A FRIEND THAT'S ALWAYS THERE

If I could catch a rainbow I would do it just for you.
And share with you it's beauty on the days you're feeling blue

If I could build a mountain you could call your very own
A place to find serenity A place to be alone...........

If I could take your troubles I would toss them in the sea
But all these things I'm finding are impossible for me

I cannot build a mountain or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I know best: A friend that's always there.

I came across this beautiful poem on friendship....I do not know who the author is.
How true it is....the gift of friendship is the only precious thing, I feel....that one can receive.
You just have one good friend, who loves you unconditionally and is like a pillar to support you through thick and thin. There are moments in every body's life when you feel low and depressed, he/she is there to give you the moral support and the courage to face and accept things. Such friends work like a band-aid on a wound...with a magic healing touch. They understand your moods and feelings and are there for you always no matter what.
But you have to be really lucky to find such friends.....others are like fair weather friends....who come and go like changing weather.

BENEFITS OF PETS

The idea of pets is not limited only to dogs and cats. Birds, rabbits, tortoises, and even reptiles are included in the pet categories. Having pets is experiencing joy and enrichment, something that almost all pet owners swear by.

Here are some benefits of having pets:

• Pets act as a great source of stress busters. No matter how tired and stressed out you feel when you return after a long day at work, the affection that your pet gives you is bound to make you happy.


• Caressing your pets and just spending some quality time with them is known to lower blood pressure.


• Pet owners tend to lead a more active lifestyle, taking the pets for walks, playing with them and grooming them.


• Pets have the power to ward off loneliness and depression, especially for the elderly people.
  
• Children who grow up in a house with pets, tend to fall less prey to infections.

Source: Bombay Times.

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LIVE YOUR LIFE

Be strong enough to face the world each day.

Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything.

Be generous to those who need your help.

Be frugal with what you need for yourself.

Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.

Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.

Be first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.

Be the last to criticise a colleague who fails.

Be loving to those who love you.

Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.

Above all be yourself !

SEVEN WORDS

See if you can figure out what these seven words have in common?

1. Banana
2. Dresser
3. Grammar
4. Potato
5. Revive
6. Uneven
7. Assess
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ANSWER:
In all of the words listed, if you take the first letter and place it at the end of the word, and then spell the word backwards, it will be the same word.

THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING

The Christmas stocking means many things to many people.

For kids, it is a belief that being good will mean you will be rewarded.

For young adults, it may mean romantic encounters.

For mature parents and grand parents, stockings are a way of expressing their love for having their children around on a festive occasion.

The stocking epitomizes the giving spirit of Christmas. It is a symbol of the season's generosity.

THE LEGEND

The tradition of Christmas stockings is said to have originated from a kind nobleman named Nicholas, who was born in 280 AD. in Patara, a city of Lycia, in Asia Minor. While still young, his parents died in an epidemic and he dedicated his life to the service of God and became well known for his kindness and generosity.

He always gave his gifts late at night, so that his identity would remain secret. One popular account tells us of a poor peasant who could not get his 3 daughters married because he had no money for their dowry. When Nicolas discovered this , he went to their house one night with a bag of gold and emptied the contents into the stockings of the girls , who had hung them by the fire place to dry, after washing them. Ever since this tradition of stuffing the Christmas Stocking with gifts has come into practice.

Source: Bombay Times

VAASTU AND FENGSHUI TIPS

Vaastu is based on 5 elements:
Earth, Water, Air, Fire and space.
"Feng" means "wind" and "shui" means "water" . In Chinese culture gentle wind and clear water have always been associated with good harvest and good health, thus "Feng Shui" came to mean good livelihood and fortune. It is one of the most ancient Chinese Arts of placement that balances the natural forces of the universe to help Chi (positive energy) flow in the best possible way.
These days lot of people are building house as per the principles of Vaastu and designing interiors as per feng shui as they feel it best way to get the all round benefit. Here are some of the tips by the famous vaastu consultant Shelly Gupta. Source: Bombay Times.

Keep moving your furniture around specially after every one year.This will change the flow of energy, which is considered good and also it is fun to create something new and exciting.

Those who need wealth should place flowering plants especially of red and purple colours in groups of three along the passage to the front door of your house.

Waterfalls are helpful in creating cash flow especially if they are placed in the far left rear corner of your backyard.

Paint your mailbox something fun, colourful and eye-catching, especially if your business is home based. This will encourage more business through the mail.

Play some music like the ocean waves, forest sounds or rain falling to bring calm to the stressful environment at workplace and home.

Place an abacus on your study table to excel in subjects like mathematics and accounting.

To attract wisdom and good energies in the house or place of work, put a chime of 8 rods as 8 is the most powerful money and growth manifesting number.

Ring a seven metal bell at least 9 times everyday in a house which is full of negative energies and if there are a lot of arguments happening in the house.

VIVA BRAZIL !

Picture source: photobucket

Brazil has more than one hundred and fifty million inhabitants, a territory that covers 3,286,475 square miles....making it the fifth largest country on earth. It has immense natural resources.
And I just cannot describe in words, the beauty of this country.

Big cities like Sao Paulo have sky scrapers and also favelas (slums) wedged between the luxurious quarters. This is just how Brazil is. You have to see it to believe it.
The people here are amazing...with love and warmth filled in their hearts. In spite of the language problem, we never felt like foreigners here. They go out of the way to help foreigners. This is a mixed race...in a family you can see some people with African features, some having Chinese looks, Lebanese, Japanese and so on. This is because in the late fifties...Brazilian government invited immigrants to come and settle down here.... and over a period of time, every nationality mingled and married into each other's communities. Some Indian Scientists had come to settle down here but there are not many Indians here on the whole.....probably because of the language.
Since the last 8-10 years, there has been awareness of English here and now most of the Brazilians are learning the language. Another amazing thing is their love for art and culture...specially Indian art. There are schools where Indian dances like Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri are taught by the Brazilians, who have been learning these dances in India since their childhood. They feel that they were Indians in their previous birth and they all have Indian names. We also have many yoga centers. It feels really nice to see your country and its culture being appreciated and loved elsewhere, especially on the other side of the globe. After the recent visits of Indian President and the Prime Minister, Indo-Brazilian trade opportunities are opening up. Lot of IT and Pharma companies are investing here, bringing more Indian families to this beautiful country.

Talking about Brazil and not mentioning the Foot ball .....

The Brazilian foot ball team is ranked among the best in the world. Their love for the game is amazing. During the World Cup matches the whole country is on a holiday, enjoying the match. Big screens are put up everywhere for the people to watch the game.

Brazil has the most beautiful beaches too, the most famous one is Copacabana in Rio-de-Janeiro.

Well, I must say that I had the opportunity to live in many countries...but the warmth, love and affection that I have seen in the Brazilians...is amazing ...... I have not seen or experienced it anywhere else.