What a real "smile" can do!

A real smile can

• cheer someone up on a grey day
• make someone realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
• make someone realize they are special
  
• make one realize that inspite of it all one just has to smile
• soften a hardened heart
• can melt the strong
• bring people together
  
• make someone feel cared for
• make someone feel special
• show that you care
• make an angry face relax
• give you a better look

A real smile is a gift from the heart, a genuinely thought through feeling expressed in a simple way.

Have a blessed day.. keep smiling!

The Art of Compromise

In my previous entry I wrote about simplicity, how we miss the simple but most profound moments because we are blinded by our "wants".

In line with that, I thought of another interesting thing which is crucial if one wants a lasting relationship and that is COMPROMISE.

I was having a discussion with one of my coleagues today about living with people, be it in a shared household, in a community, and anywhere else. During this discussion we found ourselves mentioning the word compromise. It is interesting to note that in every relationship, be it with people at work, friends, spouses, family, there is need for compromise.

As we all know by now, each person is unique in a sense that we all have different characters and behaviour which describe who we are. The interesting thing is that even though we may be 99% happy with ourselves characterwise we may be 40% a pain to someone else. What do I mean by this? Not everything we do which is pleasant and amusing to us can be pleasing to others, and the vice versa is also true. This is where compromise comes in.

When we talk of compromise we talk of tolerating people to a certain extent by learning and understanding them. In which ever type of relationship there is need for sacrifice and patience in order to learn and understand the other party. This is not easy but it does pay off in the long run.

With compromise one must accept to give up part of what they like for the sake of the other. To tell the truth this is not easy. The interesting thing is that compromise is not only for one partner in the relationship, but both partners have to be willing to give up something in oder to produce a better and lasting relationship. If you are not willing to compromise dont expect your partner to compromise and also with the same measure you compromise for someone in a relationship you should expect to get the same from the other party (sometimes its not the case). At the end of the day there is need for a better understanding between the parties involved in a relationship in order to reach a compromise and build a lasting relationship.

In as much as we compromise in a relationship we should learn to make a "wise" compromise.

Whew! I think I stop here for today.
Best wishes

Simplicity!

I was coming from work last Friday and found myself sitting next to a lady. She was simple with a rather calm appearance. Trying to strike a conversation, I greeted her and we started talking. The usual questions followed, "where do you come from?" "what do you do?" and so on.

She from Calcutta India, and she had been in the country (where we met) for some years. Then I asked a simple but most frequently asked question, "do you like it here?"
The lady looked at me and with a smile she said, "as long as I have food and shelter, I am satisfied, I am not fussy".

I was really touched by her answer, this led me thinking down memory lane, I thought of different moments in my life where I should have been thankful, many moments which I have taken for granted, many times where I narrowly escaped harms hand but I never even took time to be thankful for those moments.

Think of how we easily forget about the roof we have above our heads, the food that we eat everyday, and we complain so much about our other wants. How we forget that there are people out there who wish they could have just a roof above their heads and a meal for their stomach. How we become so self centered and think only about our wants and forget to appreciate what we have. How we always spend time praying asking God to do something in our lives but we forget to thank Him for what He has already done.

I hope you relate with me where I am coming from and where I am going with this matter.

Be thankful for what you have and remember that there are many others who wish they would have the same things you have but simply can not.

Simplicity! As long as you have a roof on your head and your stomach is not empty, you have something to thank God for.

Blessings