You Are The Architect Of Your Own Destiny

Your dreams, decisions and deeds

Are the fodder on which destiny feeds. 

O mystical man! You have the wings to fly

Flutter them and try.

Know no leaps or bounds,

And your dreams will be found.

Brake old barriers, chart new course,

Sail ahead with full force.

Build foundations strong and wide,

For that will help your castle to survive ( jolts, quakes or landslides).

Your determination, dedication and devotion to the cause,

Must go undeterred without pause.

You are a designer freak

Design your destiny. Chances are bleak 

It will not listen to you.

But this fact is realised only by a few,

And they today rule the world

While the others in their own cocoons are curled.

O thy mortal! Arise, awaken from your slumber,

Don't lose hope, courage you muster.

From the ashes of the old and obsolete,

Rise the phoenix of all that is pertinent and concrete

To take you higher and higher in your quest

Your conquest, the universe will attest.

If you detour, deviate or dwell in the past,

A black shadow will be cast.

So, stop building castles in the air

You are the architect, go out there

Chart the path of your life.

To help, the universe shall strive.

Contrasting Times

Chirping birds, innocent laughter

Vibrant butterflies children ran after

Oh, dew on roses, green grass and trees

No smog in the morning, cool evening breeze.

No asthma or SARS 

No late night TV hours

Books were companion to the children

Oh, the olden days were golden.

Grandpa, Grandma, uncles and aunts

Giant families had huge children gangs

Sharing, caring, loving together

Life was fun and simple rather.

No hectic pace, no mad race

Writing letters was people's craze

Honesty, integrity took precedence

Over money, power and influence.

No terrorist attacks, no war cry

No orphan, injured children, no wet eye

How green was the valley 100 years ago

I wonder the robotic generation would ever know!

THE AGE OF ROAD RAGE

Scene 1 : A busy interaction with traffic cops and lights conspicuous by their absence. High drama is enacted in the square jam packed with vehicles with drivers yelling and honking their loudest.

Scene 2 : One motorist whizzes past another. Not to lag behind the second one opens the throttle fully. The resultant race ends up in a smash on the centre divider, run over and multiple head injuries.

Welcome to the age of road rage. Our roads are fast becoming a theatre of iring public behaviour with motorists speeding down the way becoming more and more intolerant. reckless and rash. In this insane rush it is depressing to note that people's blood scoots faster that their vehicles, resulting in skirmishes which at times provoke reactions, fatal in nature.

The face of drivers are quite a sight to study with stress and tension written large on them. It is alarming how people shed the family and work related fury on their steering wheels. And others speed just for the incomprehensible pleasure, putting their lives at stake. They just don't care about the fact that "Speed Thrills But Kills".

If there is a will, there is a way. We can change the present scenario. That is, if we want to. It is in our very own hands, provided we amend our ways. Following traffic rules, keeping in mind that "Lane driving is Sane driving"  and keeping cool and alert is all it takes transpose road rage into a driving pleasure. Remember while driving that someone awaits you at home! 

ULTRASOUND SCREAMS : THE FEMALE FOETICIDE

In the 1980s it was a suspicion, in the 1990s, it was a near reality, in the 2000s, it is an indisputable fact : India is a country which likes to ensure that girls are never born.

Education is a very important factor, which decides how people react to social issues. But somethings are fixed in the people's mindset. That is the case with India. The rich, the poor alike, both are turning deaf to the silent screams of the girl child.

Advancement in technology was expected to bring a revolution. Well it has! The girl child is now killed even before she is born. And those who are born ..... well most are suffering way more severely. the emancipation of women is a much talked about issue. But action seems far out of sight.

Saina Nehwal - badminton sensation, Kalpna Chawla - woman in space, Aruna Kesavan - IAS topper.

Do we need any more examples? Its high time now!

Wake up India. Listen to her screams and save her. Remember, female foeticide is a crime.