“LAUGH AND THE WORLD LAUGHS WITH YOU, WEEP AND YOU WEEP ALONE.”

The above proverb has its origin in Ella Wheeler’s poem ‘SOLITUDE’ (1883). An American novelist STANLEY GORDEN WEST gives a slight variation to it in his novel ‘GROWING AN INCH” by saying “SMILE AND THE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU, CRY AND YOU CRY ALONE.”

Whatsoever!

Our life experiences teach us that people converge around a person who has a cheerful nature and shun the one who is a sob storyteller. When you are having good times people will enjoy your company, laugh at your jokes and even try to flatter you. You would be in great demand in get-togethers if you can narrate humorous incidents or satirize people in subtle ways.

This reminds me of Alexander Pope’s mock-epic poem “THE RAPE OF THE LOCK” which lampoons British aristocracy and high society and the hypocrisies of those days.  Its enjoyable reading makes you chuckle off and on.

Coming back to our theme of people liking your company when your life is in the ascendancy and deserting you in adversity is common indeed. We console ourselves by uttering these oft-quoted clichés like ‘this is the way of the world’ or ‘life is like that’.  Yet it is painful no less to be left alone when facing misfortune or bad times. Such an outlook only reflects our selfishness and insensitivity to sufferings of others. It is, of course, a sad state of human bonding. Is it so fake and fickle? How easily one forgets the fact, that hardships can come about on anybody without notice! Maybe serious introspection to analyze our behavior Vis Vis others in trouble can lead to some changes in our attitude.

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On the other hand, we cannot overlook the established facts that laughter is immensely advantageous to our overall wellbeing. It reduces stress hormones, stabilizes blood pressure, and unlocks the dormancy of our system.

   

                   “He who laughs, lasts!”       Mary Pattibone Poole

Laughter triggers the release of body's natural feel-good chemical endorphins, which results in the creation of optimism in our lives. It boosts our moods and brings enthusiasm and zest for productive living.

A good laugh opens up blood vessels and improves blood flow keeping our cardiovascular system healthy. Thus promoting longevity.

It diffuses tense situations and conflicts and improves relationships. One tends to forget all worrisome situations while surrendering to the act of laughter.

Laughter touches our soul by blowing away all negative emotions.

It is a magical medicine, which is fun, free and forever available.

It exercises the body, burns calories and helps in weight loss.

When we were children, we would laugh in guffaws but as adults, we shy away from laughing even when the situation is funny. Sad indeed!

Let’s indulge in genuine laughter in our daily encounters with life.  This wonderful but short journey of ours is replete with precious hilarious moments too. We have to do it for our mental, emotional and physical wellness.

Friends welcome here as always! 


Linking to:
 ABC Wednesday
Nature Notes 

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KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWING

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world."

Albert Einstein

ABC Wednesday’s prompt letter K for this week made me pick ‘Knowledge and Knowing’ to discourse upon. These two interesting K words aroused my curiosity to explore the two concepts and their semantics. This doesn’t however, mean that I’m going to philosophize and talk scholarly about less traveled realms. It is nothing of the kind. I simply wish to comprehend the difference between the usage of the two.

Knowledge to my mind is the huge database stored in our minds, gathered from books, internet searches, information received during formally educating ourselves, the information imparted through print, electronic media and ever-increasing other sources being developed in the modern technological world. Knowledge though vast is taken as finite and quantifiable.

However, knowing, as I understand is entirely different. It is an experience that is personal, subjective, and infinite.  Knowing has depth and is experienced like mindfulness. It is like waking meditation. It helps to unwind, to find joy and to promote uncommon mental upswings. It is not 2+2=4.  It is very private and without boundaries.

Here I take a simple example of my special bonding with a creature, who is endearing. Surprisingly I love squirrels and keep them in high regard. They are my all weather friends. Occasionally my rendezvous with them happens when I go for a walk in an adjacent park filled with trees, shrubs, flower patches etc. Soon after I enter the park and take a few steps, invariably, I encounter a pair of squirrels hopping and frolicking on the pavement in front of me. It seems as if they recognize me and take me as their admirer. Joyfully and teasingly, they lead me bouncing and stopping alternatively to match my speed. To tease them back I make a sudden jump towards them and Lo with lightning quickness, they make an effortless and lovingly graceful long jump onto the sturdy trunk of a Neem tree.

Their frolicking and romping spree continues as if to entertain me and attract my attention further. My focus narrows down to their antics. Totally, inspired I feel feathery light. I experience their experience. My observation parameters reach optimum levels and I feel a transient seeping in of energized otherworldliness. The baggage of cynicism sweeps away. A new me enthused to make my day the most productive one emerges. The peak of gladness in the sun-filled ambiance rubs in on me. I come back refreshed, relaxed and eager to go. Such moments I think are knowing moments.

This perhaps is knowing, something very distinct from knowledge and very original.

Friends pl. share your perspective on  it! 

Sharing with:

ABC Wednesday
Nature Notes

                                        

JUDGING OTHERS VIS-A VIS JUDGING ONESELF

"The happiest people I know are evaluating and improving themselves. The unhappy people are usually evaluating and judging others."

Don’t you think it would be a lot proper to judge oneself rather than others? Evidently, judging others is entertaining and doesn’t require any effort. I think it is also a transitory image upliftment. But judging oneself is like questioning one’s ego, which is something unpleasant, to say the least. Our sense of self acts as a thick-skinned obstructionist when faced with censure. It tries all sorts of excuses to thwart the critic inside and outside. However; one should realize that criticizing others without knowing them fully is not something to be appreciated.

On the other hand, a healthier option is learning to assess one’s own responses while interacting with others. In fact, such an evaluation can prove to be a means of personal upward growth and the makings of a better human being.

The Wise assert the need to devote some time at the end of the day to debate internally and do self-appraisal of the activities and impressions of that day. This practice if followed earnestly goes a long way in enhancing the good and eliminating the undesirable aspects of one's personality.

To start with, becoming conscious of one's day to day dealing with the world helps in gaining self-knowledge. For example, we face numerous situations, some of which can possibly annoy us a lot, and our reaction can be anger and loud talking. If you have made self-scrutiny a habit you’d automatically follow an approach, which is less emotional and more thoughtful i.e., your previous experiences in similar situations, would guard you against harmful rejoinders.

Here, I’ll share a specific example of learning to relate to house cleaners, gardeners and garbage collectors etc., where I live. I can vouch based on my experiences, how defensive these people get if pointed out about their deficient work. With all the twists and turns in their arguments, the blame would finally rest on the perceived instructions of the house owner. My tested conclusions teach me to never argue with these people as they act ultra-sensitive. Judging them is a futile exercise and counterproductive.

We live in a complex world. Judging or deriding others pollutes the mind.  To steer life in the right direction by adhering to one's core values is itself a matter of joy.

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ABC Wednesday

Nature Notes

NATURE HAS AN INFORMAL PERSONA.

“Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

Nature is informal:

 Early spring blooms.

Nature is informal and yet committed to perform its acts most diligently.

It has its own perfect calendar. It manifests itself accordingly, without any coercion or coaxing. The sun regularly rises in the morning and sets in the evening. We hardly give it a thought. Everything happens spontaneously. Empty formalities have no place in its workings.  Nature is colossal of inconceivable substances.

 Clicked autumn colors during a visit to the US.

Nature has a unique persona. Seasons change without any ceremony. No chance ever of irreparable disruption in its track record. Rather it is so benevolent that it takes on itself to entertain us with its mind-blowing variety. There is no dull moment in its template. Its infinite benedictions create positive orientation in our lives.  Its oceans, rivers, streams, canals and a network of all sorts of water bodies; its mountains, hills and awesome gorges, its forest wealth and its enchanting flora and fauna have, in fact, made possible human evolution to its grandest proportions. 

 Winter scene but for mynas it hardly matters.

Nature is a great educator. Our lives pass through a medley of situations. Some joyful and, some highly provoking and worrisome. Nature teaches us to persevere and be patient.

    Flowering Gulmohar in our neighborhood.

We relate to nature in all its phases. Summers open doors for adventure and outings, spring provides immense joy and riot of colors, autumn offers a fantastic spectacle of golden burnished leaves. Winter stands for hope and renewal.

Nature’s philanthropy has no boundaries. Everything it projects is a gift. It cares not for any reward. It cements our faith in ourselves amidst deceit, lies, and selfishness proliferating around. It personifies all that is wonderful in life.

If there are some negative episodes, like natural calamities, they are minuscule compared to its infinite boons.

Friends welcome here as always. 

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