The financial turmoil and terrorism in the name of religion - these are the two major challenges the world is facing today" (America has it's own share of problems like dealing with people like Bush, Palin et al.) Greed, stupidity and hatred against each other - that is what is causing all this.
Recently a Finance Minister from another country said to a reporter, "Even my 6 year old knows that you don't lend money to those who can't pay you back". So why was money lent to people who couldn't pay back. It was a high-risk and high-profit game. As one saying goes, "The greatest risk in life is not taking one." But you can't risk your life (and others lives) to take one.
வேண்டற்க வெஃகிஆம் ஆக்கம் விளைவயின்
மாண்டற் கரிதாம் பயன் (Kural 177)
Shun the gains of covetous wealth; its fruits are bitter to taste.
அரண்அறிந்து வெஃகா அறிவுடையார்ச் சேரும்
திறன்அறிந்து ஆங்கே திரு
The wise do not covet; gain beautifulwealth, on a righteous path.
Greed - that is what caused and is causing this financial disaster.
The other challenge is terrorism. Here is a short story I heard recently.
"A group of doves lived on top of a Hindu temple. One day, the temple management decided to give the gopuram (temple tower) a new coat of paint. They chased the doves away. The doves, looking for a new place to stay, settled down on top of a church tower. After a few months, the church management chased them away to decorate and paint the tower for Christmas. The doves now settled on the dome of a mosque. After a few months, they were chased away from the mosque as the people in the mosque wanted to paint the dome for Ramadan. The birds, returned back to the Hindu temple tower.
One day, people were hacking each other with machetes and bodies were lying all around in a pool of blood.
Looking at all the commotion, a baby dove asked its mother.
"Mom, who are they and why are they fighting."
"They are human beings and they are fighting because they are crazy", replied the mother.
"Mom, why are they crazy?", asked the baby dove.
"They are crazy because they like their religion. They like their religion because they are crazy", replied the mother.
"What is religion, ma?"
"Remember we used to live in this building, the people who go to this building are called as Hindus. The people who go to church are called as Christians. And the people who go to a mosque are called as Muslims."
"How is that possible ma?. We lived in a temple, a church and a moque. But we are still doves. Aren't we?", asked the baby dove.
"I'm glad you see it that way. That is why we are up here above them and closer to God and they are still down there fighting.
It is ironic that most of us do not choose our religion. Instead, the religion chooses us. It is thrust upon us by birth. Almost all the religions say the same thing. "Love everybody and do no harm". Instead we choose to "love nobody" and "do harm".
Homo sapiens will be the dangerous species on Planet Earth until we live with greed and hatred. We will forever remain the most dangerous animal on planet Earth.
This was my Toastmasters Speech# 4
This was my Toastmasters Speech# 4
I gave my ToastMasters Ice-Breaker speech yesterday. Got some good reviews. The evaluator said I overdid my hand expressions and used a bunch of filler words. The grammarian said my grammar was good but said I used "uh" and "um" about 14 times. I was told to work on that. If you are interested in knowing what I spoke, continue reading (some of you who know me well, please understand that this was only a speech and I tried not to lie too much).
What I want to be
A recent survey has said that the number 1 fear for people is public speaking and number 2 is death. So according to the numbers, people would prefer to be in the casket instead of giving the eulogy. So here I am to give my Ice-breaker speech to break my fear of the ice - public speaking.
My parents named me Ravichandran. Ravi in Sanskrit means Sun and Chandran means Moon. They probably wanted me to enlighten the whole world. But the closest I got to that was when I was a kid, one night when my cousins were stealing stuff from my Grandfathers carpentry shed, I was holding the torch light.
As a kid, I never had a proper goal. I wanted to be everything that I liked. Initially I wanted to be a doctor because doctors have their own rooms with all the fancy things hanging on the wall. They have a bunch of good looking stationery on the table. I didn't know at that time that they were all free gifts from Medical representatives. Also they had Air-conditioning. A/C was a luxury in India back in those days. Still considered to be a luxury.
I also wanted to be a bakery salesman. Because you could eat all you want. Fresh biscuits and puffs and pastries. I also wanted to be a policeman because you can beat others. I'm sure you understand that kids like eating and beating. I was a well-built kid, but not a bully.
And then I wanted to be cricketer. Cricket is a religion in India and cricketers are Gods. I wished I would have a magic ring or a lamp which would help me hit sixers off every ball. I wanted a ring that would help me take 6 wickets in an over. Overnight, I would become a celebrity.
A kid, I'm sure many of you here would agree with me, always wants attention.
As a kid, I was good in studies. I always came first, that is after the top 10 students in my class. I hated Mathematics. I was never good at Math until my 9th grade. Then it all changed. My parents sent me to a private tutor who changed the way I looked at Math. He not only made me do well in Math, he also made me love Math. Apart from teaching Math, he used to tell me a lot of stories from Hindu Mythology. For the first time in my life, I liked a teacher.
He used to tell this often - A young kids' brain is like fresh clay. A teacher can make a Lord Ganesha out of it or make a monkey out of it. So being a teacher is no joke. And that day I decided, whatever I would go on to do in my life, I will become a teacher someday.
I did my graduate study in Computer Science and that is what is helping me make a living. I will continue to make a living being a Consultant. But one day, after returning to India, probably around the time I retire, I will become a teacher.
A teacher should stand in front of the class and should be able to inspire the students. And for that good communication is important. I hope ToastMasters will help me become a good speaker and communicator.
Thanks for listening.
This is all I could speak in 6 minutes. If you have a Toastmasters Club, near your home, I suggest you join if you are interested in improving your speaking skills.
Your comments are most welcome.
அன்புடன்,
Ravi
Labels
- Blabberings (30)
- Book Review (4)
- Food (5)
- Garden (5)
- Places (4)
- Politics (1)
- Thirukural (2)
- Toastmasters (2)