going off topic now, but then these differences is what makes things around you go in harmony and recently I realized more than ever how my parents, so different in their character, complement each other so well, that we felt we never missed a thing.

My dad is a bit strict, but quite cool too. Most of the times he likes to keep things for himself, but when he speaks, he does so frankly and it could hurt at times, but then, later you realize that it is all for your good. You know your flaws, then you learn how to overcome it.

My mom is quite the gentle and warm personality and she never keeps things in her head. She always speaks out what she thinks and what she thought about it before and what she thinks we must do about it. Always a smile and sometimes a frown.

Discussions during dinner is one of the best. We put forward our daily experiences, ask for suggestions, etc. and my dad puts forward his opinion and looks at us to make our own decisions and mom tells us what she thinks we must do.

I realized that their very differences complement them so much that we always thought we never missed a thing at home. And I should say that I'm reallly very lucky to have parents like them, Alhamdulillah. Being human beings they do have their flaws, but they are quite open to criticism as well. Well, it just doesn't feel alright when they are not together and even when we are not together. I miss you guys! Hope to see you soon!

Absent Minded Me

I don't know if I'm stupid or careless or dumb or reaaallllllyyyyy ABSENT MINDED.......but for a fact today when I got in my car I realized I had left my car window OPEN since yesterday evening!!!!

Hmmm.......this could be a car adventure ;)

Other adventures for the day

- Went at 130kmph today n realized my car gives the speeding alarm at 130 kmph n not 120 kmph

- I'm still not used to taking a turn at 80kmph

- My car is so noisy that people realize ITZ coming!!!!