A son's Letter to His Mom.

Someone sent me this e-mail, it was so nice, I didn't feel like keeping it to myself. So, here it is:

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: 'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?' The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.'

Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?'

The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes.. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else... 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom..' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.'

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

'Dear Mom,

I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day.. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with.. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me.. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.

That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

Brand Equity Quiz 2009

Brand Equity Quiz – I wouldn’t mind giving my right hand to be present at the event. In fact, I look forward for the quiz the entire year. When it’s over, I am left with a feeling that the whole year is finished and I have reached December 31. That’s precisely the impact of Brand Equity Quiz on me!

I guess it is one event the whole corporate world, across the length and breadth of India, anxiously waits to be a part of. The quiz probably acts like an invisible barometer, testing the mettle of the corporate industry’s intellectual resources. Consequently, the moment your company moves to the top position, you know, you have the sharpest minds on the payroll. Therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise to watch topnotch organizations battle it out tooth and nail to grab the winning spot. Well, if not for the quiz, the teams would definitely fight for the national grand prize: Mahindra Scorpios.

However, to qualify for the nationals, one has to secure a win among the various local teams on the home turf. As a result, the teams battled it out at Hyderabad to qualify for the nationals in the lush green lawns of Taj Banjara under the twilight sky on 19 April ’09. As always, Derek O' Brien played the audience like a harp. He was in total control right from the word ‘go’. Yeah! A walking dynamo! You could sense imperceptible sparks fly off him. He knows when to pull off a gag, when to keep you numb with suspense, and when to make your heart do a yo yo. Like every year, he had a theme this year too. Last year, the theme was “Old Hindi Movies.” So everything was in tune with the theme. This year, the quiz was dedicated to blind people. And you could see on the background screen Louis Braille’s words slowly take shape, “Ignorance is complete darkness.” And Derek’s line, which he used quite often during the quiz, “Let me lead you from darkness to light” was very apt for the evening.

Unfortunately, I missed the preliminary round as I got stuck in the traffic. By the time I reached the venue, Derek was reeling out the answers for the prelims. I simply couldn’t forgive myself for not starting from home early. But luckily, after the coffee break, I was able to grab a front seat which presented me with a ringside view. Anyway, the six teams that made it to the final rounds at Hyderabad were Vizag Steel, Google, Microsoft, Satyam, JWT Mindset and TIME. The competition among these teams was stiff. As the evening turned cooler, the excitement got hotter. The teams were sharp, the quiz master, sharper. As usual, the crowd loved the combo!

What really drives you nuts about the quiz is that the audience is as charged up as the contestants. That’s because every now and then, Derek walks into the audience throws a question at them. If you happen to answer a question correctly, he will give you half dozen prizes. That is, if he is not in his good spirits! If you catch him in his good spirits, he wouldn’t mind giving you the prizes but also to the entire row in which you are seated! Mind you, the prizes aren’t some tidbits. They could be anything from a bottle of scotch to expensive gift vouchers from Lawrence and Mayo to free travel trips to various places. Of course, the real icing on the cake was an expensive high-end Samsung Phone, which Derek gave out to someone in the crowd.

At the fag-end of the event, only two teams were neck to neck in the competition --Vizag Steel and JWT Mindset. Although my favourite team was Vizag Steel, but as I am true blue Hyderabadi my support went out to the Hyderabad team -- JWT Mindset. Vizag Steel stands as my favourite because of their consistent performance in Brand Equity Quiz. Every year you see them clear the prelims and reach the top. But this time, unfortunately, the buzzer round spelled doom for Vizag Steel as JWT mindset team hammered the final nail on the opponents’ coffin by pressing the buzzer and giving out the correct answer.

When Derek, at the end of the show, announced that there were free drinks for everyone, although I don’t drink, my head was already dizzy with excitement. You really got to hand it out to Derek for making Brand Equity Quiz a classy event!

OraFest ‘09 at Infosys

Infosys was ablaze on 29 March 09.

It sizzled with unbridled talent as the participants of speech contest at the OraFest ’09 fought with a fire in their belly that is rarely witnessed! Eventually, the tough-minded and tough-spirited emerged out of the furnace more fluent, more knowledgeable, and, of course, with a sparkling bronze trophy in their hands.

This was the first time I attended Toastmasters and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I guess there exist about 10-12 clubs in the city. Unfortunately, I came to know of them only a couple of weeks ago. Sigh. Anyway, I would have never known about them, had it not been for my brother who dug out and sent me details of various clubs located in and around Hyderabad. And when I caught wind of OraFest ‘09 at Infosys, I simply couldn’t stop myself from attending it. I think it’s an annual fest where members of various clubs congregate. Among them, a select few members participate in the speech contests.

The speech contests were fun. The topics were funnier. Some of the topics were like “One Last Chance” “Me, the impossible”…so on. It was exciting watching the contestants dole out gripping talks on weird topics. With the speakers in action, you could easily decipher that the clubs were doing their job well! I mean damn well! All of them were so bold and confident on stage; you know they have been honing their oratory skills all along. Frankly, they were some speakers who deserved a standing ovation. The participants were gauged on various parameters such as pronunciation, speed; staying on topic…when the competition concluded, it was no doubt a nail-biting finish.

Before the curtains came down on Orafest ’09, the MC announced that the winners in this competition would automatically qualify for the main event “Ovations ’09" at Sri Lanka in May '09. Surprise! Surprise! All the club members were also invited to Sri Lanka as long as they bear their own travel expenses. Boy! How I wanted to be a part of that troop to Sri Lanka. But the part, I would have to make my own travel arrangements since all have already booked their tickets, took the air out of me! That’s when I decided to stay in India than go alone to Sri Lanka. Anyway, correct me if I am wrong, isn’t there a war going on in Sri Lanka? ;)

What's more, I have never been to Infosys before, therefore, was quite stunned to see the sprawling acres of greenery dotted with myriad colorful flowers. At Infosys, anybody would get a feeling of being transported to another country. The ambience is simply out-of-this-world. The wide stretch of asphalt amidst landscaped greenery, the morning sunlight drenching the freshly blossomed flowers, the delicate balance of nature with the architectural splendour, the soothing silence…Man, you are in a different world. All I can say is lucky infosysians.

Anyway, I am looking forward to attend the Toastmasters club on a regular beat! Phew! There is still so much to learn in life!

Sublime Thoughts

A thought that’s a rocker!

I would rather live my life as if there is a God,
and die to find out there isn't, than live my life
as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

For those following my blog: I know, I know. The spiritual dose on here is getting slightly heavier, so I am going to tone it down a bit. The next post would be on the devil and his attributes. Nah ;). I am just kidding!!! Yes, I will tone down the spiritual part a bit though.

Movies

When I think of movies, my memory instantly opens up a cupboard inside which are all kinds of DVDs lined from rack to rack. All I got to say is, “Search.” The DVDs on the rack stand up and spin in a slow circle giving me an opportunity to have a cursory glance at the DVD covers - a peek enough to decipher the title and understand whether the movie is a tragedy or a comedy or an action-filled or a classic. Although numerous movies are stocked up, when it comes to classics, only two movies spin in my memory. Movies which hadn’t had any competition during the time they were playing in the theatres or for that matter even now - Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments.

Both these movies are worth watching. Not only for their fantastic storylines but also for the way these movies were shot. The directors seem to have put their heart and soul into creating them. I read somewhere that when somebody ridiculed Cecil B. DeMille, the director, that he was taking a hell of a time to complete the movie “The Ten Commandments”. I heard, he retorted, “Do you want me to complete the movie quickly and release it as, “The Five Commandments?” A perfectionist he was. It didn’t matter even if he took his time but he undoubtedly delivered a masterpiece!

Now, what made me think about movies? Well, it was something I read about a couple of days ago. I was leafing through a book titled, “The Logic of Faith” by Dale Rhoton when I stumbled upon an interesting truth. A truth that could have stayed buried in the book had I not read it. The truth, I knew had fanned a negligible spark to such fiery flames that it warmed many a heart in the form of the movie - Ben-Hur.

In fact, Ben-Hur always intrigued my mind; I used to ponder: The storyline is amazing, who could have scripted such a wonderful classic? Only recently did I come to know about the man and the circumstances that compelled him to write such a fascinating book – Ben-hur, which later was converted into a movie. I could clearly make out that the inspiration was not from any man. Had it been from a man, it would have petered out easily. The fact that it still touches many a heart, amazes everyone! Here is a gist of the story of the man behind the scripting of the book – Ben-Hur. I quote from the book “The Logic of Faith”

“General Lew Wallace, was an outstanding example of a complete reversal of belief. While traveling on a train he met another well-known atheist, Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll. The two became deeply immersed in conversation about the foolishness of Christianity. Suddenly Colonel Ingersoll looked straight at General Wallace and challenged him, “You are intelligent and highly educated. Why don’t you write a book that Christianity is absurd and Jesus Christ never even lived? Such a book would be a master piece!”

Filled with the idea of obtaining fame, General Wallace spent several years collecting material for the great book. Then he began to write. Only four chapters were completed when General Wallace began to realize that Jesus Christ was even more than just an historical person. As a man of fifty years of age, General Wallace knelt to pray for the first time in his life and asked Jesus Christ to become his Saviour.

The vast amount of research which General Wallace had done was not wasted. He re-wrote the first four chapters and went on to complete the narrative which has thrilled thousands of people throughout the world – Ben-Hur."

This is the story of General Lee Wallace. This is also the story how Ben-Hur came into existence. If I am not mistaken, Ben-Hur was shot way back in 1959. But it still stands unruffled by time. With many remarkable writers and much technological advancement the movie industry has witnessed, I don’t think it is easy to shoot another Ben-Hur equivalent. I think that is largely because Ben-Hur is a story that is not told from the mind, but from the heart.

Cheers to General Lee Wallace!

Good Intentions

I read this story somewhere. My mind is hazy about where I picked it from. However, the story is etched in my mind with crystal clarity. I found it interesting. I thought I would share it with my readers too. This is how it goes:

Once, there lived two pious monks. Their lives completely dedicated to the divine one, leaving no room for worldly or carnal pleasures. On one occasion, they were compelled to undertake a long and tedious journey which would see them cross many a river and a mountain. While they were on this daunting path that they encountered poison ivies, venomous reptiles and wild animals -- being alert to danger -- they tactfully avoided them. But it was when they arrived at the banks of a river, they were perplexed at the situation that stared them in their face. Standing at the river bank was a very, very beautiful woman. Afraid that the flowing waters would carry her downstream, she was anxiously waiting for someone to carry her onto the other side of the river.

Both the monks looked at each other not knowing what to do. Should they leave the woman where she is and not offer any help. Or should they carry her to the other side of the river and defile their thinking. Both possibilities spoke of unpleasant results.

But one of the monks immediately offered help. He picked her up, carried her on his back and crossed the river along with the other monk. After crossing the river he placed the woman down. She thanked him. He nodded and embarked on his journey again. After the two monks traveled some distance, one of them questioned, “We are monks. How could you carry her, for that matter, even touch her?”

To which his friend replied, “I have put the woman down after crossing the river. Why is it that you are still carrying her?”

Sachin Tendulkar Shook Hands with me Yesterday.

Last night I went to a high profile wedding. I had received the invitation 16 days in advance, giving me enough time to decide whether to skip the wedding or tag along with another friend who is also invited. Actually, it was my former boss’s daughter’s wedding. I could easily understand the wedding will see the who’s who of the town. So, exposure-wise, it would do me an immense good. But then again, I am not the kind who would put on façade and hang around with people I don’t get along well with. It’s clearly not my cup of tea. And this wedding would definitely have a potpourri of personalities who may not gel with me. On the flip side, this wedding would give me an opportunity to zero in on people who would require our agency’s services. That way, attending the wedding would leverage the volume of my business. So, carefully weighing the pros and cons, I finally decided to attend it. Donned in formals with a gift tucked under my arm, I hit the wedding reception.

My jaw dropped when I saw the magnificently decorated venue with all the top brass of the city. It had everyone you would swoon over. I mean everybody who is somebody. Under the starlit sky the place dazzled with flashy designer wear, laughter and cool music. Trees were decked with incandescent lights like a bride. Soft jazz, like that of Kenny G’s, floated in the air. Men were dressed to make an impression while women were dressed to kill! Guests casually strolled delicately balancing wine glasses in their fingers. A few others were having close talks with loud guffaws in between. I saw some Telugu cine actors and actresses queuing up to hand over gifts and blessings to the couple. The whole place reeked of exquisite wealth and grandeur.

From the corner of the eye I could notice a few stars, not the ones scattered above in the black expanse of the sky, but those who light up a twinkle of recognition in the eye when you see them. And then suddenly my eyes fell on someone. I couldn’t believe my eyes that he was there. My heart stopped beating. My mind became numb for a moment. He’s someone the whole world longs to be photographed with. Cricket is the word that links him. No, not Harsha Bogle! One of the finest Indian batsmen, a man feared and revered for his batting skills. Yes, Sachin Tendulkar!

Attired in a double breasted blue suit with a dark matching tie against a white shirt, he looked elegant! I tracked him all through the evening as he greeted guests with his trade-mark shy smile. Everyone seemed jubilant at his presence! Some were taking autographs.

Finally, the crowds started thinning around midnight. Even I decided to leave after bidding goodbye to my former boss. While I was having a final chat with my boss, I suddenly felt a pat on my shoulder. I turned around to find Sachin Tendulkar smiling. He said, “Hi, how are you?” I was like zapped. I mean literally blown apart. I stammered, “I am fine, thank you. How about you, sir?” (I don’t remember whether the queen gave him “Sir” or not but I certainly remember saying sir). Then he looked at the host, smiled and said, “Do you know Daniel is a very fine cricketer?” I was like, “Huh?” I did play some cricket when I was in school and college but not in a way that would interest Sachin to watch. He added to our host, “You remember the sweep shots I play when I face spin bowling; he used to play just like me.”

I was going nuts and my mind started running helter-skelter. Trying to pick the year and the day when I played cricket while Sachin watched. Flash back. The year was 1989. I found myself driving the ball to the boundary. I only had one pad tied to my left leg. Not that it was customary then to tie one pad, but we, 15-year-olds, didn’t have the money to buy two pairs of pads for the opener and the other batsman. Even as the images of our live cricket of 80’s slowly started filling my head, I could see there was no sight of Sachin. No where.

Back to 2009. I was staring dumbfounded at Sachin. Nothing he was talking was making sense. That’s when someone scampered to us and said to the host, “Sir, there has been a small fire mishap at the back of the stage but thankfully nobody is hurt. We have informed the fire service; they would be here any moment.” Even while he was saying that we could hear the ear-piercing sirens of a fire engine. The sirens simply grew louder, louder and louder. It was like there was no stopping!

That’s when I suddenly woke up out of my sleep.

Stared at the phone from where the ear-piercing alarm sounds emanated. In a flash, everyone and everything interesting disappeared -- Sachin Tendulkar, my former boss, the wedding and the guests. I realized all this was only a dream. Ear piercing sirens were not from the fire engine but from my alarm on the phone. Last night I put an alarm on my mobile to get up early so I could go for a jog. That's what actually woke me up.

It was five-thirty in the morning. As I was putting on my jogging tracks, I thought to myself, “Sachin watching me play cricket, my foot! This could happen only in dreams.”

P.S: The wedding was real. Yes, all the high profile guests did arrive, except for Sachin Tendulkar ;). But unfortunately I had missed out on the wedding as well as the reception due to my other prior engagements. The thought I missed the party…gave me the dream. The dream gave me the post. The post gave me a high. ;)