A thick haze settles over the ocean,
The horizon turns pink as far as the eye can see.
All creatures hurry back home,
As the sun plunges into the sea.
Someone somewhere made a fortune today,
Someone somewhere lost all that he ever had.
Someone will sleep with a smile on his face,
Someone with a heavy heart will be sad.
Someone somewhere was born to rule,
Someone somewhere was born to die.
Someone today found someone he loves,
Someone has left someone to cry.
Someone's life has changed today,
For some, it was just another day.
Someone somewhere is dumbfounded by his good fate,
Someone has nothing more left to say.
The beauty of this setting sun,
Is too divine for me to summarize.
As I sit here and watch the setting sun,
Someone somewhere sees it rise......
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philosophy. Show all posts
Friday, March 9, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
The crux of life
Here's an all time favourite that has been written in many languages.
There once was an oyster whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand had got into his shell.
It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain.
For oysters have feelings although they're so plain.
Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate
That had brought him to such a deplorable state?
Did he curse at the government, cry for election,
And claim that the sea should have given him protection?
'No,' he said to himself as he lay on a shell,
Since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it.
Now the years have rolled around, as the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate destiny stew.
And the small grain of sand that had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl all richly aglow.
Now the tale has a moral, for isn't it grand
What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand?
What couldn't we do if we'd only begin
With some of the things that get under our skin.
- Anonymous
There once was an oyster whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand had got into his shell.
It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain.
For oysters have feelings although they're so plain.
Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate
That had brought him to such a deplorable state?
Did he curse at the government, cry for election,
And claim that the sea should have given him protection?
'No,' he said to himself as he lay on a shell,
Since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it.
Now the years have rolled around, as the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate destiny stew.
And the small grain of sand that had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl all richly aglow.
Now the tale has a moral, for isn't it grand
What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand?
What couldn't we do if we'd only begin
With some of the things that get under our skin.
- Anonymous
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Slow Down Culture - A good read
It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Chanakya quotes
"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and
Honest people are screwed first."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC 75
BC)
***************************************************
"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350
BC-275 BC)
***************************************************
"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. !
It will destroy you."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no
friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350
BC-275 BC)
***************************************************
"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions -
Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful.
Only when
you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go
ahead."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure
and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind.
But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is
your temple."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status.
Such friendships will never give you any happiness."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next
five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a
friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a
blind person."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected
everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
Honest people are screwed first."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC 75
BC)
***************************************************
"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350
BC-275 BC)
***************************************************
"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. !
It will destroy you."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no
friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350
BC-275 BC)
***************************************************
"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions -
Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful.
Only when
you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go
ahead."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure
and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind.
But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is
your temple."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status.
Such friendships will never give you any happiness."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next
five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a
friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a
blind person."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
***************************************************
"Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected
everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth."
Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC-275
BC)
Lessons of Life
I feared being alone
Until I learned to like
Myself.
I feared failure
Until I realized that I only
Fail when I don't try.
I feared success
Until I realized
That I had to try
In order to be happy
With myself.
I feared people's opinions
Until I learned that
People would have opinions
About me anyway.
I feared rejection
Until I learned to
Have faith in myself.
I feared pain
Until I learned that
it's necessary
For growth.
I feared the truth
Until I saw the
Ugliness in lies.
I feared life
Until I experienced
Its beauty .
I feared death
Until I realized that it's
Not an end, but a beginning.
I feared my destiny,
Until I realized that
I had the power to change
My life.
I feared hate
Until I saw that it
Was nothing more than
Ignorance.
I feared love
Until it touched my heart,
Making the darkness fade
Into endless sunny days.
I feared ridicule
Until I learned how
To laugh at myself.
I feared growing old
Until I realized that
I gained wisdom every day.
I feared the future
Until I realized that
Life just kept getting
Better.
I feared the past
Until I realized that
It could no longer hurt me.
I feared the dark
Until I saw the beauty
Of the starlight.
I feared the light
Until I learned that the
Truth would give me
Strength.
I feared change ,
Until I saw that
Even the most beautiful butterfly
Had to undergo a metamorphosis
Before it could fly.
Until I learned to like
Myself.
I feared failure
Until I realized that I only
Fail when I don't try.
I feared success
Until I realized
That I had to try
In order to be happy
With myself.
I feared people's opinions
Until I learned that
People would have opinions
About me anyway.
I feared rejection
Until I learned to
Have faith in myself.
I feared pain
Until I learned that
it's necessary
For growth.
I feared the truth
Until I saw the
Ugliness in lies.
I feared life
Until I experienced
Its beauty .
I feared death
Until I realized that it's
Not an end, but a beginning.
I feared my destiny,
Until I realized that
I had the power to change
My life.
I feared hate
Until I saw that it
Was nothing more than
Ignorance.
I feared love
Until it touched my heart,
Making the darkness fade
Into endless sunny days.
I feared ridicule
Until I learned how
To laugh at myself.
I feared growing old
Until I realized that
I gained wisdom every day.
I feared the future
Until I realized that
Life just kept getting
Better.
I feared the past
Until I realized that
It could no longer hurt me.
I feared the dark
Until I saw the beauty
Of the starlight.
I feared the light
Until I learned that the
Truth would give me
Strength.
I feared change ,
Until I saw that
Even the most beautiful butterfly
Had to undergo a metamorphosis
Before it could fly.
Confidence, Trust and Hope
CONFIDENCE:
Once all village people decided to pray for rain.
On the day of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an
umbrella thats confidence...........
TRUST:
Trust should be like the feeling of a one year old baby when you throw him
in the air , he laughs......
because he knows you will catch him........
HOPE:
A human being can live for
40 days without water
8 minutes without air
but not even 1 second without hope....
Once all village people decided to pray for rain.
On the day of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an
umbrella thats confidence...........
TRUST:
Trust should be like the feeling of a one year old baby when you throw him
in the air , he laughs......
because he knows you will catch him........
HOPE:
A human being can live for
40 days without water
8 minutes without air
but not even 1 second without hope....
Some inspiring thoughts
Anger is a condition in which
the tongue works faster than the mind.
You can't change the past,
but you can ruin the present
by worrying over the future.
Love...and you shall be loved.
God always gives His best to those
who leave the choice with Him.
All people smile in the same language.
Everyone needs to be loved...
especially when they do not deserve it.
The real measure of a man's wealth
is what he has invested in eternity.
Laughter is God's sunshine.
Everyone has beauty
but not everyone sees it.
It's important for parents to live
the same things they teach.
Thank God for what you have,
TRUST GOD for what you need.
If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow,
you have no today to be thankful for.
Man looks at outward appearance
but the Lord looks within.
The choice you make today
will usually affect tomorrow.
Take time to laugh, for it is
the music of the soul.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor
when you feel like stripping your gears.
Love is strengthened by working
through conflicts together.
.
Harsh words break no bones
but they do break hearts.
To get out of a difficulty,
one usually must go through it.
We take for granted the things
that we should be giving thanks for.
Love is the only thing that can be
divided without being diminished.
Happiness is enhanced by others
but does not depend upon others.
For every minute you are angry with someone,
you lose 60 seconds of happiness
that you can never get back.
Do what you can, for who you can,
with what you have, and where you are.
GOOD MORNING! HAVE A NICE DAY
the tongue works faster than the mind.
You can't change the past,
but you can ruin the present
by worrying over the future.
Love...and you shall be loved.
God always gives His best to those
who leave the choice with Him.
All people smile in the same language.
Everyone needs to be loved...
especially when they do not deserve it.
The real measure of a man's wealth
is what he has invested in eternity.
Laughter is God's sunshine.
Everyone has beauty
but not everyone sees it.
It's important for parents to live
the same things they teach.
Thank God for what you have,
TRUST GOD for what you need.
If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow,
you have no today to be thankful for.
Man looks at outward appearance
but the Lord looks within.
The choice you make today
will usually affect tomorrow.
Take time to laugh, for it is
the music of the soul.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor
when you feel like stripping your gears.
Love is strengthened by working
through conflicts together.
.
Harsh words break no bones
but they do break hearts.
To get out of a difficulty,
one usually must go through it.
We take for granted the things
that we should be giving thanks for.
Love is the only thing that can be
divided without being diminished.
Happiness is enhanced by others
but does not depend upon others.
For every minute you are angry with someone,
you lose 60 seconds of happiness
that you can never get back.
Do what you can, for who you can,
with what you have, and where you are.
GOOD MORNING! HAVE A NICE DAY
Tomorrow is not promised
Sometimes people come into your life
and you know right away that they were meant to be there,
they serve some sort of purpose,
teach you a lesson
or help figure out who you are
and who you want to become.
You never know who these people may be:
your neighbour, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger
who, when you lock eyes with them,
you know at that very moment that they will affect your life
in some profound way.
And sometimes things happen to you
and at the time they seem painful and unfair,
but in reflection you realise
that without overcoming those obstacles
you would have never realised
your potential strength, will power, or heart .
Everything happens for a reason.
Nothing happens by chance
or by means of good or bad luck.
Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity,
all occur to test the limits of your soul.
Without these small tests,
whether they be events, illnesses, or relationships,
life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere,
safe and comfortable,
but dull and utterly pointless.
The people you meet who affect your life
and the successes and downfalls you experience
create who you are,
and even the bad experiences can be learned from;
In fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you , or breaks your heart,
forgive them,
for they have helped you learn about trust
and the importance of being cautious
to whom you open your heart...
If someone loves you,
love them back unconditionally,
not only because they love you,
but because they are teaching you to love
and opening your heart and eyes to things
you would have never seen or felt without them .
Make every day count.
Appreciate every moment
and take from it everything that you possibly can,
for you may never be able to experience it again...
Talk to people you have never talked to before,
and actually listen,
let yourself fall in love,
break free and set your sights high...
Hold your head up
because you have every right to.
Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself...
for if you don't believe in yourself,
no one else will believe in you either.
You can make of your life anything you wish
Create your own life
and then go out and live it!
"Live Each Day As If It Were Your Last...
Tomorrow is Not Promised"
You cannot do kindness too soon
because you never know how soon it will be too late...
and you know right away that they were meant to be there,
they serve some sort of purpose,
teach you a lesson
or help figure out who you are
and who you want to become.
You never know who these people may be:
your neighbour, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger
who, when you lock eyes with them,
you know at that very moment that they will affect your life
in some profound way.
And sometimes things happen to you
and at the time they seem painful and unfair,
but in reflection you realise
that without overcoming those obstacles
you would have never realised
your potential strength, will power, or heart .
Everything happens for a reason.
Nothing happens by chance
or by means of good or bad luck.
Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity,
all occur to test the limits of your soul.
Without these small tests,
whether they be events, illnesses, or relationships,
life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere,
safe and comfortable,
but dull and utterly pointless.
The people you meet who affect your life
and the successes and downfalls you experience
create who you are,
and even the bad experiences can be learned from;
In fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.
If someone hurts you, betrays you , or breaks your heart,
forgive them,
for they have helped you learn about trust
and the importance of being cautious
to whom you open your heart...
If someone loves you,
love them back unconditionally,
not only because they love you,
but because they are teaching you to love
and opening your heart and eyes to things
you would have never seen or felt without them .
Make every day count.
Appreciate every moment
and take from it everything that you possibly can,
for you may never be able to experience it again...
Talk to people you have never talked to before,
and actually listen,
let yourself fall in love,
break free and set your sights high...
Hold your head up
because you have every right to.
Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself...
for if you don't believe in yourself,
no one else will believe in you either.
You can make of your life anything you wish
Create your own life
and then go out and live it!
"Live Each Day As If It Were Your Last...
Tomorrow is Not Promised"
You cannot do kindness too soon
because you never know how soon it will be too late...
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