Navigate by Norman Vincent Peale

"The best thing to do id to get healed of negatives in life, become filled with faith" hence goes the words by Dr Peale as it appears n the introduction of the book and that exactly is the purpose and vision of the book. He seeks to replace the negativities in life with a positive outlook through the medium of prayer and faith. Dr Peale was a minister by occupation and this has aided him in bearing witness to the many sufferings there is and as he himself states that the sheer volume if published as a book could be consider as the account of all human suffering. This very aspect of his occupation has also helped him witness many miracles and has shown him what the human spirit can achieve ones it is determined to so so. This book is a guide to help realize that potential.

That being said one of the greatest back-draws that I experienced when reading the book was also culminating from the fact Dr Peale was a minister and that his proximity to his religion and its intricacies. The book is full of references to Bible, anecdotes, events and stories from the Bible and the christian religious world view. Now I don't mean to say that the book is a christian doctrine, but any person totally unaware or illiterate of the christian world view would find it hard to comprehend and fully appreciate the wisdom of Dr Peale. 

Peale at length talks about the importance of faith and the power and potential of the human spirits and all the chapters in the book is directed towards discovering that potential and that faith. He asks for unflinching faith and he preaches of the enormous life altering strength that is dormant in every one of us. he seeks to liberate that strength by means of prayer and faith. He believes and with the aid of several examples from his life and the ones he touched emphasizes on to the reader this belief of his.

The whole essence of the book can be found in the phrase "Be filled with love and faith" and he prophesies that all your vows will be gone once that is achieved. The book is an excellent guide to any one who finds himself in a doldrum and seeks to escape that impasse. Once you are willing to look deep into the elements of christianity in this book and seek out its meaning and why he choses to use it, this becomes and excellent guide but even without that all you have to do look beyond them and the book will serve its purpose, and will help navigate you through your life.

In association with Jaico Publishing House

Something Special

I wanted to do something special for her birthday, I kept thinking what to do, I went over several ideas and almost all were amazingly unpractical and then I stumbled upon this ad by +Le Royal Méridien Chennai, They were offering this wonderful couples dinner and It struck me that all I had to do was add my own spin into it and I was done. 

I had the perfect gift for her, on her birthday.

I am not telling that I was confident, My poor friend +Parvathi S would of all people know what I was going through. I was getting cold feet every now and then and she had to deal with that. Poor soul! not just that she had to tag along to pic all the stuff I needed to make this happen.

So when we went there they had this nice, cosy table ready for us and though you cant see there really was a fabulous megaphone player, playing along to the whole time.

I knew she really was onboard all this while and I knew she was ecstatic from the moment the waiter handed over her a bouquet of the most beautiful assortment of roses and I knew this was the best moment. 

I did kind of like the idea of giving the birthday cake a twist. The cake came in just as I was getting down on the knee. I really don't know what are things I uttered then but the cake gave the insurance, Even if I got my tongue tied up, I wouldn't miss it with the cake. 

Lastly, The thing I have been wanting to do all the while I was writing this article and the person I have been longing to introduce you guys to. +Amrutha T, the girl I am proposed to and the girl with whom I want to share every second of every day for the rest of my life with. The only girl I found who loves me for what I am and is almost okay with who and what I am, even the crazy parts of mine that make me what I am. The one person who completes me, who make up for my imperfections, the one who is imperfect yet perfect for me.

 "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." - Genesis 2:18

The Dark Skies of Chennai

The skies of Chennai depress me, they are void of all art and all divinity of God's creation. They are uninspiring and unimpressively bland. I remember the time I used to look up at the sky from my home in Trivandrum, they were full of innumerable stars, my skies were always like that, until now. They always inspired me, they always made me close to God. Every time I look at the sky, every time I witness the masterpiece God has drawn I feel like I am having a conversation with God, an thoroughly personal and exclusive conversation. It is impossible for anyone who has witnessed the beauty of the night sky, any one who has come to terms with the overwhelming presence of the universe to doubt God. It can't be pure chance that out is so beautiful.

This is what I miss here, the intimate moments with God, the humbling vastness of the universe. The stars, the constellations, the comets, the wishing stars... It is impossible for the jaded skies if Chennai and it's countable stars to project that kind of power. The lost skies of Chennai can no longer make one wonder nor ponder. They have grown impotent, they kindle no dreams nor any aspirations. They are like the barren desserts of the north west. They have forever lost the magic. It saddens me to think that when I have the skies of my home, when I have the memories of those magical moments the children of Chennai has none, they have missed out on a miracle. Unfortunate and pitiful they roam unaware of the brilliance of the skies.

I wonder what astronaut shall come from under these skies. I wonder what any child can dream from under these skies. And what troubles me is that may be on a day in the foreseeable future these skies shall forever turn dark and only the radiant light of conquered moon shall pierce the doomed hearts of this city. Sad and desolate, it fills me with an agonizing melancholy. 

Children seize the skies, seize it today because they are your inheritance, your heritage. They are the gods gift to you. They are yours to look at. They are yours to dream of and yours to be inspired by. Seize your skies, they are yours.

A Struggle with Cancer through the Lens of Angelo Merendino

"These photographs do not define us, but they are us."

These were the words that Angelo uttered when asked of how he could bare seeing these photos. These are not the photos of someone who is struggling with cancer but of someone who was loved every day o her life. Sad and haunting, yet silenced in love.

Courtesy : Angelo Merendino

"The Pictures tell it all, love, hope, despair and death"

In Her Beautiful Eyes

Everything I know of that day I know from the myriad reflections it casted on her beautiful eyes. Everything thing about that day I remember not from sensing but from watching shadows it casted on the deep abyss of her eyes. That is where I was looking, that is all where I could bring myself to look, they were insidious like the fire was to the moth, captivating, entrancing. I am sure a million stars twinkled that night for eyes they out sparkled the finest of diamonds. What I did that day what I said that day, a different being of consciousness did for I was too busy witnessing the miracle that she was.

As I held out my hands to the open car door, I first saw her legs, with the freely flowing tunic caressing her smooth skin and soon enough a delicate hand came resting on my hands and a smile on my eyes. I was transfixed in that moment in time and a part of me shall forever be. She held my hands, trembling yet firmly holding on to mine as we ascend the stellar stairs. There was on her lips the most fabulous of smiles, one that befitting of the princess she was. Slowly we were shown to the dimly yet intoxicating lit tables placed near the dark waters of the pool that reflected the whole of heaven above and that which were ours to be taken. The dim yellow flickers of these half dozen candles played on her face the most coquettish of dances, seductive and sultry they suavely moved. A vision so serene you see but seldom in life that the mere sight of such paradisiacal beauty stops all of time and nature about it. I knew the light smile that have had strayed on to my lips and was slowly creeping into my eyes which but now filed with an almost animalistic desire. 

I think there was a man singing a beautiful European melody that may have ones made love bloom in the hearts of many a lovely princessess, I cannot vouch for his being there but the music I remember. I remember because of the subtle moments she made in lieu to the rise and fall of rhythm. There was wine I remember the red liquid creeping onto her flawless scrumptious lips, they say they twitched under it's spell I remember. 

I remember talking to her and I remember kneeling before her moments later. I know I was transcribing my heart to her in not the most eloquent English I have mastered. I remember stumbling and I remember stammering, I remember my agonizing search for words, in moments when they seem elusive like the mystery of the heavens. I remember the sole stone on a solitaire and the teary diamond that formed in her eyes. I remember a feeble dampness on my hands and a feebler still response. I remember hearing my heart beat so loud that they were both deafening and horrifying . I remember the deafening silence and the moments when time stopped agonizingly still. I remember the feeble nod and the ring move slowing as our settled on her hands. I remember the taste of her lips seasoned with tears.

And that was the platinum moment of our love.