Expansion of Idea - For Some The Journey is Quicker, For Some The Journey is Slow

Life is a journey. Each day you try and reach a new milestone. For some the journey of life is quick for some it is slow. Each one of us live life our own way. Everyone has their own goals, dreams and objective they wish to achieve. We try to fulfill our objectives and achieve our goals depending on our merit. Our skills and abilities provide us with the opportunity to make the most out of our life.

For some the journey is slow and for some the journey of achieving success is fast. This speed depends on how important it is for one to reach the goal. For some the only purpose of life is to make their dreams come true. But not everyone think that way and then they stagnate and live a dreary life. Then there are few who reach success on a slower pace, because they face many obstacles and yet never back out.

The journey of life allows us to come across varied experiences and vast opportunities. We meet people and learn different lessons. It is all about how you take each and every opportunity and try to enrich your life. Some let opportunities go and repent their whole life. Opportunities once lost can never be found again. Hence it is important that we take life in a positive way and make the most out of it. By doing so we can continue with the journey of life on a much faster pace. 

Expansion of Idea - Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Whenever we hear this maxim, the only story that comes to our mind is about the race between the tortoise and the hare. In this story, there was a race between a hare and a tortoise. This race is won by the tortoise, who slow and steadily reaches the winning line, whereas the hare loses because of it's overconfidence and foolishness.

At times, people rush into certain things or decisions without giving it a second thought. Such people make a fool of themselves by meeting with failure. The reason for meeting failures in such circumstances is either being too confident about oneself or not taking time thinking over the decision to be made.

Some students do not prepare for exams throughout the year, but study at the last moment when exams are near. But few start their studies right from day one and prepare well. These students who prepare well throughout the year fare well. But those who burn the midnight oil at the last moment, discover that they are ill-prepared. At times such students go blank during examinations or even forget whatever they have learned over the short period of time. It is then they realize that they could have fared better, had they been studying consistently throughout the year.

Overconfidence is something that can jeopardize your chances of success. As in the case of the rabbit from the story, who thought he was too fast and smart and could easily win the race against the tortoise. But on the other hand, the tortoise kept taking his slow steps forward consistently, until he reached his goal. 

Expansion of Idea - There is Nothing Impossible in Life

For those who believe in themselves there is nothing impossible in life. People who are full of optimism always take life in a positive way. They do not allow negativity enter their mind and thus control their way of thinking. For such people there is nothing impossible in life, as they learn to fight problems and face challenges. One sees many obstacles in the path of success. These obstacles are barrier to success and can either let you down or take away the possibilities of life.

But just the fear of facing obstacles should not take your success from you. One must not run away from problems but face it with fortitude and courage. There are solutions to each and every problem, but it is all about your approach towards it that helps or hinders your progress. If we allow ourselves to look at life with fullness and entirety, we can foresee what is coming toward us.

Unbridled determination and perseverance can help us go long way in life. Looking at the brighter side of life can help build a positive approach. Only such attitude towards life can help turning impossible into possible. Optimists are one of the shining examples of this. They have a positive approach towards dealing with challenges and fighting problems. And only for such people everything is possible and nothing is impossible in life.

Remembrance Poem By Emily Brontë

Remembrance

                   - By Emily Brontë

Cold in the earth - and the deep snow piled above thee, 

Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave! 

Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee, 

Severed at last by Time's all-severing wave? 

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover 

Over the mountains, on that northern shore, 

Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover 

Thy noble heart forever, ever more? 

Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers, 

From those brown hills, have melted into spring: 

Faithful, indeed, is the spirit that remembers 

After such years of change and suffering! 

Sweet Love of youth, forgive, if I forget thee, 

While the world's tide is bearing me along; 

Other desires and other hopes beset me, 

Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong! 

No later light has lightened up my heaven, 

No second morn has ever shone for me; 

All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given, 

All my life's bliss is in the grave with thee. 

But, when the days of golden dreams had perished, 

And even Despair was powerless to destroy, 

Then did I learn how existence could be cherished, 

Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy. 

Then did I check the tears of useless passion— 

Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine; 

Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten 

Down to that tomb already more than mine. 

And, even yet, I dare not let it languish, 

Dare not indulge in memory's rapturous pain; 

Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish, 

How could I seek the empty world again? 

Memorabilia Poem By Robert Browning

Memorabilia

  - By Robert Browning

Ah, did you once see Shelley plain, 

And did he stop and speak to you? 

And did you speak to him again? 

How strange it seems, and new! 

But you were living before that, 

And you are living after, 

And the memory I started at — 

My starting moves your laughter. 

I crossed a moor, with a name of its own 

And a certain use in the world no doubt, 

Yet a hand's-breadth of it shines alone 

'Mid the blank miles round about: 

For there I picked up on the heather 

And there I put inside my breast 

A moulted feather, an eagle-feather— 

Well, I forget the rest. 

Tales of Tenali Raman - Tenali Raman and The Talented Artist

Once the court of King Krishnadevaraya was visited by a courtier who gifted the king a pigeon with blue feathers. The king was rather surprised to see a blue feathered pigeon and asked the courtier where he found such a rare bird. The courtier replied, "My Lord, Recently I visited the jungles of Mysore, where I caught this bird with great difficulty. And I also saw some strange birds there."

Intrigued, the king asked, "Which other birds you saw there?" The courtier replied, "My Lord, I saw a red parrot, a golden peacock and also a green crane." The king said, "Fine! You go back there and bring me some more rare birds. I want all these birds here in my royal garden." The courtier said humbly, "But My Lord, this task is time consuming and very expensive."

To this the king replied, "Oh! Do not worry about this. I will exempt you from the court duty for one month. I will award you twenty thousand gold coins for each bird." The king ordered his royal treasurer to reward the courtier for the pigeon. The courtier smiled cunningly and returned to his seat.

Only Tenali had seen the courtier's smile and expression. He knew something was amiss. The bright colors on the pigeon looked unconvincing. He doubted whether the colors were even real. He decided to do something about it. The next day Tenali Raman went to the outskirts of the city and searched for a good artist. He placed and order for two birds of each kind the courtier had mentioned and told the artist to bring them in a cage after 5 days to the royal court. He handed some money to the artist.

After five days, Tenali came in the court with a big cage full of two red parrots, two green pigeons, a golden yellow peacock and blue crane. All the courtiers were surprised to see such rare birds. Tenali said to the king, "Your Majesty, I have brought some rare birds which I thought would look good in the royal garden." The king was surprised and inquired where Tenali found these birds. To this Tenali said,"Yes your Majesty, I went to the same place where the courtier went and found many varieties of rare birds. If you wish to have some more rare bird, I can get it within few days. All we have to do is order and it is done."

Shocked and little irritated with Tenali's answer, the king said, "What are you saying, Tenali? Explain yourself right now." Tenali replied, " My Lord, as you can see I have brought a bright blue crane, but if you wish to have a green crane, then you need to order for the same. It takes a few days, but you will get whatever you order." The king inquired, "What are you saying? Is it some magical place?" Tenali smiled and answered, "Not a place your Majesty, a man! The artist who has the talent of creating such magic."

And saying so, Tenali went out and came back with the artist. He introduced the man to the king, "My Lord, this is Vyakata. He belongs to a small village that is situated at the edge of the forest. He is a good artist and can color the birds to look like this." Now the king realized what Tenali wanted to tell him. He understood that his courtier had indeed cheated him. Immediately he summoned orders to suspend the courtier for three months and also to return the reward. Plus he asked the courtier to pay a penalty for the fraud. The kind thanked Tenali and honored him with precious gifts. The artist was also rewarded for his talent. 

Earth Song By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Earth Song

                                          - By Ralph Waldo Emerson 

      Mine and yours;

     Mine, not yours.

        Earth endures; Stars abide—

        Shine down in the old sea;

        Old are the shores;

        But where are old men?

        I who have seen much,

        Such have I never seen.

        'The lawyer's deed

        Ran sure,  In tail,

        To them, and to their heirs

        Who shall succeed,

        Without fail,

        Forevermore.

        'Here is the land,

        Shaggy with wood,

        With its old valley,

        Mound and flood.

         But the heritors?—

        Fled like the flood's foam.

        The lawyer, and the laws,

        And the kingdom,

        Clean swept herefrom.

        'They called me theirs,

         Who so controlled me;

        Yet every one

        Wished to stay, and is gone,

        How am I theirs,

        If they cannot hold me,

        But I hold them?'

           When I heard the Earth-song

      I was no longer brave;

My avarice cooled

                  Like lust in the chill of the grave.