Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: October 2013

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

CHILD AND BABY CARE - MODERN PARENTING - THE “CARING AND SHARING” APPROACH

CHILD AND BABY CARE

MODERN PARENTING

THE “CARING AND SHARING” APPROACH

An “Inspirational” Story

VIKRAM KARVE

Here is an apocryphal “inspirational” story.

The inimitable Mulla Nasrudin and his wife attended a workshop on Modern Parenting.

It was emphasized that bringing up children is not the duty of the mother alone and the father too must contribute and participate in parenting.

“Parenting is a shared activity – the husband must realize that half the baby is his!” the speaker said while pontificating on the virtues of caring and sharing in parenting.

On the way home after the parenting workshop, inspired by the lectures, Mulla Nasrudin told his wife that he would henceforth share half the parenting chores of their small newborn baby with his wife.

Later that night, when Nasrudin and his wife were sleeping, the baby started crying.

Nasrudin’s wife turned to him and said, “Husband, go take care of the baby. You agreed to share parenting duties. Remember what they told us at the parenting workshop – that husband must realize that half the baby is his – so since half the baby is yours please go and stop the baby’s crying.”

Nasrudin sleepily remarked, “Yes, half the baby belongs to me and half the baby belongs to you. So, you can go stop your half from crying if you want – but I choose to let my half to continue to cry.”

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Did you like this story?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
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Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Monday, October 28, 2013

WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY

ARE YOU LEAVING BEHIND A LEGACY

Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

Continued from my previous blog post:

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/art-of-living-quality-of-life.html

(click above link to open in another window, but remember to come back here)

In my previous blog post on the QUALITY OF LIFE we talked about the four domains of human needs:

1. To LIVE

2. To LOVE

3. To LEARN

4. To Leave a LEGACY

I am sure you have lived a good life, you have loved someone, you have learnt a lot by studying hard in school, college and are ever eager to learn every day of your life, but tell me - have you ever thought about leaving behind your legacy?

Let us talk a bit about this.

While I write this I am listening to melodious old Hindi film songs playing on Vividh Bharati.

This wonderful music is the LEGACY left behind by those legendary Music Directors of yesteryear.

Creative persons leave behind a rich legacy for posterity.

Creative Writers leave behind literature in the form of wonderful books for us to read.

Artists and Painters create works of art and paintings.

Musicians have left behind great music compositions for us to enjoy.

Yes, it is the creative persons who leave behind the richest and most enduring legacy for posterity.

Next come the inventors, who leave behind their inventions as their legacy for the benefit of mankind.

Take any field of science, engineering and technology.

Thousands have worked in various fields.

Most spend their lives working for money.

But those who have left behind a legacy in the form of their inventions and discoveries and remembered forever. So many theorems and laws and products are named after their inventors.

Many Industrialists and Entrepreneurs have left behind their legacies in the form of the great organizations they built up.

Some rulers created beautiful legacies like monuments and gardens and became immortal.

(Whenever you look at the Taj Mahal or any wonder of the world or any magnificent structure, can you not but think of its creator?)

Many Politicians have left behind Political Parties and Political Ideologies and Writings as their legacy.

Social Reformers and Academicians have left behind great Ideas and Institutions as their legacy.

Military Leaders have left behind their Strategies, Tactics and Hypotheses as their legacy to the world and Management Thinkers have innovated Management Theories and Tools for the benefit of posterity

Some have left behind their memoirs, their academic works, their philosophies, their knowledge, even their administrative innovations for which they are remembered.

Those who leave behind a legacy are remembered.

Those who do not leave a legacy are soon forgotten.

Whichever field you work in or wherever you are – ask yourself: What is the legacy you are going to leave behind in the world?

Well, as far as I am concerned, my Blog is my Legacy.

Yes, today you can leave your legacy in cyberspace too.

In fact, your legacy may be more accessible and enduring in the cyber-world (than in the real world) because internet is here to stay for a long time.

Tell me, isn’t it easier to access information on the internet rather than in print literature?

Isn’t it easier to read a blog online than to obtain a book?

If you merely live, love and learn you will be soon forgotten but it you leave a legacy you will be remembered for a long time

(It is like when I hear a melodious song I remember the singer and music director who composed the piece, or when I see a beautiful painting I remember the painter, or when I read an engrossing book I remember the author).

Dear Reader: I know you have LIVED, you have LOVED, you have LEARNED – but have you created a LEGACY?

Do tell us about the legacy you plan to leave behind for posterity.

Tell us: What is your LEGACY?

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

Did you like this article?

COCKTAIL ebook

Twitter: @vikramkarve

ART OF LIVING - QUALITY OF LIFE

ART OF LIVING

QUALITY OF LIFE

Four Aspects that constitute the Quality of Life

Monday Morning Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

I am sure you must have heard of the term: QUALITY OF LIFE

Let us explore the meaning of this term and discover what exactly constitutes “Quality of Life”

FOUR ASPECTS OF LIFE

There are four things we all strive to do in our life:

1. to live

2. to love

3. to learn

4. to leave a legacy

FOUR DOMAINS OF HUMAN NEEDS

In fact, these are the Four Domains of Human Needs

1. To LIVE comprises needs in the Physical Domain

2. To LOVE comprises needs in the Social Domain

3. To LEARN comprises needs in the Intellectual or Mental Domain

4. To leave a LEGACY comprises needs in the Spiritual Domain

QUALITY OF LIFE

In order to enjoy the fullest Quality of Life you must satisfy all these four types of needs.

We all know how to live, how to love and how to learn, and we do spend time and effort doing these three things.

But how many of us are concerned about leaving our legacy for posterity?

You live, you love, you learn, but are you leaving your legacy?

Think about it - what is your legacy?

How do you leave your legacy?

Well, I will talk about it in my next blog post.

Till then, have a Happy Monday and a good week ahead.

Wish you an excellent Quality of Life.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

Did you like this story?

COCKTAIL ebook

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Friday, October 25, 2013

ARE YOU A MAGNANIMOUS BENEVOLENT AND HOSPITABLE PERSON - Then Read The Story of THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL

ARE YOU A MAGNANIMOUS BENEVOLENT AND HOSPITABLE PERSON?

Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

When I was a small boy someone told me a fable.

It was an apocryphal teaching story of an Arab and his Camel.

I remember this insightful fable even today.

Whenever I feel too magnanimous generous and benevolent, I tell myself this story and I try to apply the “moral of the story” in my life whenever the need arises.

Are you a magnanimous, benevolent and hospitable person?

Then you too need to read the story of the Arab and his Camel.

THE STORY OF THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL

It was a cold winter night.

An Arab was resting in his tent.

He had tied his Camel outside.

Suddenly his camel peeped inside the tent.

“What is it?” the Arab asked.

“Master, it is very cold outside. Please allow me to put my head inside your tent,” the Camel said.

The kind master took pity on the poor animal and agreed to the camel’s request.

“Okay, put your head inside the tent,” the Arab said to his camel.

The camel put his head inside the tent.

A little later, the camel asked, “Master, my neck feels very cold. Please let me put my neck inside your tent as well.”

Once again the master allowed him to do so.

Next, the camel asked if he could put his forelegs inside the tent.

Once again the compassionate master agreed.

Then the camel wanted to put his chest, then his back, then his hump inside the tent.

The Arab agreed to all this.

This went on and on.

The camel asked, and his master, the Arab, agreed.

Soon the entire camel was completely inside the tent.

But now the tent was too small for both the master and the camel.

They both struggled to remain inside the overcrowded tent.

There was a scuffle and the much stronger and bigger camel pushed his master out of the tent.

Now the Camel slept comfortably in the warm tent while his Master shivered outside in the freezing cold.

Yes, the Arab, the Master, was pushed out of his own tent by his Camel.

MORAL OF THE STORY

You should be careful before you extend your hospitality lest your guests take undue advantage of your magnanimity and generosity.

This fable teaches us lessons at both the macro as well as micro levels.

MACRO LEVEL MORAL - The Problem of REFUGEES, MIGRANTS and SETTLERS

Let us see a “macro level paradigm” ramification.

Suppose there is a war ravaged or strife torn country where there is so much violence that the life of citizens is in danger.

As a humanitarian gesture, a benevolent neighbouring country may open its borders to allow refugees to come in and live in safety.

Some countries may allow immigration of foreigners as a gesture of goodwill.

In other cases illegal immigrants may enter another country and settle down there.

The “host” country may be charitable not to deport them.

Many “magnanimous” countries have such “guests”.

Soon the number of these “guests” becomes substantial enough to cause demographic change.

Now like the “Camel” in the story, the “guests” may soon throw out the “host” from his own “tent”.

Even if they don’t evict the “host” out of his own “tent” - these “guests” may make life uncomfortable for the “host” in his own “tent” just like the Camel did to the benevolent and hospitable Arab during the fable before pushing him out of the tent.

Refugees and migrants, legal and illegal, take undue advantage of their host country and start dominating the original inhabitants - and, sometimes, like the camel in the story, these immigrants may even succeed in evicting the original inhabitants from their homeland.

MICRO LEVEL MORAL - “Guests” who overstay their welcome

At a micro level this can happen in your own home.

I have seen so many “guests” who overstay their welcome and so many who take undue advantage of the magnanimity of their “hosts”.

Let is see a few apocryphal examples.

THE BENEVOLENT HOUSE OWNER AND THE UNGRATEFUL TENANT

I have seen a case where a benevolent big-hearted person rented out his new locked-up house to a friend who was in dire need.

The owner was in a transferable job and served all over India while his friend stayed as a tenant in his house.

Many years later, when the house owner retired and wanted to settle in his own house the ungrateful tenant refused to vacate and the hapless owner had to live on rent in another house.

CUCKOO - STEALING AFFECTIONS - THE MARRIAGE BREAKER “GUEST”

I have heard a story, maybe apocryphal, about a guest stealing affections of her host’s husband.

A compassionate caring kind-hearted woman invited a cousin sister to live with her in her home in the city, since her newly arrived cousin sister was finding it difficult to find an accommodation in the city where she had found her first job.

The scheming cousin sister responded by seducing and stealing the woman’s husband.

Finally, the wily cousin sister settled down with the woman’s husband and the hapless kind-hearted woman was turned out of her own house.

Yes, like in the Arab and Camel story, the woman was turned out of her own house (and marriage) by her “guest” - her own cousin sister to whom she had been so magnanimous and hospitable.

LESSON TO BE LEARNT

This fable has a lesson to all of us that you must not be too magnanimous, benevolent and over-generous in extending your hospitality.

Be careful, otherwise there is a danger that you may become a “guest” in your own “home”.

Before you extend your hospitality to anyone, remember the story of the Arab and the Camel.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

CHILD AND BABY CARE - MODERN PARENTING - THE “CARING AND SHARING” APPROACH

Monday, October 28, 2013

WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY

ART OF LIVING - QUALITY OF LIFE

Friday, October 25, 2013

ARE YOU A MAGNANIMOUS BENEVOLENT AND HOSPITABLE PERSON - Then Read The Story of THE ARAB AND HIS CAMEL

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