Story of a song: The Scientist (Coldplay)

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I've set you apart

Tell me your secrets
And ask me your questions
Oh, let's go back to the start

Running in circles
Coming up tails
Heads on the science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

Oh tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start

Running in circles
Chasing our tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard

I’m going back to the start

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Review about The Scientist:

powerful meaning | Reviewer: Amy | 11/25/10

you can relate to this song on so many levels.
It reminds me of when a very close friend of mine passed away, and how frustrating it was after almost a year of grief I couldn't get to go away.
I just wanted to go back to the way it was before. I was angry because no one said it would be that hard and I hated that I knew it could never be easy.
I felt like I was in a vicious circle, and just wanted another chance to have her in my life; I wanted another chance to tell her how perfect she was and how much we all needed her in our lives.
I searched for answers that there were never answers to and tried to believe I was getting better when my insides were always being torn away at.
I found the song really powerful and feel it goes deeper than people realize. There's so much more to love, and you don't know until you lose it.

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Story of a song: Warning Sign (Coldplay)

A warning sign,
I missed the good part then I realized,
I started looking and the bubble burst.
I started looking for excuses.

Come on in,
I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in,
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,
That I started looking for a warning sign.

When the truth is,
I miss you.
Yeah the truth is,
That I miss you so.

A warning sign,
You came back to haunt me and I realized
you were an island and I passed you by,
You were an island to discover.

Come on in,
I've gotta tell you what state I'm in,
I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,
That I started looking for a warning sign.

When the truth is,
I miss you.
Yeah the truth is,
That I miss you so.

And I'm tired,
I should not have let you go.

So I crawl back into your open arms.
Yes, I crawl back into your open arms.
And I crawl back into your open arms.
Yes, I crawl back into your open arms...

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Review about Warning Sign:

The truth is, I miss you | Reviewer: J | 12/28/10

This song remind me so much of a guy that I was in love with. He came into my life at a point I needed someone the most. We used to talk for hours every day, and all those sleepless nights together. He gave me so much, love and support, but most of all he gave me hope. He is truly an amazing person. I kept looking for a warning sign, I pushed him away and I hurt his feelings.
The truth is, I miss him so much. It kills me that what we had, I can never get it back. It's my all my fault. But, he gave me hope. Hope, that someone can love me for who I am. He's love for me just didn't last.

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Loveliness | Reviewer: A little fish in a big pond | 9/29/10

i've just recently learned how powerwful love is. love is what drives everything, even war. those soldiers fighting out there are not fighting because they hate the opposing forces. no, they are not fighting for that. they are fighting because they love their country. everyone who reads this, remember what love is. remember that love is what carries you to greater heights and it picks you up when you're down. and also remember that God gives you love for you to use at your own will. love is not only romance, but it is also friendship, family, and something to hold on to. dont EVER let go of the love that others give you, for love is more valuable than gold.

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Speaking Lamp (based on true story)

A boy was living in small harbor town. There was a girl in his school; they became friends, then good friends. But as they grew, their destiny took them to different journey. Boy became sailor and started exploring the sea. He spent most of the time in ocean and discovering new worlds, and rarely returned to that town.

After 10 yrs when boy was looking through telescope he found that same girl sailing through different ship. While talking with that girl after a long time, boy felt that she is the one he wants to see as his wife, as his companion. So, one day he proposed her, tell her to come to his ship through which they can sail the ocean of life, n find treasure of happiness. But she told him, she was committed to captain of the ship through which she was traveling. The captain was lost somewhere and she can’t leave that ship to its fate, she could only do one thing and that’s to wait for captain to come.

The boy was broken and thought he was all alone in huge ocean where no one can hear his screams. After crying for few days he got idea and from his magical power of imagination he created imaginary girl who is traveling with him to the destiny. He was happy with this new girl. Whatever he talked with that girl, he put that talks in the magical lamp which can be opened by magical spell he only knew. But as time flew he realized that as the new girl is imagination, he can only put his words in lamp but never get any word in return.

On other side, he felt regret for losing his dream-girl. In wild-goose chase to convince the real girl, he sent letters to her, but he didn’t get any word back. One day while exploring some unknown island, he realized that both girls are same, it’s single person only. The imaginary girl with whom he talks is not some imagination but talking with the same real girl. So, in fumbling he wrote down the magical spell to open the lamp on piece of paper and sent it to real girl.

After waiting for long time, he didn’t get any sign of words from that lamp. He didn’t know whether she got his spell, whether she had listen his words from lamp or not. He was broken again and as a last attempt to get her, he decided to go in the direction of that girl and meet her. While he was turning his ship, he found a net tangled with anchor. That net had bottle with piece of paper inside. He removed that paper and looked carefully; it had some golden word written on it like “If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil. And one can always come back. If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of star, you would find nothing on your return.”

He understood meaning of those words, and canceled the idea of changing path of journey. But he still speaks to the lamp. He doesn’t know to whom he is speaking when he puts his words to lamp. May be it’s that real girl, or imaginary or the lamp hasn’t found the person who can put words to that lamp rather than the boy. But it’s written in destiny of boy that the lamp will speak in return someday. It seems that boy is at the same place where he was before, with hope of words from that lamp. But from shoes of that boy, the path of journey seems much clear as lamp is emitting more light then previously. May The Path You Choose Be The Path Chosen For You!!!

~ Jaimin Patel

Wake up Youngistan: Adding values to life

Happy New Year or, rather, happy new decade! Writing a column at the onset of a new decade is daunting. One has to summarise the last 10 years and predict the next 10 in a limited space. However, the events that happened and the events that might happen are being covered enough. For me, the onset of the new decade is a good chance to reflect at how Indian culture changed, and should change in times to come.

A decade is a long time in an individual's life. Whether it is having a child, getting married, finishing your education or changing your job or cities, things must surely be different for you now from what they were in 2000.

However, 10 years isn't a long time when it comes to nations and societies. Cultures change for sure, but the shift in people's thinking, outlook and worldview is gradual. Our culture isn't just our food, arts and traditions. In a broader sense, culture defines us: who we are as people, how we aim to live our lives, what is acceptable or unacceptable behaviour and who in society is rewarded and punished. Most important, our culture contains the implicit rules by which we live - our values. Just as an example, one might say the United States values wealth, competition, individualism and religion. These are pretty much core to the essence of American society and culture.

When we think of Indian values, we normally think of personal values - such as family, religion and respect for elders. These things are notably Indian. However, ask someone to articulate Indian community values, and there won't be a clear answer. Do we value wealth or education? Do we value democracy where people have a greater say in how they are governed, or do we believe in power in the hands of a select few to whom the laws don't apply? Do we value honesty, or do we value getting a job done anyhow? Do we believe in frugality, or do we want to show off our wealth? Do we value our local communities, or do we value being part of India?

These questions have no easy answer. There are conflicting responses to any of these questions in the India we see around us today. Scholars, unable to account for this, make profound statements like 'there are many Indias within India'. Some romantic types even call it 'the beauty of India, where everything is unpredictable'.

I call it confusion. Values cannot be unpredictable, they are consistent, even in volatile times. The past decade was spent by Indian society in a muddled set of values. It is hoped in the next 10 years we do a 'values clarification', especially for the new generation. A clear set of values helps tell people what their lives are for and what is worth working for. Values tell people what is good and important. They bind society. Social scientists believe that without values, a society could disintegrate, a risk often present in India. Religious heads believe that without values, human life is meaningless and all the worldly pleasures will not lead to any satisfaction. Yes, a lack of good values is why scams happen, nepotism exists and the government doesn't care about its people. Core values are vital to any society and human being.

So why are we in such a confused state? Where have we gone wrong? Are Indians less moral, despite being the most religious in the world? No, we are perfectly fine people. The land where Buddha and Gandhi became icons, purely by the strength of their values, means ours is a society that understands goodness. The reason there is no concrete set of Indian values yet is that the concept of India itself is new.

Just over six decades ago, there was no India. We had a collection of princely states, with kings and queens, which the British ruled at gunpoint. When the latter left, we loosely stitched these together, cut off a large chunk with partition and labelled the result India. The only common value all these kingdoms shared was their wanting the British out. After that was achieved, another revised set of values was never fully agreed upon. In 60 years, India mixed, modernised and defined itself somewhat, but there is still a long way to go. Today, different subsets of society have their own set of values, which frankly doesn't help much at a national level and leads to what we have now: confusion.

As we enter the new decade, there will be prescriptions on how many roads, airports and power plants we need to build. Along with this infrastructure, we must spend time building our values. Leaders, opinion makers and all of us in our dinner table discussions should continue to bring up this single question: What should an average Indian live, work and strive for in his life?

At present, there is no easy answer. There is also deep cynicism. But if we keep looking, and contribute to the quest for the right answer, we will find it. The answer to this fundamental question will determine our Constitution, our laws and where we will go as a society and nation in times to come. India will grow economically in the next 10 years. But if we focus on our collective values too, it will truly be a happy new decade.

-Chetan Bhagat, Jan 1, 2011