Commonsense Capsules: Insights into the Little Big Things of Life

By Tara Thorat

The biggest tests are in the arena of life--that is where you ultimately succeed or fail. Every decision we make has a lifelong impactfor good or bad. Errors are difficult to reverse and carry a huge price tag. Making correct decisions needs common sense i.e. a mix of knowledge, introspection, self awareness, general awareness, and foresight ---all of which are generally acquired late in life.

Common sense is the outcome of experience carefully passed through the prism of thought. What emerges is a spectrum of insights and home truths that remove confusion and ignorance. Common sense clears mental, emotional fog and gives us the right perspectives to see things in context. Common sense helps one see the bigger picture.

Tara Thorat shares these insights on critical traits and issues of everyday life as one wayfarer with another prodding us to develop the skill of conscious living through conversations with self-- so that we can emerge stronger and wiser through the tests of life.

What distinguishes this book from other self help books is the compactness. a lot of content is packed into just a few lines. This makes it a quick and easy reference book.

One need not read the whole book to find an input on some concept or issue. Whenever there are minutes to spare just open to the relevant page and start the dialogue.

Make this book a bedside companionread one before you retire and let the mind work on it while you sleep!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Mar 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781482887983

Tara Thorat

Tara Thorat is a postgraduate in English literature and a TEA Fulbright alumnus. As a teacher, trainer and mentor, for four decades she has helped youth make authentic personal and professional decisions.. This is her first book.

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Copyright © 2017 by Tara Thorat.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

www.partridgepublishing.com/india

CONTENTS

1. It’s Logical

2. Futility

3. Help Not Available!

4. Idiots

5. The World Is Full Of Idiots

6. Do Yourself A Favor – Think!

7. Consequences

8. Events

9. Change The Paradigm

10. Be Lazy, Be Happy!

11. Drawing A Fine Line

12. Intelligence, Awareness & Will

13. Introspection

14. Maturity

15. Wisdom

16. Growing Up

17. Perception

18. Understanding People

19. Good People

20. Bad People

21. Being Gracious

22. Duality Of Life – The Universe Answers.

23. Families

24. Parenting

25. Rules Of Engagement

26. Relationships

27. Conversations Have Auras

28. Companionship

29. Incompatibility

30. Roots

31. Look Into Or Overlook?

32. Conflicts & Reconciliations

33. Respond Don’t React

34. Responses Reveal Character

35. The Meaning & Stamp Of Education

36. The Mark Of The Uneducated

37. Real Gains & Fringe Benefits

38. Real Poverty

39. Preferences & Choices

40. Survivors And Thrivers – A Perspective

41. Identity

42. Don’t Compare

43. Self Esteem – Happy To Be Me!

44. Leave The Past Behind

45. Guilt & Regret, Shame & Sorrow

46. Keys To Happiness

47. Gifts

48. Gratitude

49. Reciprocation

50. Spontaneity & Enthusiasm

51. Holidays For The Soul

52. Courage

53. Dignity

54. Uncoded Subtle Freedoms

55. Head & Heart, Mind & Soul

56. Love – What Love Really Is

57. Love Is Valuable

58. Importance Of Memories

59. Laziness – A Terminal Disease

60. Neediness & Greed – A Tragic Saga!

61. Take Responsibility – It’s Fun

62. Work – An All Weather Friend

63. Routine – Good Servant, Bad Master

64. Drive – Superb Power!

65. Money – Basics

66. Wealth Is More Than Riches!

67. Respect The Old!

68. Manners, Sophistication & Class

69. Death

70. The Real Tests Are In The Arena Of Life!

To the three musketeers in my life -––—

My wise father, Late Major J.G. WALKAY, who taught me to introspect;

My son, SHILEN, who demonstrated the practicality of ‘conscious living’;

And my husband PUNDLIK— the stoic and generous supporter of my many endeavours.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I am deeply thankful to God who gave me a life with a wide spectrum of experience and the support systems—innate and external— to benefit from it all.

I thank my parents for giving me the best education one could get and for inculcating in me the habit of introspection. They taught me to be a witness while participating in the ebb and flow of life, to have an open mind, to think for myself and to act out of conviction.

I thank my husband for his faith and confidence in me and for his constant support in all my ventures. I have tested his patience by using him as a sounding board to bounce my ideas and he has been very graceful about it. Special thanks to my son, Shilen, for his wisdom, and for demonstrating to me the practicality of conscious living. Many are learned but only a few are wise.

I thank all those who were fellow way farers in life’s journey alongside me -— each and everyone has contributed to enriching my life experience.

This book is my first venture and could not have happened without the active support of my publishers – Partridge India Publications. I thank all the staff who guided and helped me all along—especially Ms Farina Gailey and Ms Kathy Lorenzo with whom I interacted most frequently.

INTRODUCTION

This book is written with the sole intention of sharing –as wayfarers do with others they meet on the journey— some insights on life that I stumbled upon, searched for and found or was led to by fellow wayfarers.

The biggest tests are in the arena of life. Our thoughts shape our lives so it is imperative that all of us learn to think constructively. Life holds many mysteries and poses many questions to us all. The ubiquitous cries—This is not fair! Is it worth it? Why me?—are common to us all and have echoes through the ages!

Each of us struggles to find answers that satisfy the intellect, heart, mind and soul. It may, perhaps, be of help to compare notes with others on the same journey but walking different routes. Each of us learns different life lessons, and each is at a different stage of learning –so, the notes of one may forewarn others or shine a light where all seems dark and mysterious.

This compilation of common sense capsules are my take on critical traits, issues and interactions of everyday life! These insights and home-truths are, by no means, the last word on the subject, nor are they meant to be prescriptive. They are offered as prompts to introspection – to help pick up the skill of ‘conscious living’.

This book has many concepts borrowed from metaphysics – like the concepts of mind, aura, reincarnation, karma, life lessons, soul memory, soul age etc. Metaphysics is no longer the domain of philosophers and spiritual gurus but is now dominated by physicists and men of ‘science’. It is where I have found the most satisfactory answers, and, it is where, in this Age of Aquarius, many who combine analysis and intuition are headed. The mind is the final frontier of science and introspection the new tool of inquiry.

What distinguishes this book is the pithiness. The choice of style of writing was deliberate – a lot of content is packed into just a few lines. This makes it a quick and easy reference book.

Each piece can be read quickly in short spaced intervals whenever there are minutes to spare! One need not read the whole book to find an input on some concept or issue —just open to the relevant page and start the dialogue.

I believe life has value and meaning for all of us no matter what the circumstances…. and is always worth the effort. Challenges give life purpose and direction. The final outcome is learning. Sooner or later, we will all graduate.

I hope readers will use these ‘capsules’ as prompts to start their own internal dialogue or as inputs to continue their previous conversations with self.

To enjoy these insights, take one capsule at a time, chew it slowly and savor the aroma while assimilating the contents. Make this book a bedside companion—read one before you retire and let the mind work on it while you sleep!

1. IT’S LOGICAL

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The average, by definition, are in majority—so common sense is not so common.

Wisdom is the outcome of experience and introspection – so youth are clever not wise.

What one focuses on, grows -— so whiners never outgrow their troubles,

Penny pinchers do not attract pounds and scavengers are not creators of wealth!

Nature abhors a vacuum—that is why wise men marry dumb beauties & vice versa,

Loving parents have sullen children as ‘Takers’ never give so ‘Givers’ never receive.

Kudos come to the sleek and slick performers because there is no limelight backstage;

Doers dwarf the non-doers – so doers receive insults & resentment, not gratitude.

Humans have individual brains not group brains – so each must think for himself,

Women too have brains – so they too have a hunger for knowledge and ability to work.

Difficulties catalyze growth, comfort retards it --so all need to study in the school of life.

Rebellion against circumstances not adjustment leads to progress – so the rich are a minority.

Both lack and abundance are addictive-so a poor man shares and the really rich hoard!

Crime is a factor not of weak laws but weak ethics— so strict laws do not decrease the crime rate!

God made man in complementary pairs—so no person can claim perfection,

In life, all actions & inaction have reactions – so there is