Gifts !

Gift is something special we all have received or given it to someone. Sometimes, finding a right gift to person you love is as challenging as finding a life partner. Very few of us can pick-up a right gift to the right person.

Mostly gifts are given during some occasion like marriage, birthday or some festivals. There are some special occasions too, like you are meeting your loved ones after long time or leaving them for good.

Giving gift is really an opportunity to express and communicate to the person, how much they matter to you. Merriam-webster dictionary mentions "Gift" as "power of giving".

It is powerful tool that can make difference in the relationship you with that person.

One important thing to be present in giving the gifts is the authenticity – that is the value of the gift is determined by the intention rather than the cost of the gift.

Anything given with full love is always priceless.

Peter F Drucker

Peter Ferdinand Drucker was a writer, management consultant, and self-described "social ecologist". Drucker was born in Vienna, the capital of Austria, in a small village named Kaasgraben in 1909.

After completing his studies in Vienna he moved to Germany for employment and opportunity to study further. Later he relocated to London when Nazi control was getting stronger in Germany. In 1934 after his marriage to Doris Schmitz, the couple permanently relocated to the United States.

In the US he started his career as professor and writer, after his initial book "The Future of Industrial Man" he got a opportunity to study General Motors. The study resulted in the book, "Concept of the Corporation"- It describes what management is, how managers are selected, how they act, and how a corporation is organized into management units at different scales It also seeks to explain the role and position of large corporations in modern society.

Later for many decades he continuously contributed to the growth of management thinking.

Drucker taught that management is "a liberal art," and he infused his management advice with interdisciplinary lessons from history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, culture and religion.

Drucker's 39 books have been translated into more than thirty languages. He also wrote regular column in the Wall Street Journal for 20 years and contributed frequently to the Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic Monthly, and The Economist.

He continued to act as a consultant to businesses and non-profit organizations well into his nineties.

Drucker died November 11, 2005 in Claremont, California of natural causes at 95.

Some of his famous Quotes

"The best way to predict the future is to create it."

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."

"What's measured improves."

"Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility."

(This article is tribute to Drucker centennial 1909-2009)

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Happiness

One important aspect of our life is being happy.  We generally don't confront what it takes to be happy. Quite often you have a vague sense of how to be happy, but we are not at the source of it.

We all are in the pursuit of happiness. We think that we are going to make our life work and we will be happy.  

You think that when you get educated that that's going to solve all your problems and handle things; or when you get married, have kids or when you get divorced, or when you buy that big car or that new job and so on.

You think there is something that is going to make things work, and nothing makes things work.

The fact of the matter is that there isn't anything that's going to make anybody happy.

Once you confront that there isn't anything that's going to make you happy. You can stop chasing happiness and start looking at the source of happiness or the secret of happiness.

The secret is, you get that there isn't anything that's going to make you happy and there isn't any secret of happiness. You stop chasing happiness.

Once you stop the chase you will experience that happiness is not where you are looking for; happiness is where you are and you are where the happiness is.  

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Loneliness

As human beings all of us experience some kind of loneliness at some point in time. It is not just what you feel when you are alone, Loneliness is a feeling where you experience a powerful surge of emptiness and solitude. You might experience loneliness even when you are in a group.

On the other hand Solitude is different, it is the state of being alone and secluded from other people, and often implies having made a conscious choice to be alone.

In my opinion the key thing is, knowing that are experiencing loneliness. Then next step is being in communication with another person about your loneliness.

Since it is natural to feel loneliness once in a while don't resist it. Also be aware that you are not the only one who feeling loneliness.

As Mexican poet and writer says "Solitude is the profoundest fact of the human condition. Man is the only being who knows he is alone." , Only we can know that we are alone!

Famous writer Gulzar has captured the mood of a loner in this beautiful song - Ek Akela is shaher mein … (A loner in this town ..) , from the movie Gharonda.

Listen to this song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VKpKkGnl0k

Looking back ...

We are almost approaching the year end. One more month, 4 more weeks or just another 30 days, this year will complete. The end of 2009 also signifies end of this decade.

It is a good time to look back and complete things which are unfinished. It is time to re-look at your investments or savings for Tax benefit or the holiday that you planned at the beginning of the year which is still in the planning phase.

It may also include meeting the old school friend or inviting your neighbor for dinner or joining the guitar /sitar class. Buying a new gadget or upgrading your music system or getting rid of that personal loan from the MNC bank.

It may be that pending work of building your own website or buying a new house or starting gym/yoga or a new diet or buying new of clothes.

It may be your plan to visit that old-age home or donating money for some under privileged.

It may be just having your favorite black forest pastry or mug of beer with your best friend or taking your parents out for dinner.

Also it is time to relook at your future and create it. Write down the 10 things you want in life.  Be ready to embrace the new decade and the New Year the year 2010.