Priyanka's Corner

Whatever! Life's Still Beautiful!- Cyrus Hoshi Merchant

2007-04-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

You will never know what you have missed until you let God live your Life for you. You will never know how happy you really are until you start telling God to make you happy with what makes Him happy.

You will be like everyone else, having what everyone else has but you will not know what it means to have a heart that aches with joy and a mind that waits for the next morning and to be a part of every evening filled with a wow happiness called Life.

There is the world as people want it and live it and then there is God's Design. God's Design takes longer to complete, God's Design makes you weep with waiting, God's Design will have you alone and in a corner while the world dances. But when God's Design for you is complete you have THE LIFE!

Very few people live by God's Design. They are the brave ones. They don't crave majority, don't work at Life giving it those finishing touches society claps at. The only thing they work at is spirituality. They suffuse their Life with prayer, with the mystical, with the benevolent force of God.
In fact, whatever you pray and wish for and start new these five days starting yesterday will be your blessing for the whole wonderful year ahead. The really spiritual ones are so deeply trusting of God that they care little for the way others live their lives and for their toys.

They wish you knew what happiness really is. For the scriptures pronounce that only spiritual people are finally going to be happy. Only religious people are finally going to be happy.

But it is only those lucky few who combine spirituality with the root force of their religion who will have a happiness beyond words. "We must be willing to get rid of the Life we planned," Joseph Campbell said, "so as to have the Life that is waiting for us."

To keep your Life's force within you and to not share the blessings and strengths that God has especially given you is to waste God himself. Each one has something the other can use; God's wisdom worked it out that way. In Life, it's always easy to do the easy thing; to live the righteous Life, that is a challenge! The mystic force is with you this week; avail of its righteous power.

As you enter the new year after the Navroz on March 21, do all that you can do for God and His Family which has done so much for you. Do something really big for Him. Your gift to Him: allow only God's Mind and Heart to lead yours. For, it is all God. It is all God's Foolish and misery-bound are those who think that it is any other way.

If people can see a little of what I see and live a little from where I live, then never mind how terrible the tantrums of our destinies, at least in His togetherness Life can be lived. But first live. Live knowing that when you are down to absolutely nothing, God is up to something.

Make this great, big, sweetheart we call God a member of your family tonight, and make Him your First Love. Everybody has only an exact amount of (too short) time on Earth. Only lucky people seize that time and with God's Wide Grin, make a heaven out of it. It's up to you now, only up to you.

Because may I remind you? Whatever it is, however it is, Life's still beautiful. God, even more so.

LOVE WILL SAVE YOU - Cyrus Hoshi Merchant

2007-04-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

It was a late-night screening held for friends, a pate and grilled toast trial show with Zurich's cinnamon winter biscuits being passed around through which Karan Johar stood for three full hours. He needn't have; the film straps through your seat as it shoots at the soul. It's a knockout, sleek, shot from start-to-finish in New York, hip and heartfelt.

As Yash Birla said, "it’s not possible for anyone who has a soul to not be deeply moved by the movie." A statement sealed by Tanya Godrej Dubash’s moist eyes. Yes, it's a heartbreaker; Shah Rukh Khan does it again, a larger-than-Life man who descends suddenly into the lives of a bruised family and re-invents their Life with faith, warmth and humour.

He goes through the film on the balls of his feet, light; leaving us with the heaviness of his impending death. Saif Ali Khan in fall's latest suits and MBA pizzazz leavens the dough, anxious for a woman who is his best friend but can never be his great love.

"A relationship needs to start with deep friendship and end with deep friendship, but what it needs most is the in-between deep love." The film gives enough of that, it does. A disturbed, abandoned Preity Zinta speaks for the current generation looking for Love and not finding it; only to be handed a chance at Life by someone who is losing it. She takes it, opens her heart and finds a hammer looming over it. Her grief, her run from Bloomingdale's, past NY's taxis and upto her favourite solitary space by the river is a wrencher. For anyone who has lost their most precious love, she weeps our tears.

“And along comes saviour Shah Rukh; five minutes after she and her mother Jaya have knelt and prayed to God. Her reluctance to accept it, her confusion, her lingering past despair freezes her, until Shah Rukh axes the ice with the film's most powerful words: "why did you pray to God for Love and a Miracle if you are unable to accept it and recognise it when He sends it to you. Take a chance, Live."

Karan Johar in real Life too, along with Shah Rukh is a great Life lover. Few are aware that even while making this film and taking on its innumerable challenges; he was by his father’s side, combating an illness. He makes his movies the way he lives his Life.

Easily the film's two most understated powerful components of the two mothers comes from his deep attachment to his own. Jaya Bachchan and especially Reema Lagoo as the two mothers in pain over their respective children's doomed lives are outstanding. They are rewarded by children who though deeply unhappy are consumed with making their mother's dreams come true.

The film addresses on a very subtle level even the issue of fidelity and guilt and the importance of forgiveness and letting go. Letting go; that seems to be the main thrust. Let go and let God and let your Life live itself. But live you must. And should the chance of Love come along, take it.

Because Real Love saves, Real Love can't be questioned or understood and like Shah Rukh says on his deathbed, it can be "claimed in the next and the next and the next Lifetime too." Kal ho na ho, at least, if for today, you can live with love and love who you live with, Life which we can't make sense of, somehow makes sense of Itself.

THERE IS A GOD FOR YOU...

2005-06-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

THERE IS A GOD FOR YOU...

If there was one last truth to be found out, that one would be on the existence of God. We often ask ourselves and seldom others, IS THERE REALLY A GOD SOMEWHERE? No one really knows the answer. People who believe say there is. People who claim to have seen Him have stronger views than anyone. People who believe only in the seen reality and not the unseen, say that there is no God. But we are still left with the same question in our minds. Does God exist?

But whether or not this is proved, don't we need a God? All by our side? To hold on to, to lean on? The mercy of God on men is that He never revealed himself completely. If we all could see who or what God is, would we not stop aiming at the search for Him? Would we not stop seeking for Him? Yes, we would. And with that we would loose whatever blind belief we have. What we see is reality but what we don't but feel is our belief.

God would manifest Himself in any form- a father, a mother, a friend, a well-wisher, an admirer, a joker, a child..God is there- everywhere. Around us. Within us. However, what we cannot see is that He is above us. Protecting us. Like a roof in the house. He is beneath us- like the ground, the basis- without both, the walls would collapse. God does not ask for charity or sacrifices, all He asks from us is to love Him and believe in Him. A belief that would be the walls. The roof and the ground that holds it.

So what keeps the ground and the roof intact? The same- the walls. The belief. The prayers. There is a lot of power in prayers. It is like a simple wish. A hope. A fear. An apprehension. The power of prayers keeps is our savior. In our worst times, even when we give up, what keeps us from falling is our prayers. Pray. Pray hard.

Harder. Not for The Lord to hear but for you to do away with the fear of losing everything. Because the unsaid prayer too has the hope of getting fulfilled. Leave it upto The Lord to decide which of your prayers to work upon. Let him be your Master. Your Life-guard. Let him choose what is the best for you. What is important is that you should be grateful to God for whatever He has given you and be sorry for all your wrong-do.

Each one of us share a deep wish to see who God is. We may never know. But what we do know is that He is a power, a force that keeps us from breaking-down. The desire to see God is like to feel pain in merrier times. Who would want so? No bond is complete without unending trust and faith. Find your best friend in god. No one will walk every twists and turns in your life like God will. He wont be ahead. He wont be behind. He'll be right next to you, holding your hand and walking with you. I found my best friend in God, I hope someday everybody does. Love God because He first loved you. Amen.

a promise to God from me

2005-06-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Dear God,
I believe that i am a special and unique part of You. I believe that life has wonderful things in store for me. I have to go forward with bright Hope and Enthusiasm. I have to find happiness in everything i do. I promise that i will always hold a bright vision in life. And let my faith lead me to do good things. I promise to be a charm and blessing to people in my life. And see the world crowned with unending happiness.

ALL YOU NEED IS A HEART!!!

2005-06-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

ALL YOU NEED IS A HEART!!!

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,
FOR THE LOVE OF AN ANGEL,
TO BLESS A SOUL,
TO HOLD A CHILD,
TO CRY THE UNSAID PRAYERS,
TO WHISPER THE TRUTH,
FOR THE TOUCH OF HEAVEN,
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE RAIN,
TO FEEL THE TENDER TOUCH OF A MAN,
TO HOLD HIM GENTLY IN YOUR ARMS,
TO MAKE A SIMPLE WISH,
TO SAY, "THANK YOU"
FOR THE PRAYER OF FORGIVENCE,
TO REACH THE HAND OF LORD,
ALL YOU NEED-
-IS A HEART!!

-Priyanka Shah (22nd April 2005)

LIFE’S PURPOSE

2005-05-31T09:45:00.000-07:00

LIFE’S PURPOSE

Each person has a story. Each life has a story- a life story. Each person is unique, different and special in the eyes of God and in the eyes of their loved ones. However, do we consider ourselves unique and know our purpose? Or are we still pushed down in bad thoughts and uncomfortable moments inspite of having our loved ones to help us? Yes. Because we consider not to give ourselves completely in the hands of God. There is no purpose without god. There is no reason without god. And there will not be any ever.
“If you are standing at the edge of a cliff, god will either hold you when you fall or teach you how to fly.”
We do not weave our own life stories. We can only tell them once god places his dice on the game board of our life. It isn’t easy to give up yourself and your entire life in the hands of the master weaver but it isn’t difficult also. All one needs to do is have FAITH. He does what he does for the good of us, for the best of us. And we sure cannot deny that. He places snakes, pulls us down but he also gives the ladders and best- he walks with us through life’s journey no matter what.
There is no other source of life. Simply choose to live with God. No matter what. Because He has chosen to live with you and once you do this, you get your story. Life’s most amazing eon. It has a purpose, a strength, a support and a guide. Now, “when you reach for the stars, you may not get them, but you will not come down with a handful of mud too.”
Once you let Him hold you, do not betray His trust. He loves you and will give you what is the best for you, and not before you deserve it. The greatest potency in his kingdom is PATIENCE. And that’s all you require with a heart so pure and clean. He asks for nothing more.
Every purpose of your life will be fulfilled and your truest wishes will come true. Just hold on to your faith no matter what. No worries and no questions. You have laid your life in the hands of gand he shall weave it in a beautiful cozy woolen garment that will protect you and fill warmth in your life. Amen.

WHEN ALL IS LOST, HOPE STILL REMAINS!!!

2005-05-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

When all is lost, HOPE still remains!!!

I read this quote a couple of years ago and I have loved it ever since. However, if I were to be a kid again (which I am hearts of hearts); I would ask,
“BUT WHO IS THIS HOPE ANYWAY?”
“Who is this HOPE that everyone talks about? Where does He live? What does He do? Can I meet Him? Why is He there- always?”

HOPE- a ray of light in the darkness.
HOPE- a companion is loneliness.
HOPE- what I very fondly call ‘my GOD’

GOD- a ray of light on the darkest night. There is no lamp, no bulb, and no torch. He is the flash from within the darkest sky; showing a way. He is there, walking alongside you- holding your hand so that you aren’t lost. He is the hand you can hold on to when you are all alone in the darkest woods. He is a whisper, a hush of joy in the silence of loneliness. He is the wish of the empty heart.
He is the omen that tells you about the end of darkness & shows you the arrival of the dawn at the horizon. He showers little drops of dew on you, He shows you the orange-morning sky and murmurs in your ears- LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
He is the light of the day, helping you overcome your difficulties. He is the warning at the dusk telling you of the advent of the darkness. GOD is there- forever. Even on sleepless nights to comfort you when you wake up from a bad dream.
He is there- everywhere, every time- just for you. However, I am glad that I can only feel my God and not see Him because He remains my HOPE and I will never loose him.
Now that I am done with my deepest thoughts, I have realize that the quote which I happened to read some years back was actually- “When all else is lost, Love still remains.”
But I am glad I could re-phrase it.
There is always a LIGHT. Always a ROOM. Always a HAND to hold on to. Always a PLACE. Always a HOPE- a GOD! FORVER & FOR ALWAYS..

BROKEN BRICKS CAN MAKE A WALL AGAIN

2005-05-31T08:44:00.000-07:00

BROKEN BRICKS CAN MAKE A WALL AGAIN!!!

MOST PEOPLE, OUT OF DEJECTION, REJECTION OR SAD STORIES; GIVE UP ON GOD. VALID ENOUGH?? YOU WANTED HIM TO SHOW A MIRACLE- THIS ONE TIME. BUT HE DIDNT. YOU GOT UPSET, LOST AND BROKEN. AND YOU CHOSE TO LET HIM GO, LET GO GOD- WHOM YOU TRUSTED THE MOST. AND WANTED HIS MIRACLE. JUST ONE TIME. THIS TIME. BUT HE DIDNT AND YOU- LET HIM GO BY SAYING, "I AM QUITTING."

TELL ME NOW, PICTURE THIS. WIFE IS HAPPY. KIDS ARE HAAPY. WORK IS FINE. AND GOD IS THERE. BUT WHAT IF HE SUDDENLY DECIDES TO WALK OUT ON YOU? WHAT IF HE GIVES UP ON YOU? AND LETS YOU GO? HE SIMPLY SAYS HE HAS A RESON. BUT DOESNT WANNA JUSTIFY IT. JUST LIKE YOU QUIT WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATIONS. HAVE A PROFOUND PICTURE!! YOUR WALLS COLLAPSE. SO DOES YOUR ROOF. WHERE DO YOU GO NEXT? WITHOUT YOUR GOD?

IT IS CERTAINLY AN UNEASY PICTURE TO LIVE IN A HOUSE WITHOUT A ROOF AND WITH BROKEN WALLS. EVERYTHING IS IN A RUMBLE. YOUR GOD IS YOUR ROOF AND THE WALLS ARE YOUR BELIEF IN HIM. WHETHER YOU QUIT OR HE DID IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO KNOW THAT "BROKEN BRICKS CAN MAKE A WALL AGAIN."

GOD SELDOM QUITS. YES SOMETIMES HE DOES, BUT IT'S JUST TO MAKE YOU MISS HIM. WITHOUT THE ROOF, THE WALL IS INCOMPLETE. DONT GIVE UP ON YOUR GOD. NO MATTER HOW BAD YOUR TIME IS. DONT STOP BELIEVING. NO MATTER HOW FAR IS YOUR DESTINATION.

EVEN WITH THE FEAR OF LOSING HIM, YOU STILL HAVE YOUR GOD. KEEP THE FAITH IN HIM. ITS WHEN THINGS GET WORST THAT YOU MUSNT QUIT.