The Other Side of the Lake

Every year, this time of the year, we start thinking about new year resolutions. In our quest for perfection, we are all trying to relate our lives a little closer to a Disney fairy tale. Trying to fix the apparent flaws in our lives like changing hair color, buying quality wardrobes, fixing the car, getting that new cell phone; and sometimes, things that are apparently wrong with this world, like trying to save extincting species, the environment, complaining about global warming and showing resentment for those who destroy the old buildings. But we never show our concerns on fixing the actual problems that can save our souls, like finding the long lost valuable virtue given to us by our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, called PEACE - a quality that used to be one of the dignified traits of being a Muslim. But the fact of the matter is that losing peace is not like losing a leg. The disease is apparently not a mole in front of your eyes. So most of the times, we don’t really bother...

Remember this movie? I used to watch it over and over and over again...:] I think I might be able to recall all the dialogs! Here are some of the cutest parts of the movie... Hakuna Matata! Can You Feel The Love Tonight... The Hula Song Lion King II - We Are More Than We Are, We Are One!

h To Popeye, Who is always there when it matters for big things, and little ones, Every hour, every moment of every day I will always love you. With all my Heart & Soul, ~ Daniell Steel. The dedication in her book 'Daddy'.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Life and Death Energy and Peace If I stop today it was fun, Even for the terrible mistakes that I have made, and would have unmade if I could Even for the pains that have burned me and scarred my soul, It was worth it... For having been allowed to walk where I've walked, Which was to Hell on Earth, Heaven on Earth, Back again, Into, Under, Far in between, Through it, In it, Over and Above it. Gia Marie Carangi 1960-1986

People say that girls are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Sometimes, boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy to get. So the apples up at the top think there's something wrong with them. But the truth is that they just have to wait for the right boy to come along. The one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree. I think, that all girls are special. Some of them just choose to be at the top of the tree because they want to know that one person, even if he's not special enough, wise enough, right enough by the definition of society, once climbed a tree for her to be close to her. She wants to know that the right person is right enough to be a part of her future. Isn’t that a memory worth holding on to? It’s quite possible that the right kind of guys will forget to follow the lead...

Of all the powerful arms of destruction that man has been able to invent, the most terrible - and most cowardly - is the word . Fists and firearms at least leave some blood remaining. Bombs destroy houses and streets. Poisons can be detected. The master says: “The word can destroy without leaving a clue . Children are conditioned for years by their parents, men are impiously criticized , women are systematically massacred by the words of their husbands. The faithful are kept far away from religion by those who regard themselves as the interpreters of the voice of God . Verify whether you are making use of this weapon. See whether others are using this weapon on you. And prevent either of those from continuing.” ~ Maktub by Paulo Cohelo

The gods throw the dice, and they don’t ask whether we want to be in the game or not. They don’t care if when you go, you leave behind a lover, a home, a career, or a dream. The gods don’t care whether you have it all, whether it seems that your every desire can be met through hard work and persistence. The gods don’t want to know about your plans and your hopes. Somewhere they’re throwing the dice - and you are chosen. From then on, winning or losing is only a question of luck. The gods throw the dice, freeing love from its cage. And love can create or destroy - depending on the direction of the wind when it is set free. For the moment, the wind was blowing in his favor. But the wind is as capricious as the gods - and deep inside myself, I had begun to feel some gusts. At last, as if fate wanted to show me that the story of the Other was true - and the universe always conspires to help the dreamer - we found a house to stay in, with a room with separate beds. My first move was to bath...