Out of mouth of babes

It seldom happens that you get to hear something so deep from someone so young. Here is a poem by my younger sister Vani. Its amazing how a ten year old can articulate her emotions and craft them into a poem. (Reprinted with permission)

A poem for sm1........
Far away, some miles away
Across a valley, a narrow way
In deep oceans
There is a question

In a small cottage
Lived a girl
Who was so good
So she got a pearl

The pearl was so shiny and so bright
For it, she could close her hands very tight
She loved the pearl more than her life
So god gave her a wish and made the pearl alive

They played all the day
With lots of gay
But as the girl grew
She stayed with her few(time)

As the time passed
It was all very fast
She left the pearl alone
And attended her phones

She was so busy
That it wasn't easy
She scolded pearl a lot

The god saw this
And took back her wish
She was so sad
For she found pearl dead

She was sorry for her behavior
As the punishment was so severe
But now they were like cup; plate, needle; thread
She loved her again and it was the story's end

If you got my message
What I wanted to convey
Else search for it
I would always wait

Introduction

One of the many things my mathematics teachers have taught me to appreciate is that many things in life are not as important or as different as they seem. In short, many times, its "Just a notation". And this is something that really helped me fore go many uncalled for notions. They taught me patience.

An important thing that we do in mathematics is to check the existence of the structure on which we build theory and give arguments. Obviously, if everything follows from the previous but the previous does not exist, then all the talk makes no sense. It goes like this- If there's no water, you'll die. And the reasoning is legitimate, but perverse- "If there's no water, then you can't swim; If you can't swim, you'll drown; And if you drown, you're dead!"

Many times in life it happens that I feel there are endless number of problems, and that there's no way out. But then, its always good to rethink if its really a problem! You heard of that joke of Big Bob and the Bus conductor? My father told it to me. So there's a bus and a bus conductor, and the bus travels around and stops at a bus stop. A skinny conductor opens the door to see a big fat, huge guy boarding his bus. As everyone is settled, the conductor goes around to collect for tickets. When he come to the big man, the man replies,"Bib Bob doesn't buy ticket". The conductor feels helpless and leaves. The next day, Big Bob arrives, and the same story is repeated, with Bib Bob saying,"Big Bob doesn't buy ticket". This continues for a few more days, when finally, the conductor, very distressed decides to confront Big Bob. The next morning, when everyone is settled, the conductor goes to Big Bob, and he says,"Big Bob doesn't buy ticket." The conductor is all angry, and loosening his tie, he asks,"Why shouldn't you buy a ticket?". Big Bob replies,"Big Bob has a bus-pass"!!!

So first make sure that there really is a problem.

For all this and much more, cheers to my instructors!