A Date....(WORTH........READ IT)

  A date !

After 10 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.
 

She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.
 

The other woman that my wife w anted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
 

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.
 

"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a sur prise invitation is a sign of bad news.
 

"I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you," I responded. " Just the two of us."
 

She thought about it for a moment, and then said, " I would like that very much."
 

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed t hat she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.
 

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.
 

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, "she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting".
 

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down,
 

I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.
 

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.
 

"Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.
 

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.
 

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.
 

" How was your dinner date ?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.
 

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I did to do anything for her.
 

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.
 

An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."
 

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: " I LOVE YOU!" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.
 

Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time." 
 

Pass this along to everyone with a child, to an adult, to anyone with a family.  

I HAVE LEARNED

I  HAVE  LEARNED

. Please    read all the way to the bottom:   Written by Andy Rooney , a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few   words.   I've learned....  That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.       I've learned....   That   when you're in love, it shows.   I've   learned....   That just one person saying to me, 'You've made   my day!' makes my day.   I've learned ....   That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.   I've learned ....   That being kind is more important than being right.   I've learned ....   That you should never say no to a gift from a child.       I've learned ....   That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.   I've learned ....   That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.   I've learned ....   That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.   I've learned ....   That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.   I've learned ....   That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.   I've learned ...   . That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.       I've learned ....   That money doesn't buy class.   I've learned ....   That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.       I've learned ...   That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.   I've learned ....   That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.       I've learned ....   That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.   I've learned ....   That love, not time, heals all wounds.   I've learned ....   That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people Smarter than I am.   I've learned ....   That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.       I've   learned ..   That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.       I've   learned ...   That life is tough, but I'm tougher.   I've   learned ....   That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you   miss.   I've   learned ....   That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.       I've   learned ....   That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.   I've learned ....   That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.   I've learned ....   That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.       I've learned ....   That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.   I've learned ....   That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.       I've learned ....   That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.       To   all of you ....   Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.   YOU   ARE MY FRIEND, AND I AM HONORED!

Attitude Matters ! !

One evening a Swamiji of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt was addressing the participants on the concept of work culture ........

One of the participants asked the following question to the Swamiji : 'I am a senior manager of Materials Department and I joined an organization 25 years ago as an Engineer Trainee and over the last 25 years I have gone through every experience in the organization and I am now the senior manager looking after the material function independently. During the initial part of my career, the job was very challenging and interesting. Every day was exciting and I looked forward to each day  with lot of interest. However, all those exciting days are gone since I do not find my job any more interesting because there is nothing new in my job. As I have seen and handled every conceivable situation there is no more challenges in my work. I am now feeling bored because I am doing a  routine job. However, Swamiji, I am living in the same house for over forty years, I am the son for the same parents for over forty five years, I am the  father for the same children for the past ten years and the husband for the same lady for the past twenty years. In these personal roles I do not feel bored and the passage of time has not taken away the zeal from me. Please tell me why I am bored of the  routine in the office and not in the house ?' This was a very interesting question and we were all very anxious and curious to know what the Swamiji had to say ! ! The response from him was very interesting and convincing. He asked the executive the question :   'Please tell me for whom does your Mother cook ?' The executive replied that obviously the mother cooks for others. Then the Swamiji said that the mother 'Serves' others and because of this service mindedness, she is not feeling tired or bored. But in an  office, we 'Work' and not 'Serve'.

Anything we consider, as service will not make us feel bored.

That is the difference between Serving and Working. He asked the executive to consider his work as service and not merely a work ! ! This was a very interesting analysis ! ! Whenever you put a larger context around your work and see a broader meaning for your work, you will take interest in your work. An awareness of larger purpose of your job and an appreciation of its importance will make a very big difference in your internal energy.

You should believe that you are here for a purpose and should believe in the spiritual context of your role.

Attitude Matters ! !

Trust...

TRUST

"A man just got married and was returning home with his wife. They were crossing a lake in a boat when suddenly a great storm arose. The man was a warrior, but the woman became very much afraid because it seemed almost hopeless -- THE BOAT WAS SMALL AND THE STORM WAS REALLY HUGE, AND ANY MOMENT THEY WERE GOING TO BE DROWNED. But the man sat silently, calm and quiet, as if nothing was happening.
 
The woman was trembling and she said, "Are you not afraid? This may be our last moment of life! IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH THE OTHER SHORE. Only some miracle can save us, otherwise death is certain. Are you not afraid? Are you mad or something? Are you a stone or something?"
 
THE MAN LAUGHED AND TOOK THE SWORD OUT OF ITS SHEATH. The woman was even more puzzled -- what he is doing? Then he brought the naked sword close to the woman's neck -- so close that just a small gap was there, it was almost touching her neck.
 
He said, "ARE YOU AFRAID?"
 
She started to giggle and laugh and said, "WHY SHOULD I BE AFRAID? If the sword is in your hands, why should I be afraid? I know you love me."
 
He put the sword back and said,

"This is my answer - I know God loves me, and the sword is in His hands, and the storm is in His hands -- so WHATSOEVER IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS GOING TO BE GOOD. If we survive, good; if we don't survive, good -- because EVERYTHING IS IN HIS HANDS, AND HE CANNOT DO ANYTHING WRONG."
 
This is the trust one needs to imbibe.
SUCH TREMENDOUS TRUST IS CAPABLE OF TRANSFORMING YOUR WHOLE LIFE!
And ONLY such tremendous trust is capable of  transforming your life -- less than that won't do.

Amarnath..Legends...Story and Trek

Celebrate India – Joy's Amarnath Yatra

"Jab Jab Bhole Shankar ka Bulava aata hai, tab tab bhakt darshan ko jaata hai" meaning that whenever the Lord calls, the devotee goes to his abode. However this becomes increasingly difficult to believe when you have been stuck in the same tent for two days straight. While it has been snowing in the mountains non-stop and chances of your Amarnath Yatra are becoming bleaker by the hour. Your only solace lies in the UNO cards you were smart enough to bring along, the free food in the lungars and a group of people to keep you company.

Well, for those of you who do not know, Amarnath Yatra is one of the holiest pilgrimages in the Indian Culture. It leads up to the Amarnath Cave that houses the famous natural shiv ling made entirely of ice. It waxes during May to August and gradually wanes thereafter. The legend says that Lord Shiva brought Goddess Parvati along to this cave to recite to her the tale of immortality but accidentally two pigeons still in their eggs heard the story as well and became immortal. Many pilgrims have claimed that they have seen the two pigeons.

Considering that it is just a legend, chances of actually seeing these pigeons are almost next to none and my chances of even getting up to the cave itself were looking even bleaker. I had already contacted my boss and asked him for two days extension on my leave but if it had continued to snow I would have surely been forced to turn back and head home. But I guess Bhole Naath actually wanted us to come – when we woke up the following day, the sky was clear and so was the route through the mountains. We packed our bags in a hurry and set out at once. The 16km trek to Chandanwari was not all that difficult, partly because we were all used to hiking and trekking, and partly because the trek was picturesque and the air pristine.

We camped in Chandanwari for the night and the next day set out for Sheshnag. And this was where it started to get interesting. The trek became increasingly difficult as the altitude started to increase. Within 3KM km of trekking, we reached Pissu Top. It has some spectacular views to offer and some mythological importance as well. It is said that that to be the first to reach for darshan of Bhole Nath Shivshankar there was a war between devtas and rakshas. In the war, the devtas annihilated rakshas in such large numbers, that the heap of their dead bodies resulted in this high mountain. The journey to our next destination, Sheshnag (its name is derived from its Seven Peaks, resembling the heads of the mythical snake) followed steep inclines on the right bank of a cascading stream and wild terrain untouched by civilisation. And camping around the Sheshnag Lake, at the end of the trek, with the beautiful glaciers in the background was just like icing on the cake.

The next day we set out for the last camp, Panchtarni. This is probably the most difficult part of the trek because to reach Panchtarni, one has to cross the Mahagunas Pass at 4276 metres (14000 ft) for 4.6KM and from there on gradually descend to Panchtarni at a height of 3657 metres (12000 ft) for another 9.4KM. If one is not used to this altitude (which most people aren't) or has not acclimatised well, then they are likely to feel dizzy or nauseous due to lack of oxygen.

Therefore carrying some dry fruits and lemons might be a good idea. Also one key essential for the trip is Vaseline or cold cream, because trust me, without them (sometimes even with them) your skin will start to crack rapidly in the cold dry winds.

The following morning was the day of the final trek to the A

marnath cave temple. We got up early so that we could get to the cave, stay there for a while and get back to Panchtarni in time. There are no accommodations near the cave although some people choose to camp themselves. The trek was 6KM each way and was relatively easier from the previous day's trek. On the way to the trek lies the confluence (sangam) of the two holy rivers Amravati and Panchtarni. The water is of course icy-cold but taking a dip in the holy water before entering the cave is considered a good practice. And near the cave, you will find ashy whi

te soil that is called Bhasm. Pilgrims usually smear several parts of their bodies with the Holy soil. I, on the other hand just chose to put a tilak on my forehead and move on.

As soon as I entered the cave all the fatigue of the trek vanished in an instant. The cave is huge and surprisingly very well maintained even at that height. But of course the most unusual feature of the cave is the three Lingams. The biggest of them all, representing Lord Shiva and the smaller two, representing Goddess Parvati and her son Ganesha. Incredibly, the ice formation is not everywhere; it is only those three stalagmites and that is what is fascinating about it. I later learnt that there are two natural water channels running above and below the stalagmites inside the rocks and are responsible for the formation of the lingams. And it helps, that the stalagmites take the shape of lingams very much like the ones found in other Lord Shiva temples throughout the world.

It is fascinating to see how nature's mysteries and the power of faith go hand in hand to deliver such spectacles. Without either of them, the Amarnath experience would not have been so easily available to the millions of pilgrims who visit the cave.

There was not much space or time to daydream about the wonders of the cave. The darshan was quick because there were so many others waiting for their turn, but it was enough. In retrospect, I realized that it is not the destination but the journey that counted in the end. And keeping in mind this experience, now I am sure that "Jab Jab Bhole Shankar ka Bulava aaega, tab tab bhakt darshan ko jaaega."

Courtesy: WWW.Yatra.Com

10 ways to reduce belly fat

Top 10 Foods to Reduce Belly Fat

Obese people find it the hardest to deal with the fat stored in and around the abdomen and the waist.

Not only does belly fat make your abdomen bulge out, it also poses grave risk to of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and stroke. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), men who have a waist more than 40 inches have heightened risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

The most common reasons for the accumulation of fat in the tummy are hormonal imbalance, excessive eating, intake of large quantities of alcohol, sweets and chocolates and lack of exercise. Stress is also one of the prominent reasons for the storage of fat in the belly. Stress triggers the secretion of a hormone called cortisol. Excess of cortisol stimulates the storage of fat around the waist. Then there's another factor of improper digestion. Due to malfunctioned digestion gastro problems arise and this leads to a persistently puffy belly. As we add years, our efficiency of burning calories goes down, so sluggish metabolism also sets off the buildup of fat around the midsection.

If belly fat is one of your problems and you still thrive on a typical diet full of oily, starchy foods and carbs, it's time for you to treat this article as a wake-up call. You would need to change your diet drastically. First of all, you should avoid eating two to three hours before bedtime to control the belly fat. At the same time, incorporate foods which can help you overcome the problem.

Here's some information on foods which you should consume if you have a bloated belly.

Eggs: They provide good quality protein which in turn helps overcome hunger pangs.
Beans: Beans like black gram (chana), green gram (chana), chick peas and green moong bustle with fibre and proteins. They help you shed pounds and improve muscle tone.

Oat Meal: Befriend the good ol' oats if you're battling belly fat. Start your day with oats cooked in water or consume them with milk. They're high in soluble fibre and low in fat.


Vegetables: Green vegetables are rich source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Consuming vegetables for dinner without chapatis and/or rice is helpful in shrinking the waist size. What's more, most green veggies have only 30-60 calories per 100 grams.


Barley: Barley has a considerably low glycemic index and contains lots of soluble fibre. This helps in diminishing the circumference of the waist. Regular consumption cuts down the risk of cardiac diseases and type II diabetes.

Green Tea: Polyphenols present in the tea help boost metabolism. Green tea is less processed and contains higher levels of anti-oxidants. It greatly suppresses the appetite.


Milk: When we say milk, we're not recommending full-cream milk. In fact, make sure you stay away from that. Go for non-fat milk which has the same amount of calcium and protein as full-cream milk but contains less sodium and helps prevent water retention. This reduces bloating.

Yogurt: It's oozing with calcium and protein and has very less calories (80 calories in a cup of low-fat yogurt).The beneficial bacteria present in yogurt boost immunity and aid bowel movement.


Tomatoes: The luscious red tomatoes contain only 20 caloriesper hundred gram. They are rich in fibres, lycopene and potassium. They avert water retention, thereby also preventing bloating of the belly.

Olive Oil: People realise that veggies are good for health but many find their taste boring. Add a small quantity of olive oil. This will improve the flavour of vegetables and make them tastier. But its real benefit is that it can help you lose the hateful flab around your belly. (MensXP.com)

Also read: Top 10 Healthy Midnight Snacks, Foods to Help you Quit Smoking

Source: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/life-work/10-foods-reduce-belly-fat-article-ilmx.html

A beautiful Love story

A long time ago, before the world was created and humans set foot on it, God had put all the human "qualities" in a separate room. Since all the qualities were bored they decided to play hide & seek. 

"Madness" was one of the qualities and he shouted: "I want to count, I want to count!" And since nobody was crazy enough to want to seek "Madness", all the other qualities agreed. So "Madness" leaned against a tree and started to  count:

One, two, three..." As "Madness" counted, the qualities went hiding.  "reason" hid in a pile of garbage.. "Lie " said that it would hide under a stone, but hid  at the bottom of  the lake.  And Madness continued to count "... seventy nine, eighty, eighty one..." By this time, all the qualities were already hidden-except "Love ". For stupid as "Love " is, he could not decide where to hide. And this should not surprise us, because we all know how difficult it is to hide "Love". "Madness": "...ninety five, ninety six, ninety seven..." Just when "Madness" got to one hundred..... ...."Love" jumped into a rose bush where he hid. And Madness turned around and shouted: "I'm coming, I'm coming!" As Madness turned around, "Laziness" was the first to be found, because "Laziness" was too lazy to hide. "Madness" searched madly and found "Lie" at the bottom of the lake. One by one, Madness found them all - except Love. Madness was getting desperate, unable to find Love.

Envious of Love, "Envy" whispered to "Madness ": "You only need to find Love, and Love is hiding in the rose bush." 

"Madness" Jumped on the rose bush and he heard loud cry. The thorns in the bush had pierced "Loves" eyes. Hearing the commotion God came into the room and saw what had happened. He got very angry and cursed "Madness" and said since "Love" has become blind because of u... ..u shall always be with him" And so it came about that from that day on, Love is blind and is always accompanied by Madness.!