A Friend Is A Lover

True love is friendship caught on fire.
~ French Proverb

A friend is a lover. Yes!

The Latin origin of the word friend is “amīcus” and “amīcus” came from “amō.” In Latin it stands for "I love.” Even “philos,” the Greek meaning of the word friend, is extracted from the word “phileō.” And again it stands for "I love."

If you knock the door of Middle English, you have to travel a thousand years back to see the verb related to "friend." The old English word “frēond” was the source for today’s "friend." Interestingly, it was simply the present participle of the verb frēon, "to love."

The Light, The Divorce Has Introduced Me

This post is written by the guest author Sneha Sanyal.

When you decide

That your life is a prize

Renew and revive

It’s allright honey

It’s allright.

~ Hummer, Smashing Pumpkin

Being through the process of getting divorce isn’t easy. Practically, a divorce is like an amputation: we survive it, but there is less of us. It’s tough to believe … tough to accept and tough to act on.

And that is time when we all need support. But I came to know that the best support we get from the end of our own hands.

The inevitable sadness of a divorce lingers with the thoughts in mind:

* I wish I could get over the pain of this divorce.

* He is so happy, why can’t I be.

* I’m stuck here with no hope of ever finding another good person to be with.

* He cheated on me.

* The pain is so bad, no one can understand my pain, I can never be happy again, I will carry this pain with me forever.

* Why did he do this to me?

But there was another side of the story—I was thriving to revive—thinking, wasn’t there anything that can catapult me towards a new life? Then a new year has given me these hope:

* I am so thankful for my children.
* Although my friends don’t know exactly what I am going though, I am so lucky that they are here for me.
* Look at my pet, I am so lucky to have a buddy!
* How lucky can one be to have control over their life and the freedom to may decisions…I am so thankful for that!

How did I know these? Well, I really don’t. This is MY experience. I have seen the change I have gone though in adopting it for myself. However, it’s not easy to adopt after my divorce.

Do I miss him? No! But I miss who I thought he was. Most important, it’s much better to be sad for his absence than his presence.

Find yourself being thankful for the people in your life and the future ahead of you. REMEMBER, WHEN YOU FINALLY REALIZE YOUR LIFE IS A PRIZE…YOU WONT HIDE, YOU’ILL THRIVE!

Sneha Sanyal is a media professional who in the first 45+ years of her life, never been alone. Being with her two young children, she believes that the only way of becoming wise is being happy.

Yes I’m Dumped … So What!

I used to cry,
Now I hold my head up high
And you see me, somebody new.
I’m not that chained up little person
Still in love with you.
~ I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor

1931, when I was 26, I romantically came closer to one of the biggest actors. We came so closer to being married. But the studio boss gave him the ultimatum—either chose your career or your girlfriend. And it was me in the losing side—I was dumped!

SO WHAT!

Maybe that’s why, I was successful to portrait the character of hardworking young women who find romance and financial success in "rags-to-riches" stories. Within 10 years of my break up, I even won the Best Actress Academy Award. And when I retired from acting, I set my foot to the corporate, being the President of the Pepsi-Cola company. Who am I? The one of the "100 Sexiest Women of the 20th century," Joan Crawford.

Do You Remember The Time

This is your life, you seem to have it all

You reached your peak, they wanted you to fall

It's very sad, this world can be so bad

But through all the heartaches, when they put you down

You know you were the victor, and you earned the crown

It's like walking through fire, determined to win

You were beating life's battles, again and again

~ Elizabeth I Love You, MJ

Do you remember when the musical ABC stamped the screaming presence of a kid in the music world?

Do you remember how he taught that love is not possession but needs expression?

Do you remember his scary-ghostly dance steps that thrilled us?

Do you remember the moonwalk that added the glitz to the Motown 25th anniversary?

Do you remember his appeal to heal the world and make it better place?”

Do you remember, though he dubbed himself “I’m bad,’ still music found itself in the danger without his music?

Do you remember his preach: “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, and then make a change?”

Do you remember how some people scammed him as “Dangerous,” but still fans around the globe screamed just to get a glimpse of him?

Do you remember the time he claimed: “If you’re thinking of being my brother; it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white?”

Do you remember how every day he created the history and every path he took left his legacy, even through his death?

Do you rememeber …..
Do you
In moonwalk
Do you
Do you
In his Eee-Hee
Do you

Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends

One study concluded that on average, if more than 4 people witness an event (killing, rape …..); nobody will do anything. Each person will say to themselves "I don't have to get involved since there are other people here who can help." Read it for a real example:

Kitty Genovese, a 28 year old New York City woman, in the early morning of March 13, 1964, arrived home at about 3:15 a.m. and parked about 30 meters from her apartment's door. But before she could make the route, she was suddenly stabbed to death by a stalker.

Even though every year, 960,000 individuals get murdered; hers remains the most tragic because 38 "citizens" awakened by her cries for help watched as she was assaulted not once, but three times over a half hour period. Not only did they fail to come to her aid, they also failed to call the police for help. Vincent Mosely, her assailant, stabbed her several times, then left, only to return a few minutes later to cut her up a little more.

During Mosely's trial, witnesses made several statements, but one stands above the rest as a symbol of this tragic event and is the reason for its world-wide infamy: "We didn't want to get involved." No surprise to Mosely, for as he said: "I knew they wouldn't do anything - they never do."

I'm thinking, what we really are? Because it’s the cowards who don't count in battle; they are there, but not in it. What we really are? Phill Ochs is right:

Oh look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed

They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed

Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain

But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends

Oh there's a dirty paper using sex to make a sale

The Supreme Court was so upset; they sent him off to jail.

Maybe we should help the fiend and take away his fine.

But we're busy reading Playboy and the Sunday New York Times

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends

Smoking marihuana is more fun than drinking beer,

But a friend of ours was captured and they gave him thirty years

Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why

But demonstrations are a drag, besides we're much too high

And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody

Outside of a small circle of friends.

Courtesy: Trent A. Fisher

Judge, But First Yourself ...

Everybody's droppin got me knockin on heaven's door.
And all my memories, of seein brothers bleed.
And everybody grieves, but still nobody sees.
Recollect your thoughts don't get caught up in the mix.
Cause the media is full of dirty tricks.
Only God can judge me.
~ Only God Can Judge Me, 2PAC

Recently, one stranger tagged me: “You anadi, ubba-dubba arrogant.” And I couldn’t stop laughing. Why? Because people are nothing but the mirroring of the way they behave others.

If anyone is busy judging, it’s a fair bet; he doesn’t have any time to find the quality in others.

The Bible says, "God doesn't judge people until they die."

Now think, how people judge others so easily; simply looking to the cosmetic pampered face .... God knows!

Sometimes back, someone has sent me some interesting questionnaire. I found it interesting as nobody has even sent me like that just to judge how good I’m.

Height: Getting shorter with age.

Weight: Only on emotional pieces.

Bust: Never been busted.

Waist: Not want not.

Hips: Don't lie.

Ambitions: Work hard at what I love most and try impossibly to make everyone happy at the same time. To live a life less ordinary but simple ... make music that make me happy and that I am proud of, always get better at my craft ..... travel the world ..... try most everything at least once ..... say someone "I Love You" & get slapped on the spot .... and of course to never regret a thing.

Turn-Ons: Fabulous style, the subtle details, touching poetry, innocent smile.

Turn-Offs: Fake people, fake attitude, fake people who own fake attitude & forwarded e-mail.

I'm Hungry For: Good short stories, innovative quotations, amazing music documentary, melodious music, extra-ordinary lyrics, the forgotten places and of course the "Planet M" half-yearly sale.

Fondest Memory: The day I brought my first guitar with my OWN MONEY.

A Great Day Starts With: No waking up alarm.

Words To Live By: Stick like a postage stamp until you reach your destination!!

Now maybe you all are thinking that I'm this; I'm that. But frankly speaking, still I ain't successful to discover who I'm or the real-me. Though I am, indeed, a king because I know how to rule myself.