God and You

A man knocked the door of the house where God resided.
"Who are you", came God's voice from inside.
"Your devotee... lover." replied the man.
"Sorry. There isn't space for two," was what God had to say.

The man left the place. He came back after sometime and knocked the door again.
"Who are you", asked God.
"You," replied the man.
God opened the door and hugged him.
The story signifies that we are closest to God when we realise that we are actually a part of him. A true prayer is not a wish-list but the aura, the moment when you forget yourself and feel the presence of God. The concept is age-old. Our ancestors tried to achieve the same ambience through Yogic meditation. An ambience where atma dissolves unto paramatma (the supreme, God), both of which are within you. This is to say that God is a part of yourself rather than the other way round.
'Kasturi kundal baase' , the phrase is has a significance.
The musk deer chases the fragrance which lies in his very own belly. It is in a confused state. So are we. It never realises that it itself is the source of the fragrance, it has been trying to explore. God too does not have to be searched in anywhere. He is with you, forever.
In true love you acknowledge the mistakes of your lover as your own and forgive them. Ego, does not come into picture.
"Drop", said Buddha to the King who came up to present the largest diamond of his kingdom and a lovely lotus to Lord Buddha.
The king dropped the flower, taking it to be insignificant.
"Drop", said Buddha again. The King, being a little confused, dropped the diamond too.
"Drop", repeated Buddha.
The king was perplexed. He had nothing to drop.
"Drop your ego son. This is the most valuable offering."

Two people in love are often expressed as "One soul trapped in two bodies". Loving God is to accept that either you are a part of God or that God himself is a part of you. Thus loving God makes you a better person. When you realise that God is forever with you, ( i.e. he is with you when you help others or abuse them.), you would definitely not like to make your most beloved and revered God to be a party in your misdeeds. Would you? So you would stop doing them.
Now the question comes: "Does God really exist?"
"No, he does not. For I have never seen him."
"Do you exist?"
"Of course I do. What kind of question is this. I am sitting next to you, you can see me, touch me." So you believe in your existence when you know that you won’t be here, 70-80 years from now. Anyway, does your existence count or make a difference in a universe with billions of galaxies, each galaxy having billions of stars, and each star capable of supporting many solar systems?
But still, you exist, since your presence can be felt.
God exists for those who can feel his presence, who believe in his presence.

Wrote the arcticle for Indiatimes. http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/779124.cms

Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry, Stay Young

A young lady of sixteen could not help feel proud when she received a poem on her beauty from an admirer. Her father remarked at her vanity 'The beauty at sixteen is a gift from nature. Beauty at 65 is your own'.
The words make more sense to be now. The energy, the beauty and the vitality of youth is not hard earned. It’s natural and indiscriminate. You could put in long hours of consistent physical effort in youth. Your body could take it all without complaining. You had the burning desire to conquer the world and make your mark. No failures could deter you. The self -motivation was so strong. You had a very casual attitude towards your looks which were taken for granted. You believed that looks do not matter and its content which counts. You were a dreamer. Dreams, which were more powerful an influence than the harsh realities of the world.
As you grow older you recognize the limitations and imperfections of your body. You also recognize, approve of and resign to the far from perfect world you live in. Your unpleasant experiences make to wary of people and of life. You may lose faith in others, more so in yourselves. Maintaining yourself becomes a necessity in order to survive. This necessity of maintaining yourself pushes you to think about your youth. You lost something down the years. However, not everything can be lost.
The zeal, the passion, the ambitions of your youth should not die. The curiosity, the innocence, the faith should not be lost. The positive attitude, the absurd idealism, the irrationalism should be maintained and carefully nurtured, specially so, as you age. The healthy routine of getting up early, exercising, eating good should be incorporated. Take good care of yourself. Love yourself. Look good. Introspect and Reflect about yourselves. Worship daily, believe in goodness. Be in awe of nature and life. Connect with nature to release stress.
Take risks just like you did in your youth. Follow your heart. Do not let the worldly pragmatism kill your soul and your individuality. Take it easy. Slow down when you feel like. It’s a marathon not a sprint race. You need to conserve energy. Reuse and Recycle it.
Work passionately, Love passionately. Help others and be useful. Cheer others when they are down.
Aging can be difficult. It can be de-motivating and de-moralizing at times. But practice, discipline, faith and love can turn it into the most beautiful experience.
Wish us beauty and happiness in aging.

http://www.helium.com/items/1715304-staying-young-by-maintaining-the-trends-of-your-youth

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

And Cinderella said to the Prince "Do you love me because I am beautiful, or Am I beautiful because you love me ?"
Aren't the people you love, the most beautiful people in the world. They may not be so to the others.
Beauty is very subjective. We judge a person's beauty based on our own perceptions. Perceptions which may differ person to person. Perceptions which are built on our instincts, upbringing, culture , background and practical experiences. To me, short could be cute , To you it may be unattractive.
A person however physically unattractive may be most appealing to you after you get to know him. His nonchalance could intrigue you. His innocence could make a special place in your heart. You may find an unconventional personality very challenging and attractive, even though others may find him unacceptable. Each to his own. A person's personality which complements your own could make him or her attractive to you. Every person is special in his or her own unique way. There is beauty in everybody. Only if one have eyes to appreciate the beauty.
I remember having read a story about a cosmetic firm which floated a competition encouraging people to write about and send in a picture of the most beautiful lady they knew. One of the competition entries was brought to the notice of the CEO of the firm. It was by a boy of thirteen. The boy had written ' Delima is the most beautiful lady I have known. She lives just across the street. She waits for me every evening after my classes and bakes the most delicious cookies for me. She talks to me and motivates me when I am low. She listens to me when I wish to be understood. She has the most beautiful smile and the face of an angel. I would like to be married to a lady like her when I grow up.' Enclosed was a picture of a 80 year old lady seated comfortably in a cane chair. Her wrinkles, toothless smile and eyes beaming with content marked her face. The CEO remarked that he could not use the picture. It would show the world that the firm's products are not necessary to make a person beautiful.
It is, no doubt, the beauty in the eyes of the beholder which beautifies you and me more than any make up could.

I Wrote this article for a competitive entry at heliim.com
http://www.helium.com/items/1698552-beauty-lies-in-the-eyes-of-beholder