This post is a compilation of the best online reads I found during the week. These thought have made an impact on me, have moved me a few miniscule measures closer to becoming the person I am meant to be. The post also gives links to my own posts written during the week, if you’ve missed reading them, or if you’d like to read them again, here they are. Yes, I do self promote.

Dish #1:

What makes people stronger? Kimberly Novosel recently discovered that Wavering– the act of losing and regaining balance, makes people stronger. Do read.

Dish #2:

We all know people who are inspiring. But just how does one inspire others? Read ten simple ways you can inspire people to be their best at 10 Ways to Inspire Others. Find more insights and inspiration on the Facebook page of The Unbounded Spirit. ( Aside: Don’t you just LOVE the name?)

Dish #3:

Purba Ray is a well- known blogger whose sparkling wit and humor have given me the gift of many a belly laugh. Her lance- like satire has often given me the indefinable solace that one gets when one feels avenged. Last week she penned something poignantly sensitive; something with which I found deep resonance. It was something I would have written if I were away from my beloved country for a while.An excerpt:

An emotionally charged nation, whose people never shy of expressing rage, helplessness, unsolicited opinion – and joy is broadcast through loudspeakers. I would wake up with a start to namaz at 4.30 in the morning, followed by loud hahahahas emanating from the neighbourhood park and finally the gurbani. I sampled chaat from every thelewala at every gol chakkar unmindful of diarrheal threats. I shopped for kurtas in block-print, dupattas in vibrant colours, saris from Kolkata because I was dying to show off our beautiful textiles and weaves to friends in Australia. When my friends hugged me tight and said they missed my laughter, I had trouble holding back my tears. 

Read more at Bharat Milap.

Dish #4:

One third of the world’s population lives off-grid, not by choice but by circumstance. Buying kerosene for lighting can consume up to 20% of a family’s income. But it’s not just the cost and fire risk that’s a problem. The World Health Organisation say inhaling the fumes of kerosene is the health equivalent of smoking two cigarettes per day.

7 steps from kerosene to gravity

Solar Aid challenged the design company Therefore to develop an L.E.D. lantern for Africa replacing the financially crippling and dangerous kerosene lamp that so many developing communities depend on. The product of the work is the Gravity Light which provides a gentle light for 30 minutes and a more intense reading light for 20 minutes simply by raising a weight.

The lamp currently costs less than £6 ($10), has no running costs, no battery and nothing to replace. The $10 investment a family makes is recouped in about 3 months without the need for kerosene. The design team think that in a big enough production line the gravity light can be manufactured for as little as £3 ($5). Watch how the light works on this video: http://vimeo.com/53588182

Dish #5:

Sid Balachandran is a tale weaver- and how! He writes stories which take you into the heart of the action- of which there is a-plenty. I came across him recently- my loss. I was delighted to find his blog studded with the gems of riveting stories. And you never realize when they go and make a home for themselves in your heart and mind. Weird alchemy! Here is an excerpt from one of his stories:

The pitter patter of the raindrops against the window almost drowned out the sound of Gary’s fingers furiously tap-dancing on the keyboard. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the rumbling of the thunderous clouds. This was an unnecessary distraction he thought. Yes, the regional meteorologists had warned about the chances of sudden rains, but then again, they were almost always wrong. And in the three long years he’d been here, the “predicted rain” had never materialized.

Read more at Petrichor In the Desert

Dish #6:

Ruchira Shukla loves to travel. Indomitable, unbeatable and invincible are the words that spring to my mind when I think of her. She inspires me deeply by her courage and persistence. She is currently writing a series of posts on Japan. This is what she says of her reason for writing the series:

In many ways, Japan still remains a mystery to the rest of the world.

For here, the ancient and the modern not only coexist but seem to do so in great harmony. The land of the rising Sun is as comfortable with its bullet trains and cutting edge technology as it is with Zen and Geishas.

Japan has a unique culture, with its own peculiarities and quirks that seem natural to the Japanese but intrigue and surprise all foreigners.

Through my ‘Japan and I’ series, I attempt to talk about the Japan I saw and experienced!

Read more on her post about The Japanese and the Art of going Dip Dip Dip!

Dessert:

1. Have You Ever Been Sad?: Who hasn’t? How do you deal with it? Read in this post of quotes in which other people- some famous some not yet famous- tell us how they have dealt with it.

2. Spaced Out!: A guest post by Rachna Parmar who blogs at Rachna Says.

3. Happiness On Command: A beautiful video that shows how you can call forth your happiness at will.

 How has your week been? What did you learn?

Picture Mine
Picture Mine

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Disclaimer: These links and posts are NOT sponsored, as in, I wasn’t paid for putting them up. Of course, if you’d like to pay me, I am not at all averse to being compensated.

This is the first post in this series. Be warned, there are plenty more where this came from!