Ten things I know for sure

In her a column of her magazine Oprah Winfrey wrote: We are all the causes of our own effects, …That’s why I’ll never stop asking the question, ‘What do you know for sure?'” Every month she asks this question to various people and gets some interesting answers.

I decided to answer the question myself. So here are 10 things that I know for sure (my apologies for the paraphrase in some cases):

1. Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.
2. Kindness is like a boomerang – it always comes back.
3. Don’t live in the past.
4. Forgiveness sets a prisoner free – that prisoner is you.
5. Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.
6. What you focus on increases.
7. To be without dreams is to be without hope.
8. Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
9. You must have sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.
10. Gratitude is the only way to multiply the blessings you have.

Please let me know what are the ten things you know for sure, either by commenting on my blog or using the contact form I’ll add your inputs to this post (with your permission, of course).

Updated with your inputs
Things YOU know for sure (the views expressed below may not be in sync with mine, I’m merely reproducing responses I have received):

The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker : I know for sure that we do get whatever we truly wish for. I wish I also knew for sure, that goodness always wins in a fight between good and evil.

b. Vidya Sury –

1. We are responsible for the way we feel. The choice is in OUR hands
2. Love works – being harsh does not
3. God exists – in everyone. It just takes time to recognize the existence
4. Miracles do happen – everyday. It just depends on our frame of mind to accept this, or not.
5. Nothing is impossible – we just need to adjust our state of mind regarding the priorities
6. Love and hope actually conquer the biggest uncertainties
7. You gotta have faith. The positive outlook multiplies the effort, effortlessly
8. Meditation helps
9. How bad or good life is – depends on your perception
10. I am happy 🙂

c. Just call me ‘A’
There is a corner in my heart that knows the truth, however I may justify everything else in my life.
Everyday is a new day, new possibilities.
Love is a many splendoured thing
Good friends are like family – pillars of strength
If you believe you can, you can!

d. Punam

1. That when you think you have been cheated and no one cares, there is one person who is doing the talking for you in his own sweet way, and that is, God.
2. That when you are hurt, there is nothing you can do, except let time flow by. Time heals all.
3. That when you do someone good, that goodness returns to you through the circle of life someday in some other form.
4. That truth heals and frees you from all bondage.. sweet sweet truth.
5. That you are nothing without your family. The rest, the whole world doesn’t matter, but family, the ones close to your heart, do. And when they know that you are on the ‘right’ side of things, you get the power to defy the whole wide world.
6. That when you follow rules in life, it becomes easier.
7. That good moral values and principles are the greatest form of education.
8. That the richest and most expensive treasure is a big chest of elders’ blessings.
9. That eating healthy is valuing and respecting your own life.
10. That respect yourself, only then, the world will respect you.

e. Mysticalme

1. Love and compassion are two word affirmations for me…with them I feel connected to many souls.
2. I know i am not perfect.
3. I believe in intuition and follow my heart and most of the time i have been blessed with what I desired.
4. Loving myself is the only way that makes life more beautiful for me and for those around me.
5. I love life…and I do everything in my power to live each day to my very best.
6. Learning never stops for me..even now when I see the world so full of opportunities..I wish to learn new things..though time does not permit much..but I try.
7. I don’t give up easily.
8. Letting go..is the hardest thing for me to follow…it’s not easy.

f. Indyana Diaries

• That whatever happens is always,eventually for the best!
• Pain becomes bearable if you turn to God!
• Sometimes the best solution to a problem is to just to let go,and things will fall into place!
• There is nothing more important than family,hold onto each other!
• Love does in fact, heal all!
• Forgive and forget, and life will be sweeter!
• Take care of your health and peace of mind,they are your true treasures!
• Prayer and believing God is with you,is the best stress buster!
• It is very important to be able to depend on yourself
• Be positive and things turn out well!
• Thank you for this opportunity…it was fun,and a nice eye opener!

g. Ani

1. True friends are very hard to find.. when do find them.. that means you are lucky.. appreciate
2. Don’t dwell in the past.. all of us makes mistakes.. but to forgive and move on is the key ..
3. Don’t forget to smile or try to give up your hobbies or passion.. because finally you will end up realising that it wasn’t worth it after all to give that up..
4. Be optimistic and have hope and faith in what ever you do.. there is something that is being controlled by the person above us.. all one needs to do is give it the best shot all the time..
5. Love.. people are lucky to know that there is someone who loves and cares about them.. if you love someone do tell them.. don’t hold it back.. some of us aren’t that lucky.

h. Gopal M S

1. The search for better war tools takes humanity forward more than anything else.
2. The new will overtake the old.
3. The new will soon become old.
4. Humans will never treat each other as equals.
5. Men will never treat women as equals.
6. Everything that we do and learn in life is just a preparation for us to rear our children.
7. There is no life after death. This life is all we have. Make the most of it.
8. There is no god or gods.
9. All beliefs change with time.
10. Everyone thinks that what he or she believes is the best thing. And we are usually wrong.

i. Madhavi

1. Being true to yourself and others is a solution to many problems.
2. Fear stops your from giving your best.
3. Wisdom is about being fair to everyone and yourself.
4. When you feel hurt, make a resolution that you will not be the cause of hurt to someone.
5. If it is the truth, say it, even if it hurts.
6. Mistakes are harsh but great teachers.
7. There is no joy equal to joy of learning a fact of life.
8. When you feel sad for others’ sadness, God will show you a way to do your bit for them.
9. Patience pays off handsomely.
10. Lethargy is a sin.

j. Nymphea Reddy

1. Give your best to the world and don’t expect anything in return; if you do get something back – it’s a bonus for you & rejoice in that.
2. Every drop counts in the ocean of life, so keep dropping your drops.
3. Many a time, we know the answers; sometimes we need someone to speak it aloud.
4. If you love someome, let them go. If they do not come back they were never yours. If they do come back, you will always be together.
5. Every day is special. Pull out the good stuff and celebrate it.
6. Life has been good to you; now is the time to return it back to society – involve yourself in social work.
7. Life laughs at you when you are unhappy. Life smiles at you when you are happy. But life salutes you when you make others happy.
8. Two thoughts that decide your attitude in life – one, what you think of yourself when you do not have everything and two, what you think of others when you have everything.

k. Usha Pisharody

1. Dreams do come true.
2. Miracles happen!
3. Love can, and is perhaps the only force that can change the world. Nothing else works!
4. If you can respect and love yourself, nothing else matters. But to honestly be able to say that.. well.. it means really living.
5. Children are the best teachers.
6. We are all connected in some way or the other. [I absolutely agree with Richard Bach on that, on how we bring certain things into our life, events, people, because they were meant to]
7. Reading makes a huge difference in making a man. [that is a chauvanistic proverb, but what the heck, it makes sense!!]
8. Making wishes, yearning is good for the spirit!
9. Faith and Hope will get you through your darkest days. Never but never lose faith, whether it be in the Power that is, and you thought was, and the one that will Always Be.
10. Life is never predictable!