THE LOVELY BONES- Visually stunning Film

The Lovely Bones Directed by Peter Jackson, is indeed a story well told from the eyes of a girl of Fourteen years old. The film begins with the narration of Saoirse Ronan, as being in the spirit world and was once upon earth with her loving parents and picyure perfect family. However, her ill fate bounced upon her by raping and then being murdered by a silent neighbour(killer)Stanley Tucci.
Stanley Tucci is a divorcee and stays alone, however is weird, all by himself and has murdered about five girls earlier, with no trace or evidence. Saoirse is 14 years old and would love to be a wildlife photographer. She finds Reece, who she likes and they both are attracted to each other. They haven't yet spent real time with each other, yet its a pure innocent Love. Once when Saoirse is returning back from school, she is raped and murdered by the killer. What then follows is Saoirse's soul wandering between earth and heaven. She is caught up into a mystical realm, Where she meets another soul Holly. Holly ask her to move on, and no to be bound by the earthly dimension. However, Saoirse cannot escape the ties of her family, and their love. There is a beautiful line said by her "A murderer can never know how much a father loves his child"
The background score of the film is soothing and echoes in your ears after leaving the theatre. Another dimension, is well picturised and the scenes are breath taking. One would just admire the beauty of them. Tucci then plots for Saoirse's Sister Lindsay. Saoirse is yet stuck up in the between realm , and yearns to go back to family. When she tries to connect with her family what follows is a series of mystical, and sometimes tragic events.
The film is intriguing, and a story well narrated with poetic lines. A must watch on the list.
My Verdict 3 stars.

Rural & Urban comparison of Social Life

For a city dweller, Village life might be boring and slow. However, harmony of nature makes it special and serene. in city, we are busy machines and have no time to stand and look at the sun, we never get to see the rising sun or just the setting sun. Due to light pollution, stars are not visible, and the sky seems never romantic or starry.

I felt like going to my native place Ratnagiri, in beautiful Konkan to get a break as well observe the rituals that bound holi festival.

Things are not just different here but are indeed very different. People are informal in their behaviour and are closely connected in a simple web of social relations.
Let us not be mistaken that “villagers are illiterate, lack intelligence, unaware of technology, and ill mannered”
What I have observed is, “they are often literate, aware of all the modern technologies, very well mannered and cultured as well constructive”

Villagers know how to make the proper uses of available resources.
People here are constructive in their thoughts and often discuss ideas and future prospects especially the oldies.
‘We might say that fruits should be free from sprays and chemicals, but here even mango trees are addicted to the chemicals and cant grow properly without them’

My Grandpa says “There were so many birds and animals here, but due to increased urbanization- all have disappeared” ‘There was a time when peacock, rabbits, boars, mongoose, etc were a common sight and now they can’t be even spotted once’
People talk in terms of units, which we might have forgotten. We can say, Thane is an hour away and Bandra is 15mins away. But people in villages speak in terms of Km’s, Miles and even Nautical Miles. I wonder how many in Mumbai know Nautical miles!

Villagers also know about new projects undertaken and others scheduled to start. We hardly are aware of how many sky walks and flyovers are built or being built.

Most importantly, guest are always welcome. They are not just welcome, but are often served with food, and at times even forced for lunch or dinner. And we in our city, ask so artificially, ‘Would you like to have something?’ Obviously our intention behind it is so clear!

If I talk about studies, then parents are much more serious about their children, studies and their future. They are serious, sweet as well strict with their kids. Not chilled out parents, like many of urbanized parents, who in the name of liberty are so liberal that they even bear the insult from their kids. Due to financial crisis, not many students in village end up going to college. So even the facilities in colleges are nothing compared to our urban colleges.

From this all we can infer that villagers (esp in Konkan) are not lacking behind, as we often think of them to be. Their thoughts are enormous and varied. They discuss biodiversity, unemployment, Technology, Politics, etc. Which I guess we never discuss among our friends, colleagues or relatives. We can’t say that these are not our issues, or who has got time to talk about all this? Well we can gossip, talk about films, celebrities, sports, fashion, etc. Then why can’t we talk about issues which are more serious and should be looked upon!

Konkan, and im very sure, the whole country side is indeed beautiful. Its funny to us when we see foreigners in Mumbai clicking pictures of Crowded trains, slums, architectural sites, etc. All this because its new and amazing to them. Similarly, I was clicking pictures of lakes, birds, mountains, creek, the roads, which was funny to them. This is because they go through it everyday, and nothing different to them. But to me it’s a canvas painted by the mythical nature.
Some places are very beautiful and diverse, as well isolated. Like the lake I seen today. One could easily enter into meditative state, paint or even compose a song effortlessly sitting beside the lake.

Ohhhhhh!!!!!!! Something I forgot to mention earlier is the ‘ food’. May be I’m not really foody, so forgot to write about it initially.
We believe that if we eat lot of food then we become obese and rice surely brings the pouch out. I guess that’s not true. The plate that they serve here once can be easily finished by us in about two more meals. Hardly, 5 to 7 % of people are obese, rest all are fit and slim,. They even hardly travel, not like us from town to suburbs, again and again.
Yet they are slim. The mystery is about the quality of food, which is so nutritious and the amount of walk. Like fetching water from the well downhill, often walking rather than using a bike and saving fuel, going to temple walking, gathering firewood for cooking (even if cylinder is there), scarring the monkeys when they come to spoil the fruits, as well scarring the cattle entering ten times a day, for grazing. So you see though they travel less, their daily work is a rigorous exercise in itself. Not like us sitting in one place and ordering food, movie tickets, vegetables, flour and necessity items, coffee,etc on a phone and sitting whole day in the arm chair.

If there was something I missed then it were my family, friends, and my computer rather Internet.i also loved the rituals for Holi,

GIve Love , Get Love

GIVE LOVE, GET LOVE
By Omkar Bhatkar

For a long time I just wondered how to put love in words. I could not understand, for love is something which cannot be described. It is a passion that runs within you. It is a unique feeling that makes you feel happy without even a reason for it. It is the entire universe that is compressed within you. When all the things go wrong yet you struggle to win such is the power of love.
Love is something
That makes you laugh,
It makes you sing,
It makes you sad,
It makes you cry,
It makes you seek,
The reason why,
It makes us give,
And it makes us take.
Above all love makes us live.
So Love that emotion which makes you alive. It is the very essence of living.
But what is the purpose of Love?
Love in itself is the end not the means to something. A purpose is always related to something that has an end. The purpose of cooking is to eat. A tree blossom, what is the purpose?
Love itself is the end. Love is eternal, ever running, ever flowing, and ever shining. The purpose of everything that exists on this planet is being of love. The plants, animals, birds, all creatures big and small live to love.
Love is that as it compasses the whole universe. Then where is this love today? Why are we fighting? Why are we envious? Why are we jealous of our neighbours? Why do we hate each other? Why are we lonely? Why are we unhappy? Why, why, and Why………………………………
There are times when we long to be to the use of someone whom we love too much, but we can do nothing. Circumstances will not let us close to them, or even arouse any kind of support.
Then all we have remaining with us is the abundance of love. At such times, when the situation is out of our reach and we seem to give up, yet there is the beautiful gift Pandora gave us. The “hope”. And we can still love without expecting any reward or gratitude.
If we do this innocently, Then the energy of love will begin to transform the universe within and with around us. Wherever the energy moves it creates all that it requires, creating a creative aura of happiness.
“Time does not transform man, Will power does not transform man, Love transforms” says Henry Drummond.
I read this article sometime back in the tabloid and was touched by it.
In order to renovate the house, someone in Japan tears open the wall.
Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls. When tearing down the walls, he found there was a lizard stuck there because a nail from outside into one of its feet. He sees this, feels pity and at the same tine curious, as when he checked the nail, it wsa nailed ten years ago when the house was first built.
What happened?
The lizard had survived in such a position for ten years! In a dark wall partition for ten years without moving, it is impossible and mind boggling.
Then he wondered how this Lizard survived for 10 years without moving a single step since its food was nailed!
So he stopped his work and observed the lizard, what it has been doing and what and how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where it came appears another lizard, with food in its mouth.
Ahh! He was stunned and touched deeply. For the lizard that was stuck by nail, another lizard has been feeding it for the pass ten years…………..
Such love, such a beautiful love! Such love happened even with this tiny creature …... What can love do? It can do wonders! Imagine? It has been doing that untiringly for ten years, without giving up hope.
Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with a brilliant mind can’t.
I was touched when I read this story and started wondering about relationships between family members, Friends, Lovers, Brothers, Sisters………..
Love is a Gift, take it, let it grow.
Love is a sign we should wear, let it show.
Love is an act, do it, let it go.
So Love cures, transforms and creates magic. Love is that complex feeling which deep down is only reason we continue to live, struggle and improve.
Our family, our neighbours, our friends, our city, our nation and the world today needs love.
We have been moving towards destruction. Broken homes, Neighbours fights, friends jealousy, intolerant city, and terrorism in countries? Where are we heading, we are all moving towards our own death. Nothing can save us except for Love. Now that we have realized how important is love! It needs to be shared in our life.

Life and death, Youth and age, Joy and sorrow, Rise and fall, is in the law of god. Everything we see around us is a sermon of a new beginning and an end.
The poet Robert Herrick in one of the moment seeing the daffodils lamented;
Fair daffodils we weep to see,
You haste away so soon;
As yet the early rising sun
Has not attained the noon.
Stay, Stay
Until the hasting day
Has run
But due to the even-song!
And, having prayed together, We
Will go with you along.
We have short time to stay as you,
We have as short as spring,
As quick a breath to meet decay.
As you, or anything
We die.
As your hours do, and dry
Away
Like to the summers rain,
Or as the pearls of morning dew.
Never to be found again.
If you look back you will see and agree how soon the time has passed way. Every minute, every hour, every day, month and year, we are in a process of dying.
In the midst of life we are in death and in the midst of death we are in life. And everyday brings this hard fact before us. Each day brings us a step forward to our grave. Very soon, we shall wither away and die so let us give love, be open to love , receive love and be full of love.
After all love is something if you give it away you will end up having much more.
Speak gently with love with your family, Respect your elders with love, Bear the youngster’s tantrums by giving them love and surely love will workout everything. Your neighbours may be jealous and always fighting but even if you are the same to them, then what’s the difference between you and them? Show your love and concern for them and love shall move its magic wand.
Sometimes we fight with our friends and at times we even hate them. But why do we hate the? Just because they did something against our will. So what? Friendship isn’t being with someone who does whatever you like but rather accepting then foe whatever they are. A faithful friend is something beyond price there is no measuring his worth. So value your Friend.
Why does u think someone on the street is strange? Why do you think that unknown person is different? Is it all because you are in no relation to them?
But each and every human being is a creation of Almighty. So you are a big family, then hoe can you hate your family member?
While crossing the road you see an old man scared to cross the road, but you are ill bothered. After all he is not your grandpa! In a crowded bus, a seat gets empty and you just want to seat there before the lady behind you takes that seat. All because she is stranger and not your mother! A girl has lost her purse ands has no money to return home, you wouldn’t be bothered because she is not your sister.
Where is our humanity gone?
That old man is someone’s grandpa, the lady in the bus could be someone else’s mother and the girl could be someone’s sister.
Do you want even your closed ones to go through the same?
Be in love and then you will see each person on the street is your family.
Terrorism! Why do some people become terrorist? Why they kill the innocents? They kill innocent people so we condemn them. Then they take much more other lives and we then take the lives of these terrorist. They kill, we kill, they kill, we kill……………… where will it end? Will it always continue like this?
Those who profuse fanaticism, do not need condemnation but compassion. We have to educate people in the human values of friendship, compassion, cooperation, a sense of belonging and spirituality. We need to be compassionate towards terrorist, they are completely mistaken- they are mistaken because or wrong upbringing and wrong understanding of their religious teachings. They have a wrong idea of freedom. They are mistaken about life because they are inflicting suffering on others and also on themselves. We need to be merciful and understanding to them. We hate them, the more violent they become. We need to bring transformation in them. And for this transformation we need to love them. But loving a terrorist is not easy! But why do we term them terrorist? Can we just look at them for the eyes of a simple person? If yes, then they are not terrorist but people who have got on to the wrong path of life as they always lived in darkness from the beginning. They are lost in this darkness on the wrong path of life and it’s our kind duty to enlighten the path and get them to know the bright path of life.
We need patience, Compassion and forgiveness to shower the beauty of love to create this new bright morning- the path of love.
So let’s move this want of love to create marvels.
Love finds its expression spontaneously. You don’t need to cultivate love in you, just realise you’re love and everything will happen on its own.
It’s like the mango, when ripe, its colour changes and you can spot it at distance. Similarly, Love will make you shine among the crowd and if the whole world realizes the love with them then the universe will shine like never before.
Being in utter love inspires. It brings confidence in applying knowledge. The visible sign of utter love is an undying smile.
When people realise the power of love they will be undisturbed, caring, persistent, and self shining.
So when we share love, we also grow. If we all continue to give love, we shall receive many much more back. This abundant love energy will create an atmosphere of positivity, caring, and sense of belonging. That time no one would be materialist or a self centred one, it would be the ideal world. Where one cares for the other, one helps the other, one prays for the other and in no time the OTHER vanishes and all what remains is “oneness”. This is the power of love. You gave away love and what you get in return is beyond words.
Jesus spoke about “caring love”
Islam talks about “Undying Love”
Buddhism speaks about “Affectionate Love”
Jainism teaches “Merciful Love”
All the religions propound Love.
Keep on giving Love, Love is a sheltering tree, the more you love it, the more it shall blossom in return.
Its time to GIVE LOVE.
-Pick up the phone and say affectionate words which you have been postponing
-Talk to your neighbour about their good deeds.
-Open the door to someone outside, waiting for our help.
- Asking forgiveness for our mistakes
- Conferring Benefits and then forgetting about them.
- Smile, to all as it brightens up the mood.
- Do something out of Love for your parents every now and then.
- Forgive and forget the mistakes of others
- Take care of the people around you.
- Complement someone whenever you feel like.
- Pray for the blessings of all.
- Take the decision which you have been procrastinating
- Be gentle and sweet to the rude.
- Be smiling to the wicked.
- And discover that you’re Love and Love is with in you.
Your very nature is love; you’re happiness, You’re Love.
When you discover Love, wherever you go the fragrance of love will spread far and wide.
Don’t worry! If no one can sense it, have patience and all will be attracted to this magical love. Love will transform the negative, wicked, rude and harsh.
This is because Love will awaken the love within them which they have past forgotten
So be open like the flower, spreading fragrance far and wide. Because if you don’t open, you shall fade away.
After all LOVE IS LIFE………………………..lets Give Love All From Our Heart.