This gift caught my attention

Dear Readers,

This gift is cute, it smells divine - ylang-ylang, coconutoil, neem and tulsi are its main ingredients. This Holy Lama Yogi Soap was thoughtfully gifted to me by 'A' who had been to Kerala on a short trip. I am loathe to use it and see it disappear down the drain (so to speak).

But what caught my attention was that Holy Lama (Vaishali industries), Kerala is an all women enterprise, it generates employment for disadvantaged women. I haven't seen the conditions the women work in, but I am hoping they work in good comfortable hygienic conditions. If so, more power to them!

Have a nice Sunday.
Best,
Lubna

Please will you vote for my poem?

Dear Readers,

I jotted this poem several weeks ago, while I was at home recovering. Seven poems seem to have been shortlisted, mine is one of them.

Please will you hop across here

or paste the url below in your browser

http://www.booksinsync.com/freeauthorcontests/poetrycontest.html

and vote for my poem - 6, only if you think it is good enough. Would appreciate your time.

Image courtesy

There is no fancy prize, but it would be nice to win as I love writing. The voting is on, only for the next few days, upto May 27. I promise it will not take more than a few minutes.

PS: Well, the results are out and I didn't win. But it was loads of fun participating. Thank you all, for your encouragement and for your votes.

Thanks,
Lubna

The Personal Fudge Factor?

Dear Readers,

Can you honestly say that you have never cheated? One may perhaps like to think that one is squeaky clean and above board, but this could be because of the Fudge Factor.
Forbes, First Anniversary, India Edition is a delight to read. Some of the people whom I look up to such as Mohd Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, Arun Maira, who decided to join the Planning Commission, Subroto Bagchi, Vice Chairperson and Gardener at Mindtree Limited and one of my favourite people, Soli Sorabjee, to name a few, have all contributed to this edition.
I've read a few articles and am yet to read others. So far, it is an article by Dan Ariely, Prof Behavioural Economics, Duke University that made me sit up and think.
I have often wondered why good people cheat. Perhaps they don't realise it, or perhaps they have rationalised their action. Perhaps even I may have cheated and rationalised my action, so that today, I have to scratch my head and think hard, when I question myself: Have I cheated.
Dan Ariely explains: A lot of people cheat just a little bit. They cheat only to the extent they can continue to feel good about themselves and rationalise their action. You can call it the Personal Fudge.
Well Personal Fudges committed by a lot of good people, little at a time, all the time, really damages our society.
Perhaps we need to step forward carefully and weigh in each and every action of ours. Believe me you, a Personal Fudge may be palatable to us, but it would cause harm to our society and even to us personally, even if this isn't obvious immediately.
Dan's article has give the phrase: Look before you leap, a new meaning to me.

(I am a loyal reader of this magazine and the fact that I have many good friends there has not coloured my opinion, Forbes India is really amazing).

Have a nice weekend.
Best regards,
Lubna

My three favorite "pet" people

It is always so nice to come across a pet owner who would do anything for their pet.

I'd like you to meet Frankie

I was lucky enough to be gifted Frankie's delightful activity book as I passed by on Blog-Jog Day. I am sure, Barbara and Frankie have a lot to teach us, the most important being: Never give up!They are both so lucky to have each other. Barbara's book Frankie, the Walk n' Roll Dog is today a well known book which has got some amazing reviews.

I also want to talk about Annie, an artist in New Mexico, USA. Annie is an artist and a kind soul. She has taken in so many animals. Spike is on fluids right now and both Spike and Annie are being very brave about it and are taking it in their stride. Annie is so grateful to have Spike's company. You can meet them all here. By the way, Annie also has a cute little ETSY store, stop by and pick up something if you can.

Back in Mumbai, there is animal lover, Rajashree Khalap, who like Annie has dogs and cats as pets. Her blog with stories on how Indian street dogs were adopted and given a home, always makes me feel good. It is truly a treasure of Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's soul. You can read these stories sent in by animal lovers here.