Who will Cry when you Die? By Robin Sharma

Who Will Cry When You Die? At just 225 pages, the book is a speed read. However to get the full benefit of each suggestion, it is a good idea to read the book slowly preferably with a pencil in hand so that you can highlight the important facts you would like to re-read.

I purchased this book yesterday and started reading it immediately. I have liked it, so here is a review for my friends...

Do you feel that life is slipping by so fast that you might never get the chance to live with the meaning, happiness and joy you know you deserve? If so, then this very special book by leadership guru Robin S. Sharma, the author whose The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari series has transformed the lives of thousands, will be the guiding light that leads you to a brilliant new way of living. In this easy-to-read yet wisdom-rich manual, Robin S. Sharma offers 101 simple solutions to life’s most complex problems, ranging from a little-known method for beating stress and worry to a powerful way to enjoy the journey while you create a legacy that lasts.

The best way is to start from the beginning and read one solution each day. Reading the whole book in one sitting might leave the reader overwhelmed with information, making it easy to miss the point or forget the tips.

The book starts off with a quote from Norman Cousins:

“The tragedy of life is not death,

but what we let die inside of ourselves when we live."

Even though you may have dozens of friends, family members, and co-workers, you may still feel like you are trapped in your own little world.  In fact, almost every person in the world today feels painfully alone.  Perhaps it should come as no surprise that mankind endlessly seeks to create electronic devices in order to keep in contact with others.  At the same time, these devices cannot satisfy a deep, primal urge for unity and cohesion. 

If you have problems keeping up with the simplest interactions in your life, this meditation book will help you appreciate the fact that you do not have to choose to live in a vacuum.  Regardless of whether you miss a child's sporting event, or some other meeting, you do not have to beat yourself up for being “disconnected”  from everyone else around you.  In fact, once you step out of this monstrous paradigm, you will find that every single person on the planet is right here with you.  Once you begin to embrace that sense of oneness, you will never forget the power of living in the presence of love and unity.

As you start looking at your life from a different point of reference, you will be able to rearrange your priorities, and finally begin to shake off that painful feeling of being alone.  You already have the tools that will enable you to share your life with the people that mean most to you. 

The Author in his first chapter gives us a great learning –

“If You don’t Act on Life, Life has a habit of acting on you.”

The days slip into weeks, the weeks slip into months and the months slip into years.  Pretty soon it’s all over and you are left with nothing more than a heart filled with regret over a life half lived.

So the big question is –

How can I simplify so that I can enjoy the journey of life before it is too late?

Robin Sharma’s answer is:

“My answer always begins the same way: Find your calling. I believe we all have special talents that are just waiting to be engaged in a worthy pursuit. We are all here for some unique purpose, some noble objective that will allow us to manifest our highest human potential while we, at the same time, add value to the lives around us. Finding your calling doesn’t mean you must leave the job you now have. It simply means you need to bring m ore of yourself into your work and focus on the things you do best. It means you have to stop waiting for other people to make the changes you desire and, as Mahatma a Gandhi noted: “Be the change that you wish to see most in your world.” And once you do, your life will change.”

So as you gear up…. the book in your lap…. and turn the first page, make up your mind that you are going to accept your weakness and give yourself an opportunity to improve, as this book will definitely change something in you… For Good…

I choose to be happy!

As I start remembering the good things that happened, it is impossible not to BE HAPPY!!
Reason 1:

Last month I spent a nice time chatting and catching up with this one person whom I adore.

I was happy. Ecstatic. Nervous. Content. In love. In awe. Complete. Sad. Scared…. Everything…

His presence was my world then… his smile distracted me…

And if those feelings are still there after years – then I am truly blessed.

So I am happy.

Reason 2:

Because I have changed my password for something I am happy about

Reason 3:

Because I could scribble a poem after many years…

Reason 4:

Because I go home on time, walk miles which I have promised myself, then wrap up in a blanket after eating tasty dinner cooked by Aai.

Reason 5:

Having a best friend in life

Reason 6:

Earning money. Its hard work, but it’s great to know that I am spending what I earned myself.

Reason 7:

As I KNOW that he is out there.  So I am Happy.

Reason 8:

Riding a motorcycle with a friend! Now I want to have a driving license for a  4-wheeler as well

Reasons many more…..

Vacations / travelling and Eating out

My new car…. A berry red Hyundai i20

My new apartment

Trying to cook for my family

Having rediscovered love…. I am relishing in each moment….

Because I have learnt to take the opportunity to notice everything….

As I can relish what Ive been given - whether it's one minute, one hour, one night, one year, or one lifetime - because whatever time I have is PRECIOUS.

Going to cinema.

Long, hot showers.

Facebooking!

Blogging.

Fish and wine

Having my nails painted tomato red

As I gave a hug to my loved ones

I am going to go to the sea with all my clothes on…. Next weekend

I receive a message

A Passionate kiss (*##@**)

Making a surprise…. As surprises brings JOY…

Having freshly washed clothes

Eating green apples

Passing my exams

When people like the gift I gave them

Reason 30:

Smiling everyday! Someone doesn’t let me forget it!

Ganapati Bappa Moraya!

Come September, and the streets of Pune are full with Ganapati Idols, decorations, street mandaps and lightings, for 10 days. Ganapati Festival is the most happening festival in every Marathi family.

As a child I remember we used to visit my grand parents house during Ganapati. All my cousins and relatives would visit and for 1 and half days we would eat, pray and enjoy. My grandmother would decorate the living room with a small temple specially made for the Ganapati’s Murti, with silver Samai and silver Pooja equipments.

The main sweet dish on the first day used to be ‘Modak’. As a child I used to love the fried modaks, but now I have started loving the steam cooked ones. They are just amazing. The second day my grandmother, (we all called her Mamma), used to prepare a vegetable called ‘Kandamul’ or ‘Rishi chi Bhaji’. It used to be a mixed vegetable of all the vegetables available in the market in that season…. Like all the leafy veggies, all the veggies with seeds and also whole corns. We have to add curd in it while eating. Along with it there used to be hot ‘puri‘ and ‘Shev-ki-Khir’. Yummy!

I had recently been to Siddhivinayak temple. It is at Prabhadevi in Mumbai. Usually there is a big rush for the ‘darshan’ in the temple. People have to wait for hours. But I was lucky to get no crowd that evening. Being a ‘Dahi Handi’ celebration most of the street shops were closed so might be there was hardly any rush inside the temple. I could go till the main idol and join my hands in gratitude. When I began to go the ‘purohit’ called me and offered me a coconut, a garland and some ‘pedhas’ as Prasad. It was amazing. I felt blessed. I felt like God had approved of what I was doing, thinking and planning…

What is it that brings out the child in each one of us in this festival?

The girl who never cried!

A girl named Pia could never cry. Not in front of people. She had a compartment in her heart which was permanently locked and she managed to throw the keys into the sea. As she grew up people started to talk about how strong Pia was. They appreciated her for her strength. She could not cry.

Why?

There were so many reasons. A lonely childhood, no siblings to share…

Pia didn’t want her parents to see the tears in her eyes as they would worry. She grew up without actually learning how to cry. At emotional moments she used to act indifferent or she would just laugh it out.

As a kid Pia was a lovable person. She had a spark I her eyes. But for some reason life didn’t do justice with her. As she grew up, life got so many complexities into her life. As fate would have its way, Pia kept running away from herself. She kept on pretending she was happy. She kept very busy. She became successful but the spark in her eyes was lost for ever. No one had taught her the “Secret” of life. The ‘Art of Letting Go’… and so she suffered… suffered alone. She made a deep compartment and lived there, it was open to no one.

In this process, God was observing her. He was with her all throughout. He knew Pia won’t cry so he cried for her. He gave her the best of many things, which may envy so many people, but he was after all ‘GOD’ He was very wise. He did not grant her the thing she precisely wanted in life.

‘Love’,

‘Companion’,

Pia used to always dream of a special someone who she could sit on a coffee mug and chat for days…Some One person with whom she could share her evening walks on the seaside. Some to giggle with, someone to rely on…..

Yes, rely on. Someone who was senior to her in wisdom and strength… who would take care of her and never let her loving heart fade. But Mr. Prefect never came. Pia kept waiting, inspite of pretending to be so busy. One conscious mind always waited, always fantasized of that prince.

After 2 decades of testing Pia, God decided to finally teach Pia to let go. For that he had to teach her to cry.

Thus came Prince Scott. He was a special agent deputed on earth to do this job. Of relieving Pia form all the pent up thoughts. He was tall, he was fair and he had blue eyes. He was the exact frame Pia carried in her mind.

He came…

He introduced her to a new ‘Secret’, the art of being ‘Indifferent’

And despite this, he kept a disciplined watch on Pia, if she was performing as per the ‘Secret.’

He got music into her life… music that was Way Apart from the what Pia listened… Music of the high degree… the music played in heavens.

Then one day he came and took her hand in his. That was a magical touch. It touched her to the core.

And Pia came out of her shell… the locked door of the soul was wide open.. All the stored feeling flew off… All the webs untangled

While doing so it left 'A Precious Tear' in Pia’s eyes.

A beautiful tear, which made her feminine again…

Pia blossomed… she relished in the new found feelings….

Pia was born again!

Find Yourself!

Story:

There's a story about when President Lyndon Johnson visited NASA and as he was walking the halls he came across a janitor who was cleaning up a storm, like the Energizer bunny with a mop in his hand. The president walked over to the janitor and told him he was the best janitor he had ever seen and the janitor replied, 'Sir, I'm not just a janitor. I helped put a man on the moon.'...Even though he was cleaning floors he had a bigger purpose and vision for his life. That is what kept him going and helped him excel in his job.

We opt for a special curriculum and then spend our youth studying and preparing ourselves to face the world.
What Next?

We aspire to live an empowered and cozy life.

What Next?

We take up a job; opt for entrepreneurship, extending our services according to our caliber and capabilities.

What Next?

We prosper; earn more than we had dreamt of.

What Next?

In today’s fast life, many may find life boring or even depressing or get simply fed up of working like a robot. While we still keep rushing to work commuting on crowded roads in trains and buses.

We race into the conference rooms each morning for the daily meetings, a coffee mug filled to the brim in hand. The day comes with more paper work, more telephone calls, more emails to reply, more nagging comments from the boss and some more coffee in the same old mug.

Day in and day out, year by year, life passes and becomes a routine with very little charm.

It now becomes a challenge to make life interesting and reduce pressure exerted on the job. What can be done to make life a sweet song, throughout the day; while still passing through situations that are challenging, demanding and when there are deadlines which always look impossible?

There is no straight answer to this.

What is it that will make us get up in the morning with pulsating energy? External forces and management books may influence an individual to some extent. But the fact is self motivation and listening to your inner force will make the noticeable change and influence our attitude towards life.

Many a times the answer is known to us. You keep thinking of innumerable things of ‘I would like to do so-and-so or I would like to be like so-and-so’ the problem is half of the things are well said than done. Why so? We find them impossible ourselves. We do not visualize them in our heads. We do not dream about them with open eyes.

Everyone must work for a life which is linked up to the highest level – Self Realization. It is quite possible to rediscover yourself.

First of all everybody knows what his / her needs are, needs towards self and needs towards the dependable. This cannot be put aside by all. Lucky are the ones whose basic needs such as these are taken care of. But for those who still can’t quit that job and wander in nature can alteast sort some of the time for themselves in a day. Can’t we have one hour out of 24 for ourselves?

Second, take a break. Not that breaks where you go on a beach or hiking with spouse and children. Take a break alone. This may sound very revolutionary at first. By this you will get some time to be alone. You can be with yourself and can monitor where life took you. Focus on You. Think of what you would like to do in life if money wasn’t the issue.

Next, imagine what you would like people to say about you. Imagine what you appreciate in others which you lack. Chalk it down. Work on it. Then, practice and practice more, till you achieve it.

Remember the times when you were a kid and were the happiest person. Try to remember what you used to do then and who you used to be with. Think of those days those experiences which made you so happy.

Now make a plan. Let it be a five year plan, a long range plan. Any short-term plan soon fades away. Make a plan that what is it that can make you that same person again… that person who was so happy with life. Now divide it into targets which are measurable and achievable in the short term. Follow them.

Finally, don’t be so hard on yourself if you fall behind schedule. Remember something is better than nothing. Work on it persistently. And happy days will be here again….

Ask …

Realize….

Believe

&

Receive…

Conversing with a friend

Hey friends,

Life is a book with many pages. Some tell of tragedy, others of hard work, some the taste of success, luck, mischief and so on and so on. The list is unending. Some chapters are dull and ordinary, others intense and exciting. The book of life is made up of who as a person you are?
Actually!

One never thinks when one indulges…. But the something done may look very stupid after a few years. If you overlook at a situation you were some years back and how you reacted… we find ourselves like clowns…. The key is to never stop on a difficult page, to never quit on a tough chapter. But instead be more determined and centered that you come out a winner…

Champions have the courage to keep turning the pages because they know a better chapter lies ahead and with a committed mind, nothing is impossible.

But there comes a stage when you feel like stopping at a particular turn in life. Every part of your body is shouting ‘Stop, Stop, Stop a while’ what you are doing and look back…. The subconscious mind asks “What are you doing? Look back”.

Have you left someone behind when you took that path of success and career…. Look back and see if someone is still thinking of you and is waiting there for you…. Have you come so much ahead that now even if you wanted to; you cannot reach out…..to that favourite person… that favourite place you used to love going as a kid? Don’t do that. What’s the use of all the treasures you collected on the path of Life…. If you have deleted someone from your life by mistake or due to the fact that you have just been too busy…

Friendship is a relationship!

Friends bring sunshine and color into our lives, allowing us to see the quiet beauty of everyday things.

When you are talking to friends: a close friend, a best buddy:

• Smile, smile, smile, then smile some more
• Be sincere
• Be complimentary when the compliment is sincere
• Don't mumble
• Don’t drift away
• Be enthusiastic and positive
• No matter how difficult it is for you to carry on a conversation with a social acquaintance now, remember that it does get easier with practice. So, practice
• Friendship requires conversation.

Now reach out to your added body part… your cell phone…. And give a call to that long forgotten friend. Do it right now and catch up. Catch up on where life has taken him / her.

Eureka

Hey friends,

I completed reading the first chapter of 'The Secret'.

While doing so an Idea came rushing to my mind. I yelled in my Mind "EUREKA! EUREKA!"

My father used to always say a thing in Marathi when I was young.... "Our Vastu says Tathastu!".... isn't the Law of Attraction very similar to this?

Good Night! I have to concentrate and think of some happy and positive thoughts.

The Secret - My view

Once there was an Indian King who wanted to learn the art of supernatural powers. He goes to Tibet in search of a saint who can teach him.

Once in Tibet, he visits the saint and immediately speaks out his desire to learn the supernatural powers. He asks the saint to teach him how to walk on water, how to fly and so on….
The Saint asks the King to come to him next morning after taking a dip in the nearby lake. The next morning the King does exactly as told and arrives to the Saints hermitage.
The Saint on seeing him says, “My Son, the art of supernatural powers is very simple. Just go back to India and take a dip in any river, as you have so many rivers in India and chant these 3 verses:

1. Buddham Sharnam Gachhami
2. Dharman Sharnam Gachhami
3. Sangam Sharnam Gachhami”

However there is one precaution, says the Saint. While chanting these lines one must NOT THINK OF MONKEYS!


The King found this very simple and returned happily to India. Once in India, he went to a nearby river and took a dip in it. Then he sat at the banks of the river and started chanting
1. Buddham Sharanam Gachhami ……. and he thought of Monkeys
2. Dharman Sharnam Gachhami……. and he thought of Monkeys
3. Sangam Sharnam Gachhami” ……. and he thought of Monkeys


He tried in vain for a whole day but he kept on thinking of monkeys….
Depressed he again went back to all the way to Tibet to meet the Saint. On meeting him the saint asked if the King has acquired the supernatural powers….
On this the King said to the Saint. “I do not want the supernatural powers anymore. But please “Get the monkey out of my head”….

Dear Friends,


The above story of “Get the monkey out of my head”, is precisely the message what the first few pages of the book ‘The Secret’, by Rhonda Byrne says.

I started reading this book yesterday, after my Sunday morning Long Kriya and afternoon ritual of a 2 hours nap which I never miss.

A friend had recommended this book to me and so I purchased it a week ago. Due to office work-load however, I could not begin to read it immediately…. But I am glad that I took the book in my hand when I was well rested.

As you begin to read the book, it immediately makes you start your Thinking Process… what seems very simple in the beginning has a very different meaning as you read on. It is something that everyone knows but no one realize.

Like the first few pages are on the famous ‘Law of Attraction’.

The Law of Attraction is the most powerful law in the Universe. Our job as humans is to hold on to the thoughts of WHAT WE WANT. As you become what you think of the most and also attract what you think of the most. Thoughts are magnetic and they have a frequency. As you think, those thoughts are sent out in the universe and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to the source and that source is YOU.

Now friends, isn’t it very simple. If you want something, a promotion, a new car, a relationship, just keep thinking of it and it will come to you.

Then why is everyone so sad…. still so unhappy???

Now here lies the real problem. We keep thinking of what we don’t want. We concentrate on those things…. those negative things…. what we do not want….

Like for example:
What if I don’t get that promotion this year too? What if I cannot buy the latest car? What if I don’t get a good spouse as per my expectations?


And so on and so on…. The list of negative thoughts goes on…
And we land up wondering why the things we do not want are the ones that keep showing up again and again….

The only reason why people do not have what they want is because they are thinking more about what they don’t want than what they do…

So that’s not simple anymore?


Listen to your thoughts, Listen to the words you are saying, the law is absolute and there is no mistake.