Day189: “The only journey is the journey within.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke

Monday, 26 August 2013; 11:25pm

Kestopur, Kolkata, India

I have been quite inconsistent in all my activities past few days, feeling quite slothful and lazy. I had been least motivated at work, with family and above all within self. I do not know the exact reason, to some extent may be I am still taking time to adjust with the extreme (and most uncertain) weather conditions of Kolkata. The humidity has taken over me. I get tired and feel like resting. falling asleep very often....Ever since I relocated to Kolkata, have been feeling the  utmost importance of staying healthy and fit. Sometime I feel, there is an inbuilt mechanism for laziness in my body.

Well! not all negative is happening in life. There are few reason to feel good and happy. Recently on Sanskriti's first birthday, my Parents along few other family members came to Kolkata to celebrate the occasion. Being with Parents and importantly an opportunity to serve them is an awesome feeling. I am with my GOD after 11 long years for these many days (for more than 2 weeks), will pen more on this in a separate blogpiece.

Yesterday, I resumed going to Gym after a break of 2 weeks fighting all my laziness and it was day code (M70S2: M1W4D9) today i.e. (Mission70 Season2: Month 1st, Week 4th, Day 9th). There is something exceptionally good about exercising (doing some sort of physical work). I feel awesome and have started regaining my strength. Looking forward to continue exercising at least for 20 minutes a day.

Last Sunday, I visited Budge Budge to meet the youngest and the only living brother of my own (late) Grandfather. For most part of his life, he has worked in the Jute Mills of the old city. Although my Grandpa is retired, has rejoined the mills and works there part-time doing some of the administrative works to do away with the boredom. Dadi-jee expired years ago due to bad health.

The Kalipur campus around which the jute mills are situated is almost like a village and cut from the city Kolkata. The population there is mostly the Bhojpuri speaking people from Bihar. Here, am sharing few of the snaps I had taken of the beautiful campus...

Beautiful and 'Disciplined'  - in a Queue Trees

Ecstatic Kids posing super-enthusiastically.

Mohan Bagan of Tomorrow

Kids playing with pebbles

Kite-flyers

I will touch the sky

Mai (I am) Narendra

Good Night with Lots of Love!

Narendra Gupta
27 August 2013; 12:30am

Day188: Happy Raksha Bandhan!

Tuesday, 20 August 2013; 10:40pm
Kolkata,India

Its pouring heavily here in Kolkata with few areas flooded with water. Though I was drenched in rain while coming back from office today, I felt quite happy about it, in fact I just love rains and the rainy season. Well! today, I have just popped in to wish each one of you a very Happy Raksha Bandhan.

I have one sister. She lives along with her kids in Bokaro, Jharkhand. She posted a Rakhi for me last week but I am yet to receive it. Although she's just 2.5 years elder to me, she always treats and care for me like her son. I adore you Didi and miss you very very much. Its been many years since I was with you on this auspicious day, promise to be there soon Didi and that day will again celebrate Raksha Bandhan, infact for me every day is a Raksha Bandhan day.

I dedicate this poem by to you Didi and all sisters on earth:

A Sister is Forever
by Bruce B. Wilmer

A sister's a sister forever,
A bond that diminishes never,,
A friend who is kindly and caring,,
A sibling God chooses for sharing.,
Few ties as deep and profound,
And with so much affection abound,
Though some thoughts are seldom expressed,
Love endures and survives every test.,
Of the constants that rest in the heart,,
A sister's a primary part.,
She'll always be there when you need her,
You listen, you value, you heed her.,
As growth, independence you ponder,,
Your feelings grow deeper and fonder;,
And life tells you one thing that is true:,
A sister's a large part of you.


Good Night and Sweet Dreams!

Narendra Gupta
11:32pm

Day187(ii): GOD's coming home!

Thursday, 15 August 2013; 11:10pm
Kolkata, India


We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves
                                                                                                               ....Henry Ward Beecher

I am tired, fully exhausted (in) cleaning and arranging stuffs at home yet I feel super-excited, happy and eagerly waiting for tomorrow. This is for two reasons. Firstly, It is my sweet angel's first birthday tomorrow. Secondly and most importantly, my Parents, my GOD are coming for the first time in a period of  almost 11 years in my entire College and Work life. Prior to this, Papa had accompanied me to Kochi way back in 2003 during my admission to the Engineering College.  Since then I used to travel back home after every 6 months or sometimes even an year. 

Today my emotions are whaling up. I want to serve my dearest Parents in the best possible way I can. I want them to feel proud of me. O Almighty, give me the strength, passion, compassion, kindness to make them feel the most special parents on Earth. I wish to write much more, however I must go to receive them early in the morning at Sealdah station and I must go to bed now. Will continue more on this sometimes later. 

Wish me Luck!

Good Night. Sweet Dreams with lots of Love.

Narendra Gupta

11:50pm

Day187(i) : Wishing all Indians on Earth a very HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY. Jai Hind. Jai India. Jai Bharat. Jai Hindustan.

Thursday, 15th August 2013; 11:00 am
Kolkata, India

Today India celebrates its 67th Independence Day. Every year this day, to have a feel of the day I listen to some patriotic songs, mail and text some Independence day messages and wallpaper. You would agree that many (most) of us spend the day in similar manner. But is that enough? We do not bother to do even this on any other day of the year (to some extent on 26th Jan). Are we really making use of our Independence which our great freedom fighters gifted us with many of them sacrificing their lives so that the next generation India lives in peace and harmony. Even after 66 years of independence, we are caged in corruption, violence, greed, selfishness, illicit means to gain power, lust for sex, disrespect for women and many other negative means. Are we really contributing positively as a Citizen to build a brighter India? I urge each one of you reading me today, lets make a commitment to do something worthwhile so that our next generation can be proud of us. Do anything positive however small it may be ....but just spread positivity. Encourage Lives. Embrace excellence in your work there by contributing to your Organization and in turn to our National Economy. Be responsible while exercising your voting rights, discourage negativity, do not give or receive bribe, voice against corruption, be ethical to the best you can, help people whenever and in whatever way you can, if possible do something which will paint a brighter picture of India on world map.....

Well! presented above are random thoughts in the order they came to mind, there are thousand of other things which we can do to contribute our part as a responsible citizen of the country, would love to hear from you on this...

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action–
Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.

Before I leave for the day, sharing few of my favorite independence day wallpapers (Thanks to Santabanta.com :)

Once again wishing you all a very Happy Independence Day. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat.

Best Wishes,
Narendra Gupta
11:15am

Day186: One fine Sunday,.....it all happened.

Friday, 09 August 2013; 10:17pm
Kestopur, Kolkata, WB

Enough of laziness, enough of procrastination, enough of feeling weak and helpless, and enough of waiting for the right moment. Yes, I had enough of all those negative things. Not any more. and it all happened. One fine Sunday....

Sunday, 04 August 2013 carries a special importance in my life. And I say this for two reasons. Firstly, I resumed my workouts by joining a local gym near here in Kestopur. And with this, broke jinx of almost 3 months after relocating to Kolkata. Earlier after shifting to the city of Joy in May, I had fallen down under fever, was hospitalized for 4 days, and then went on a month long medical rest. I never fell 100 % fit until that time. It's been 4 days of workouts since Sunday and I am feeling much better. I love moving my body parts, sweating out and gaining more of endorphins, the feel good hormones. These days I am reading the book 'Spark' by John Ratey and Eric Hagermann, which stresses the need to exercise to increase functioning of the brain cells.

Secondly, this Sunday I finished reading the most favorite book in my lifetime yet, 'The Leader who had no title' after a period of almost 6 months. I adore this book and the writer, Mr. Robin Sharma for all the splendid revelations for building great leaders, he has made in the book. I will soon come with a review for this masterpiece.

Inspired by one of the lessons in the book, this Sunday, I also committed to get up at 5 am everyday and invest it in building leadership and exercising. 

The best gift Robin has given me with the book is "I have shifted from victim-hood to leadership." Will pen more on this precious gift in my book review. 

While I have not been consistent in writing on my daily gratitude pages, I have started on a few good things I feel happy about. Yes, another highlight of the week was the training on 'listening skills' at office. The training was titled 'Listening for understanding and Communicating for Commitment'. This day I realized how important and how big a role listening plays in powerful communication. In order to become a powerful speaker, I must become a superb listener. I am so thankful to the Trainer, Mr Sudipto Mukherjee for sharing all those powerful insights. Thank You Sudipto! Interestingly, I met a lady having similar interests and passion like  mine.

I will soon restructure my blog, possibly with a new name and introducing articles under new labels, as well. I may not be write on my daily gratitude pages on a daily basis focusing on more of reading these days. With this I call it a day. 

But before I go to bed, another spoon of motivation for me (and you all):

"Resisting the opportunities that change brings is a tragic way to live. And the saddest way to die"

                                                                                                                           Robin Sharma.

Happy Weekend to all of you.

Narendra Gupta

09 August 2013; 11:57pm

Day185: “Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you've lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that's good.” ― Elizabeth Edwards

Thursday, 01 August 2013; 11:15am
Kestopur, Kolkata, WB

The past 3 days have been completely engaging with days at work commencing at 9 am and ending at 10 in the evening. I deliberately skipped blogging for past 2 days taking break from electronic media after long days at work and always facing the 14" screen.

While I keep trying to inspire lives and lift up people, sometimes I personally feel the need to inspire myself. I am missing  my workouts badly. Once again I have fallen into the habit of complaining, am trapped by procrastination. Seriously need to do something Narendra!!

In professional life thing are moving at a tortoise pace. Nothing adventurous!
In personal life, am enjoying my moment I spend with my little kid who will be one year old this 16th August.  I can tell you the moment spent with you family is the most cherished moment in your lives. Love and highly respect your loved one. Please, please don't (never) take them for granted.

Before I go to sleep, let me share this poem of resilience, poem to boost up your (and mine) spirits.
The poem was written by none other than Mr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Hope you like it.

 

Good Night and Lots of Love.

Narendra Gupta