Technology Needs Care

The world's development can be classified in two periods as 'Hardware-oriented' and 'Software-driven.' The first period started with the invention of a wheel whilst the computer began the second part. We are living in the software era where everything is controlled by the so-called program or language. Technology enables our life and spoils as well. Technology comes at a heavy price: because it triggers new sources of destruction also. Definitely, it is the way how we use the technology that matters the most.

Some people have technophobe based on their previous experience and as a matter of precaution. A friend of mine stopped driving his motorcycle after a minor accident. However, the majority of the youth is technophile to the extent that they will grab anything launched new; especially cell phones. The next generation feels it is a style statement or smartness. Nevertheless, persons having access to the technology fare better than others. A few cases are quoted here to highlight the issues that emerge from the excessive and improper use of technology in our daily life.

Processed and Frozen food: Use fresh water, vegetables, fruits and other foods. That too, locally available food is the best for good health. Avoid and shun the processed and canned foods or drinks to the possible extent. The stored and frozen food always undergoes the chemical changes and becomes unfit for consumption.

Genetically Modified crops: These might yield more food production and profit, but result in health hazards and environmental problems. Even the native plants and animals would become extinct. That's why organic farming and its products are advocated of late.

Chemicals and Pesticides: Constant inhalation of harmful materials and gases causes cancer. Such condition is induced when we get exposed repeatedly to the chemicals in the fruits and vegetables grown on plants and trees sprayed with pesticides. Intensive farming with fertilizers and pesticides has rendered the soil unfit for further cultivation while affecting the life of the native insects and predators. Refineries and chemical factories spew both air and water pollutants. The classic example is the Bhopal (India) gas tragedy due to the leak of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide factory that occurred in December, 1984. Chemical and biological warfare are employed killing several innocent lives.

Electronic Goods: Radiation from computer monitors affects the regular user. Prolonged use of laptops is reported to have bruised the user's thighs. The cell phones not only affect the health, but even kill if used while driving or walking on the road. An air conditioner causes sinusitis and respiratory disorders. Thanks to the television and the Internet, many people have become lazy in physical and mental activities. Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple Inc., admitted in an interview that his children had restricted access to the iPad and the Internet as the overexposure would affect their natural growth.

Nuclear Energy: After-effects of the reactor destruction and nuclear explosion are common knowledge. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine during April,1986 led to the spread of radioactive particles in the atmosphere of western USSR and Europe.

Microwave tower: Mushrooming of the microwave towers used in telecommunication is reported to affect the health of people residing in their vicinity while birds like sparrows have disappeared.

Excessive and indiscriminate use of science and technology for development has led to the encroachment of forests, depletion of the ozone, and global warming. Several parts of the world are already experiencing the climatic changes like unseasonal rains, snowfalls and droughts. Many species of flora and fauna are becoming scarce and extinct owing to the above reason. Welfare of man takes place at the cost of other life forms that make up the integral links of Earth's sustenance.

'Too much of anything is good for nothing' holds relevant at all times. We have only one Earth. Let us strive to use the technology judiciously for safety and security of all its inhabitants.

How Do People Pretend in Life?

Without the pretensions listed hereunder, our life does not move forward. Actually, such pretensions render our life easy and enjoyable. The proverb 'The World is a stage. Life is Drama,' bears testimony to this fact. As the man easily forgets the past over the future, such immoral behavior is never viewed with skepticism. And it has come to stay as a way of routine life.

Unheard: A convenient and the usual excuse given by many people when the opponent accuses of not minding his or her instructions. Further, the deafness of a person works to his advantage on several occasions. An old man was compelled to rewrite the Will so that his estate would go to a charity. Because, after the ear surgery, he could hear what his son was scolding him. Many a times, persons owing money will play this trick to escape when a creditor calls over the phone or from a distance.

Unnoticed: This is a very common way of ignoring or disrespecting a person. When an undesired guy appears before us, we tend to turn our face and act as if not noticed it. If the opposite party happens to be an enemy, such behavior is natural.

Forgetfulness: It's the most frequently used ploy to avoid any attendance or performance. This is a convenient excuse given by a person failing to repay his debt on time, but the same person remembers the dues payable by others.

Feign sleep: When an unwanted guest lands, the host will pretend to be asleep. Likewise, a kid playing on the cell phone remains silent in the bed when elders check into the room. Students switch off the room lights during the visit of the hostel warden.

Inexperience: A pretext on which many experienced and knowledgeable people seek an excuse for escaping from an emergency. It's a common phenomenon in the workplace. Just for this reason, many people never exhibit or display their abilities so that they can live without risks and avoid the onerous assignments.

Illness: This is the usual reason tendered by almost all people for their absence in a place or event. An office assistant wrote AIDS as the nature of the illness when she submitted her leave application for the previous day absence.

Con Act: This involves well-planned moves to cheat or defraud others by imposters. Any gullible person becomes the victim of such deceit. During journey, a person will offer some snacks or drink to the fellow passengers and disappear with the latter's valuables once they are faint. Medical profession has seen many quacks. Sometimes, bomb hoax tricks will be played for the ulterior motive. Cases of fraud by persons claiming to be Income Tax officials are not uncommon.

Bluffing: Though all the above types amount to telling lies, bluffing by itself is a broad concept. In fact, it's an art that requires skill and memory. A boss passes the information against an employee to the corporate office, but pretends to know nothing while telling the latter about it. Other actors tend to praise the Oscar winner by concealing their true and envious minds. Many politicians use this technique to win the elections.

Nevertheless, such pretensions tend to be beneficial in certain occasions involving the welfare of the individual or society. Mother makes the kid eat properly by pretending that a ghost is waiting to swallow her otherwise. A village refuses to reveal the whereabouts of a person against whom the police has registered cases of crime. The victory of the Greeks over the Trojans at Troy was possible through the misleading large horse statue.

A Forsaken Mother

She was born to a rich family in Chennai an Indian city, but educated up to the 3rd Form only (a lower standard of schooling during 1930s). Because girls were restricted from moving out of the house and they were taught to take care of the household chorus like cooking, washing, etc.. However, this girl had developed a keen interest in reading books and possessed an inquisitive mind.

She was married to a poor but stubborn sergeant serving in the Indian Air Force. Her husband was also a hardworking and honest man. As he was away for most of the time in a year, the burden of managing the house and raising the five children fell on his wife. Yes, she succeeded in giving a decent education to the children by putting all hardships and hard work single-handedly. However, she had a soft corner for the elder son as he was weak in both health and education. This resulted in her helping him by giving money and jewels for starting a business without the husband's knowledge. 

The children got married in time after her husband retired from the military service. Life was moving smoothly until the elder son got embroiled in a police case. Her husband's health deteriorated rapidly due to the cancer, and he passed away sooner. The family pension was quite enough for the mother to lead a decent life. 

The estate of the husband was disposed of, and the proceeds were settled among the family members: this was to enable the elder daughter and son get resources for their family. She stayed with her daughters and gave money to them and the elder son.

By the time she slipped into the twilight years, the bank balance diminished. The children that enjoyed the money and other benefits distanced from her as she was of no avail anymore. Nonetheless, the youngest son came to the rescue and afforded the possible care and support like shelter, health care, etc.. 

Still, she had been loving the children and started yearning that they would take care of her. However, that never happened. She suffered like anything due to the frustration and dejection from the inhuman behavior of those four selfish children. She went to the extent of saying 'Never inform them upon my death. Nothing should be given from my assets after my death.'

The saddest part of her life came in the end. Due to the persistent thoughts and worries about uncaring daughters and sons, she developed a restless mind. Eventually, she got afflicted with a mild dementia leading to the incoherent actions and attitudes. She underwent a surgery at the ripe 86 years to replace a fractured thigh bone. Though bedridden, her wandering mind again sought the glimpses of her unloving children. Owing to the poor health conditions and to have a change of air, she was moved to a health care centre. Within a fortnight, her soul departed from the frail body for the heavenly abode.

We have several mothers living among us. Do respect and appreciate the dedication and love of Mother. That's what a mother desires to have from her children. During her lifetime. Mother is like a candle that sacrifices everything to shed light.

Lesson from Orange

 SURPRISE LESSON FROM SQUEEZING AN ORANGE

As told by the late Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, an American motivational author.

I was preparing to speak at an I Can Do It conference and I decided to bring an orange on stage with me as a prop for my lecture. I opened a conversation with a bright young fellow of about twelve who was sitting in the front row.

“If I were to squeeze this orange as hard as I could, what would come out?” I asked him.

He looked at me like I was a little crazy and said, “Juice, of course.”

“Do you think apple juice could come out of it?”

“No!” he laughed.

“What about grapefruit juice?”

“No!”

“What would come out of it?”

“Orange juice, of course.”

“Why? Why when you squeeze an orange does orange juice come out?”

He may have been getting a little exasperated with me at this point.

“Well, it’s an orange and that’s what’s inside.”

I nodded. “Let’s assume that this orange isn’t an orange, but it’s you. And someone squeezes you, puts pressure on you, says something you don’t like, offends you. And out of you comes anger, hatred, bitterness, fear. Why? The answer, as our young friend has told us, is because that’s what’s inside.”

It’s one of the great lessons of life. What comes out when life squeezes you? When someone hurts or offends you? If anger, pain and fear come out of you, it’s because that’s what’s inside. It doesn’t matter who does the squeezing—your mother, your brother, your children, your boss, the government. If someone says something about you that you don’t like, what comes out of you is what’s inside. And what’s inside is up to you, it’s your choice.

When someone puts the pressure on you and out of you comes anything other than love, it’s because that’s what you’ve allowed to be inside. Once you take away all those negative things you don’t want in your life and replace them with love, you’ll find yourself living a highly functioning life.

Life becomes Wonderful When You Know How To Live

 This is an enlightening spiritual conversation, held more than a century ago, between two great minds of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa as Mentor (Guru) and Swami Vivekananda as disciple. 

Swami Vivekananda:- I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic. 

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you free.

Swami Vivekananda:- Why has life become complicated now

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Stop analyzing life.. It makes it complicated. Just live it.

Swami Vivekananda:- Why are we then constantly unhappy?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Worrying has become your habit. That’s why you are not happy.

Swami Vivekananda:- Why do good people always suffer?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don’t suffer. With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.

Swami Vivekananda:- You mean to say such experience is useful?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. It gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

Swami Vivekananda:- Because of so many problems, we don’t know where we are heading…

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- If you look outside you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides the way.

Swami Vivekananda:- Does failure hurt more than moving in the right direction?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you.

Swami Vivekananda:- In tough times, how do you stay motivated?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Always look at how far you have come rather<br>than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

Swami Vivekananda:- What surprises you about people?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- When they suffer they ask, “why me?” When they prosper, they never ask “Why me?”

Swami Vivekananda:- How can I get the best out of life?

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

Swami Vivekananda:- One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa:- There are no unanswered prayers. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

🙏🙏🙏

So, Be Guided, and Stay Happy Always.