One of the most inspiring speeches ever

I have always been an Apple fan and have loved to use it'd products like no other. There is and will be only one Apple ever.

Today woke up to the news of Steve Jobs, retiring as the CEO of Apple. The amount of things Steve has done for Apple is unthinkable. It simply cannot be fathomed. We only wish him the best of health (though he is not in a very good shape), and good luck with the new role of the Chairman of the Apple board.

Here's one speech that was delivered by him at the Sanford University Commencement in 2005, and it has left a deep impression on me. I must have watched it quite a few times, but every time I do, I feel all the more charged up.



So long, Steve! You have been inspirational and a person millions across the world look up to!
You will be missed.

Some wonderful words...from Oprah

Just found this video. Liked it.


Oprah Winfrey, global media leader and philanthropist, spoke to the Class of 2008 at Stanford's 117th Commencement on June 15, 2008. Winfrey drew on experiences from a career that began in 1976 when she co-anchored a television newscast, and she shared three lessons about feelings, failure and finding happiness.

Fear - from Life of Pi

I read this a few years back, and it has stuck to me ever since. Chapter 56.

I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unerring ease. It begins in your mind, always. One moment you are feeling calm, self-possessed, happy. Then fear, disguised in the garb of mild-mannered doubt, slips into your mind like a spy. Doubt meets disbelief and disbelief tries to push it out. But disbelief is a poorly armed foot soldier. Doubt does away with it with little trouble. You become anxious. Reason comes to do battle for you. You are reassured. Reason is fully equipped with the latest weapons technology. But, to your amazement, despite superior tactics and a number of undeniable victories, reason is laid low. You feel yourself weakening, wavering. Your anxiety becomes dread.

Fear next turns fully to your body, which is already aware that something terribly wrong is going on. Already your lungs have flown away like a bird and your guts have slithered away like a snake. Now your tongue drops dead like an opossum, while your jaw begins to gallop on the spot. Your ears go deaf. Your muscles begin to shiver as if they had malaria and your knees to shake as though they were dancing. Your heart strains too hard, while your sphincter relaxes too much. And so with the rest of your body. Every part of you, in the manner most suited to it, falls apart. Only your eyes work well. They always pay proper attention to fear.

Quickly you make rash decisions. You dismiss your last allies: hope and trust. There, you've defeated yourself. Fear, which is but an impression, has triumphed over you.

The matter is difficult to put into words. For fear, real fear, such as shakes you to your foundation, such as you feel when you are brought face to face with your mortal end, nestles in your memory like a gangrene: it seeks to rot everything, even the words with which to speak of it. So you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you.

Inspiration

Of late I have been in this non-stop working mode.

One of the films that has hugely inspired me in my photography, the style and the subject is Born into Brothels. I have watched it multiple times and the desires to do something worthwhile in life always sets the adrenaline pumping high! The photographer went on to set up the organization Kids with Cameras.



Today was no different! I remember this kid, Avijit from the movie. Just learnt that this kid has now been admitted to the Tisch School of Arts, NYU. And that is such a great news!!!!!!
It inspires me for my project all the more.
"Avijit has been accepted to Tisch School of the Arts at NYU! To help fund his education expenses, he has selected nine of his photographs taken last summer in Calcutta and combined them into a stunning collection of postcards. On the back you will find Avijit's title and description of each photograph. Purchase this set of nine postcards and help Avijit realize his educational goals! "

The point I am trying to make is that there is a determination that can be seen in the photographer, the student and finally there are people in the world who are helping Avijit achieve his dreams.

What is more interesting but not significant, is that I was admitted there too (I did not make it there finally though). Wish I had, then I would be studying alongside him! :)