LIFE AS IT IS

Instead of having just one life, many of us these days have two lives - a real life and a virtual life. At times, it becomes difficult to separate the two. Sometimes, the virtual world takes over and our real life is left in shambles. Yes, this virtual world can give us good friends and good times, provide us with love and mental support in times of need, and work as a vent after a long, busy day. I am talking about networking sites, forums and Facebook groups.  However, as a member of one such online group, I feel that there  is a strong need to live both of these lives of ours, especially the real life, because that’s where a person has to return eventually… I took a 3-day break from my virtual life and in those three days, I walked every day, started reading a book, danced to music, followed the news, and talked with old friends over the phone. I connected with people who I can see, touch and hear. It felt good, it felt refreshing. I felt alive. I love the virtual world ...

Cooking at home is not always a pleasurable experience. You have to stand in front of a hot stove, do mental calculations before adding oil, salt and spices and in the end, if the taste of the food does not meet your expectations, you feel dejected. But home-cooked meals are and can be so much healthier, if you carefully choose your ingredients and their amounts. I see my friends and family eating out a lot more than they used to 5 or 10 years ago. Dhaka now has more restaurants than any other time in its history, and this can be one reason why people lunch and dine outside so much more frequently than they once used to. But are restaurant meals healthier than home-cooked meals? Most likely not. Yes, lunching or dining outside with friends and family is a wonderful experience, but having several restaurant meals each week is perhaps not. Here are some of the reasons why: When you cook at home you can control the quality of your food. You know exactly what ingredients in what quan...

I was watching an episode of Satyamev Jayate on YouTube last night. While watching it, I suddenly remembered my 2007 trip to India. I was taking part in a 6-nation youth leadership program. As part of that program, we paid a visit to a girls' orphanage in Faridabad, the largest city of the Indian state of Haryana. At Arya Kanya Sadan, we had a lovely time with little girls, who even danced and sang for the guests. We played with them, talked with them, hugged them and laughed with them. I was told that some of these children were abandoned by their parents because they were "girls" - their parents wanted male children and therefore abandoned them after their birth. I was thinking of these little girls a while ago and wondered where they must be now. Many of them are now in there teenage. I hope and pray that life showers them with tons of love and happiness. *This blog was written 2 weeks ago.