Friday, August 03, 2007

The Elixir of Life

The Elixir of Life... a means to immortality or eternal youth!!

Well, don't worry I am not here to babble some alchemy stuff or things that are best left in the world of ancient lore, though they might sound interesting. But honestly before I delve much into my theory of the Elixir of Life, I guess a little history or recollection about the actual thing is asked for... the else the importance would be lost completely!!

The Elixir of Life is a legendary potion which if taken would grant the drinker eternal youth. A supposed myth bred by the ancient world of Alchemy, it's existence has still not been recorded. Though the myth has spawned quite a few books, the most popular in recent times being the the first book in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was later adapted into an immensely successful motion film.

Coming back to the main topic. At times I have thought about it. I dare say more so after reading the likes of Paulo Coelho, and somehow my train of thoughts being a weird much before that, Coelho just fueled it like never before. So, as I was saying my thoughts, assumptions and observations frequently guided me towards one and only one conclusion, the Elixir to Life is nothing but Happiness!! Surprised?? Or do I hear you saying, "I knew it was coming!!"?? Well, whatever it is, you have to tolerate me now!!

You see as per the laws of Alchemy anything could be created if one knew exactly how to mix the basic things available to mankind. Similarly, if one takes a close look at what constitutes to be happiness (am not talking of twisted/sadistic stuff here....) one would find it has varying degrees of love, affection, kind deeds, honourable intentions, honesty.. values which have been upheld by civil societies across the world, which form the guidelines of our moral existence. (In case, someone is thinking about the morality propagated by the "moral police" please, do not confuse..... that's twisted and vested interest driven.... nothing to do with society per se!!). Wondering about the truth of this statement??? Let me ask you a few questions:

1. When was the last time you smiled and why??

2. Name a gift that made you smile and why??

3. Why do you like to see someone special smile??

4. When was the last time you felt like dancing in the rain and why??

You may have gone through with all that I have mentioned here, but should you be able to answer the why... you'll know what I am talking about!! And frankly if your are happy, then you8 do stay young don't you?? Not only in the spiritual sense, but medically too!! Why do you think some people are all smiles, fit and fine despite being past 60?? That's why it is said, "Don't worry, Be happy". The quality of life is what matters the most. Tell me if I am wrong.... and do chuck you materialistic mental baggage before you start thinking about what I have written over here!! That's a request!!



"It doesn't matter how long you live, it matters how you live"

21 comments:

Occasional Brilliance said...

wn ws d last time i smiled...
ystrday... tanuj gt his appraisal... n it ws vry gud... m so proud f him...

name a gift tat made me smile n why...
d heart i gt 4m tanuj on my bday... 4 obvious reasons...

y do i lk 2 c sm1 special smile?
bcz it tkes my breath away...

wn ws d last time i felt lk dancin in d rain n y?
evrytime it rains... it mks me feel lk a kid...

well ritten... i luv d last line

The 'Mad' Orchid said...

Quite a thought Sam..
wel put up ive myslf hvng read The Alchemist can understnd the emotional stir to find wht actually my life has in store..mebbe im nt findin the rite wrds to put in my feelin nw bt sam can say one think i full agree u on the being non materialistic :D
n the Last lines makes me remembr one more thng.. '
We dunno live in years bt in deeds.'

Hmmm the answers..here goes
1. Whn was the last time i smiled n why - I smiled yesterday last..coz I was gettin unsaid happiness like nevr before n tht too not for jsut one reason...many were comin up...:d

2.Name a gift that made me smile n why - The teddy my best frnd gave me ystrday..becoz it the prolly the best way to show her love for me which i felt nevr before :)

3. Why do u like to see sumone special smile - simple bcoz it makes me smile too.. :)

4. when was the last time I felt like dancin in the rain n y - Each time it rains buddy...alwyz..I luv rains...they just speak my heart mind n soul out...:D

Wel written my frnd...kudos as usual..

Unknown said...

well the answers:
1)when was the last time i smiled and why?
--->umm around an hour back on seeing a very good friend of mine trying soo hard to make me laugh with his pathetic jokes.
makes me value people who seem to care .no matter how stupid and irritated i may be...

2)name a gift wch made me smile and why?
--->well, this may not exactly qualify the kinda smile u expect me to speak about because its the kinda smile wch shows up on ur face whn life decides to get ironical :)
neways it was this once when i had this huge breakup kinda thing n no it wasent for a silly reason but for a very strong one(callin it a breakup "kinda thing" cos till date havent realised wht it actually was n if its over or not) and he mailed me a box of chocolates soon after.(it wasent for makin amends but it was somethin he had got for me before the whole thing n wanted me to accept).the first reaction was i smiled at the irony wonderin wht he thinks of me to accept his gift after all that...the next immediate reation was ofcourse i got it couriered it right back to him...
3)why do u like to see someone special smile?
--->because thats the way i would always like them to stay---happy and smiling (from the heart mindya.the "confusing ppl" wala smiles not allowed here).:)
4)when was the last time i felt like dancing in the rain and why?
--->well...this one u know of sam :)
but inspite of all the motivation from u , still dint get about doin it :(

wonderful post yet again...keep up the good work!!
and ya the last line is my fav!i would rather live a short life being happy life than a long one unhappy :)

Łóòň Ġãĺ said...

Very thoughtful indeed :)

I would never have been able to put it so well ...

The answer to all the Why's is the same ... makes u feel happy ... a sense of satisfaction ... and achievment maybe?

And thats a beautiful line in red down there :)

Good work Sam .. am sorry I haven't been a regular here ... you are a wonderful writer !

x

Sam said...

Phew!! didn't expect such long replies... well ppl hang on while i reply you allone by one!!

@mann: well all said and done.. (i kind of expected the answers :D) it all makes you feel happy and makes you want to live doesn't it?? fills u up wid energy... and a desire to do things, is it not so??
isn't dats wot youth is all abt??

@mads: well... read more of his books and you'll realise that the alchemist is just a part of his entire way of looking at life.. teh road to san tiago, the zahir, teh witch of portobello... read 'em all!!
and yes teh same reply as that of mann is true for too!! :)

Sam said...

@priyanka: observe closely to all dat you said.. ti did make you happy.... i'll skip the chocolates for there is soemthing abt it dat i don't understand.. will ask u later!! as for teh rains... gosh!! u were so conscious of ppl calling you mad!!! but those things/thoughts did make you happy and feel better?? isn't dat's wot youth is supposed to make you feel??

@loon gal: ah!! der aaye par durust aay!! good to see you here girl!!
and i must say your answer is the best... (sorry ppl have to give her this one!!)... it made you happy!! and wot does happiness coz to you?? can you equate it with vigour, energy, zeal, enthusiasm that youth is supposed to bestow you with??

if so then... you know the secret!! enjoy the elixir!!

@everyone: thankz for appreciating this post.. wasn't sure how it is gonna turn out!! :)

The 'Mad' Orchid said...

Ty ty.. :)
Ya m gonna try out othr Paulo ones 4sure..first lemme finish wid Above average..looks like m religiously followin ur footsteps.. so i see myslf quite an intellect in times to come :d
Thxs again buds...luv n wishes

Anonymous said...

alright .. i didnt knw i was actually supposed to answer these questions lol

1) Smiled abt half an hour ago ... i was with my someone special at tht time .. and we were having a naughty conversation lol ..

2) A gift from the same someone special on my birthday ... a very precious classical book it was by Anne Frank ... sadly I could not take that book from him and he's saved it for me .. for the time I can take it home ..

3) Coz it makes me smile too .. and he's got a terribly cute smile ..!

4) I sound obsessed .. but these days its been raining a lot here ... infact flooding in some parts ... so it was when I was with him .. it was really chilly .. and then it started drizzling ... and that was when I actually felt like dancing .. but he's oh-so-posh and didn't let me!

am sorry again if i sound obsessed with him .. but somehow ...

and yeah thanks for voting my answer the best :)

IncorrigibleV said...

lovely post!!!
this made me smile too besides the million things in life that do, as for the answers here they are:

1) when was the last time i smiled and why?
i smiled last night..actually mornin today coz i actually made somebody smile, something i didnt think i cud do at the moment and i just loved it because u see i cudnt even see him smile...we were chattin :p:)
2)a gift that made me smile and why?
jamie...its a lil stuffed unicorn and was given to me by my frnd (cabmate)cabmate coz she thot i needed it to cheer up, i had cried the prev day in the cab for reasons unexplained...i smiled because i was happy that my smile meant so much to ppl around me and also it was an awfully sweet gesture....
another time when i got a gift and smiled was...when i got my Gini from Rajat...chk my post giggles galore
3)why do i like to see someone special smile?
i dont really see someone special smile...all the special ppl (mostly) who smile coz i can make em are not in front of my eyes at the time...
but its still the best feelin coz it makes me a happier person!
4)when was the last time i felt like dancing in the rain and why??
that happens everytime im out in the rains :P
but the last time was on friday when i was out with my friends and it started drizzling...the why here is hard to put in words but in one sentence i feel that its a message tellin me that the ppl i love are happy and that makes me immensely happy!! n sometimes its vice versa, i think that the ppl i love will come to know that im very happy and i want em to smile too.
phew long answers...u word everything so well, loved the post!

Keshi said...

thats a very HAPPY pic Sam...beautiful!

when was the last time I smiled? just now...looking at that pic :)

name a gift that made me smile? my mum's love.

why do I like to see someone special's smile? cos it makes me glad that they r happy.

when was the last time I felt like dancing in the rain and why? Just yday when it was pouring...cos for a change I wanted to feel the touch of the untamed.


Keshi.

david mcmahon said...

Someone famous once said: ``Is life worth living? It depends on the liver.'' VERY clever.

My elixir of life is based on the appreciation of the simplest things that life offers us.

Sam said...

@mads: u r alwys welcome!!

@l00nie: lol... well lady!! i don't blame you... it happens!! kabhi kabhi aisa bhi hota... koi gal nahi kudiye... lagey raho!! :)

@vands: u'll always be teh crazy one!! wodnerful anecdotes.. as for gini.. i think we did have our talk on dat, didn't we?? ;)

Sam said...

@keshi: thanx... dats mroe dan a year old.. but definitely a memorable one.. frnds from work.. and we had met after quite soem time at an office do!!
anywyz, ur list is so short adn ssweet!! i love it!!

Sam said...

Hi David,

Well said. That indeed is a very clever statement!!
As for your elixir.. i'l defintely raise a toast to that.. it is very simple, uncomplicated and beautiful!! :)

Cheers
Sam

Kalyan Panja said...

Those are very true words mate...Its very difficult actually to reason the 'why'...it all depends on the situation, the state of the mind at that moment and some only the mind can feel the ecstasy, but is very difficult to express in words. I believe as you have rightly said 'don't worry, be happy', so we should just get lost in the ecstasies of the things you have mentioned and it all depends on how we live our life!

Sam said...

exactly Kalyan!! that's how i blv we should lead our lives.... ideally!! a utopian though!! isn't it??

GuNs said...

Here's a little song I wrote,
Might wanna sing it note by note.
Don't worry, be happy.

Anonymous said...

lolzzzz.......... yeah!! i agree wid u!!

Phoenix said...

i am sorta addicted to smiling, and also using it as the one-for-all remedy, even in pain. So i keep bugging ppl to smile-come-what-may, because life has to be lived, howmuchever painfully, anyway!

Sam said...

dats teh spirit!! teh show must go on!!

Aashi said...

cute namesake......sorta ur kinda thing if i may say so.....


oh but i wonder if id getta read the benfits of jabbering soon.. ;)

u knw id luv tht post a

LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P