When the biggest planner plans...

Very often our future is not what we had planned for. Many who can’t make it through competitions go into deep depression to the extent of taking extreme steps like committing suicide? Even small school going students have a tremendous pressure to perform. Despite all efforts, if they don’t get through, it is not a failure. As my father often says, ‘not getting through something is not a failure. Failure is when you give up’.

If internationally renowned author and motivational guru Shiv Khera had given up when he failed in his exams in tenth standard or when he was struggling to succeed as an executive in many organisations in USA and Canada, he would never have reached where he is today.

We must make our best efforts but if things still don’t go as we plan, it is an indication that some one else is planning for us… And nothing can go wrong when the biggest Planner plans… Certain people are selected by Almighty to do something different. When even the best of human plans seem to be failing we need to look up for the hints and the signals… Maybe we are selected for things way beyond our imagination… He can see what we can not, and we have to follow His wish… It maybe some times difficult to see what He wants us to do, but a serious thought or observation often shows us the path. The signals may be instant or delayed depending on when He wants certain things to happen in our lives, but He loves all his creation and chooses the best path for us.
So, when the biggest planner plans, we just have to follow His signals and wait for the miracles He has planned for us...

The land of Tuk tuks, Moto Dhup and Pagodas- Cambodia

It was a nice sunny morning in Phom Penh. I took a cab for Hotel Cambodiana from outside the airport for 9 dollars. The Cab driver could understand my English much better than I could understand his Khmer. Still he was trying his best to show me all the places with names, so difficult to pronounce. Within 30 minutes I was inside the Hotel where our workshop was scheduled to be held. There was something about the place that made me feel good- feel so close to nature.

My first encounter with Moto Dhups
After having relaxed in Hotel for some time I thought of walking to nearby market and find a way to call home and inform about my well being. I had not even reached the gate of Hotel when I saw people with mopeds of very old model, waving at me. I had heard about the hiring of motor bikes and was wondering what if some beautiful lady from Cambodia comes to Delhi and hires a motor bike (I fail to fathom what would be the consequences). It did not take me long to understand that these were the drivers of Moto Dhups. There were many Three wheelers also (tuk tuk) but I preferred Motto Dhup. I had done a bit of research before going to Cambodia, so I knew the names of nearby market places. I asked one of the Moto Dhup guys for going upto Central market. He said 1 dollar but gave up after my persistent bargaining. We finally settled for 2000 Riel, which is half dollar.

A trip through the age of homo erectus
The market had a lot of stuff that I wanted to buy. We used more of sign language and key words than any sentences or grammar to communicate. And when all the languages and gestures failed, there was something that worked- a spontaneous smile from both the sides on the inability to communicate. The smile motivated both the parties to try again, and most of the times we could finally convey the messages. I started thinking of our ancestors millions of years ago, when there was no language, no words and still things worked.

My visit was very short but I liked the place and the warm hearted people.

Lesotho- a cursed paradise with a ray of hope

The trip from Johannesburg to Lesotho was in a very small aircraft with only ten rows. We were going for a training on 'vulnerability and capacity assessment'. As the plane started descending I was lost in the beauty of the place- beautiful mountains and rivers- was it a paradise?
From Airport to Hotel Mount Maluti, it took us around 90 minutes to reach the town centre of Mohale's Hoek where this hotel is located. I was thoroughly impressed- everything seemed so perfect. Our visits to the villages in Maseru unvieled the horrifying truths hidden behind the scenic beauty. The paradise was cursed with poverty, crime and something they did not want to talk about- HIV and AIDS. One village of population 300 had 35 orphan headed houses. The death rates were alarming and I along with other assessment team members were trying to find ways and means of reaching to the root cause of deaths. We tried a number of Participatory appraisal tools and one tool- historical visualisation and projection served the purpose. The visualisation chart showed a trend of increasing HIV but when I asked about future projections, the answer was that ten years from now there would be NO HIV. I was completely shaken by the explanation for such projection- 'no one would be alive, so no HIV in this village'.
It echoed in my ears for a long time. I knew the situation was grim, but was there no hope...?
We finished our exercise with them and the moment they got up, they celebrated having completed one exercise by singing and dancing on their local folk songs. I was also taught the dance steps and made to join. Their confidence, cheerfulness and smile reinforced the hope and a determination to improve the situation.

I returned to India but a project was started based on findings of the assessment and I am sure I will visit them some day and thank them for proving that as long as there is life, there is a hope.

dont want to live, or maybe you do

So many times, so many instances- one feels that all is lost. And it is painful indeed, to know that the hard earned fame after years of efforts is suddenly all gone. It could have been the designs of someone's evil intentions, or it could have been our own fault, or it could be some other reason but the sense of loss is bad,... too bad !!

We see darkness everywhere, there is nowhere to go, no reason to live.

We can curse the fate and drown in the ocean of tears, or we can pause and smile. Difficult to believe, but when I tested I found it true.  I found that in the most painful moments also, if we try we can smile.. We can even laugh and when we actually laugh the pain begins to fade. People may think we have gone insane, laughing in pain, but the truth is that we grow strong. 
 So we see, that we are the master of our state of mind. Let us learn the art of mastering our mind and not let our mind master us.

Let us choose to be happy and appreciate the pain. Not everybody gets to experience the pain, so we are the chosen ones, to know the truths of life and to grow. One who hasnt seen darkness can never appreciate the brightness. Change is the only constant on this earth. Good times have to be followed by a time not so favourable (at least thats how they seem, to our limited understanding), so once we are going through the 'not so favourable times' there is one reason to be happy- sooner or later the happy times will come :)
I choose to be happy and live... and I am sure, you would also choose the same. There is nothing more to lose, so why not give it a try.