Dear All,

Life is difficult, thank God. The problems we overcome allow us to experience the richness of life and its
accompanying joy. Adversity adds spice to life and makes a wonderful teacher.

Before emerging from its cocoon, the butterfly has a fat body and folded, limp wings. It is hardly an image of
strength and beauty. It cannot free itself from the cocoon without a long struggle. As it pushes, strains, and
convulses, liquid from its body is forced into the veins of its wings. Bit by bit the wings extend and grow
stronger. Bit by bit an increasing amount of pressure is placed against the walls of the chrysalis. At last, a
slim Monarch with robust wings breaks free.

We are butterfly. Our cocoon is our comfort zone. Do you expect to break free without a struggle? Do you
expect to fly before extending and strengthening your wings? Can you see how the obstacles we face are not
our enemies but our friends? In short, a life without difficulties is a classroom without lessons.

Our physical eyes weaken as we grow older, but our spiritual eyes should improve with age. What was seen
as a devastating disaster in our youth, later appears as a less threatening but worrisome obstacle. As we
grow in experience and wisdom, worrisome obstacles become less fearful and are reduced to difficult
challenges. Later, difficult challenges are viewed as valuable lessons. And valuable lessons become wonderful
opportunities. At last, we reach the point where every ‘misfortune’ is seen as a blessing in disguise. Each
obstacle that comes our way is like a delicious fruit with a bitter skin. We don’t complain that we have to peel
it before we can enjoy it.

Adversity usually leads to loss of one kind or another. The greatness of our loss is determined not by what we
have lost, but by our prevailing attitude, for they who despair after losing little have lost much. But those
who remain courageous after losing much, lose little. After a disaster, it is not the amount of our remaining
belongings that counts, but the amount of our remaining strength, courage, and determination.

It is our attitude that determines whether we benefit from misfortune. The same furnace that melts gold also
hardens clay. With each affliction, those who have a hardened attitude grow harder, more callous, and
cynical. Yet, those who willingly allow themselves to be forged, hammered, and shaped by adversity,
endlessly grow into a better person, endlessly bloom into a flower to bright to behold.

with regards,

APM

Dear All,

Good Morning , I have received some reactions on the communications I am sending to impress the VISION
MISSION STATEMENT of Archivista.

Some of them , from unexpected quarter, are extremly posititive and encouraging. I have decided to continue
communicating to you.

There is a famous proverb - "People who promise things they never keep, are like clouds and wind that bring no
rain."

How true. !
A building without integrity may receive structural damage, or even collapse, in a storm. Similarly, people without
integrity are blown about by the winds of challenges and misfortune and destroyed for they lack the firmness,
solidity, and strength of character to weather any storm.

On other hand, when what people think, say, promise, and do all coincide, they have integrity. They have
unshakable character. They have our trust and respect. They also have a good reputation because they are
reliable and responsible. Integrity springs from the desire to do what is right. Don't be afraid to be different. The
rewards for doing so are many and include a growth in self-confidence and courage. You can easily identify ones
who hold and enjoy integrity.

Tasks become duties to those who embrace integrity. At the workplace, they don't 'put in time,' but cheerfully
carry out their responsibilities; they don't engage in destructive gossip, but build confidence, teamwork, and
morale; they don't abuse their privileges, but respect the company people, property and reputation. Similarly,
Integrity is the cornerstone of every business, organisation , marriage & family. The honesty and
respect partners bring to the relationship builds trust, confidence, and love. And when children arrive, they act as
role models, displaying how their thoughts, words, and actions remain consistent. And because they keep their
promises. Integrity should also be the centerpiece in our circle of friends.and work.

Here is a Paradoxical poem by Dr. Kent Keith that describes integrity beautifully --

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered…. Love them anyway !

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. ….Do good anyway !
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. ….Succeed anyway !
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. ….Do good anyway !
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. ….Be honest and frank anyway !
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with
the smallest minds. ….Think big anyway !
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. ….Build anyway !
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. ….Help people anyway !
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth….Give the world the best you have
anyway. !

With regards,

APM

Dear All,

Is human life just a dream, from which we never really awake, as some great thinkers claim? Are we submerged
by our feelings,
by our loves and hates, by our ideas of good, bad, beautiful, awful? Are we incapable of knowing beyond those
ideas and feelings?

Shakespeare says -

We are such a stuff

As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep…

And Joseph Conrad says-

A man that is born falls into a dream like a man who falls into the sea.
Is the reality we know a reality imposed to us by nature? Is the reality and the meaning of life a creation of men,
such as music,
or love or colors as science tells us that there isn't such things as music, harmony or colors in the physic world.
Just traveling
molecules: There is not, external to us, hot or cold, but only different velocities of molecules; there aren’t sounds,
callings,
harmonies, but just variations in the pressure of the air; there aren’t colours, or light, just electro-magnetic
waves.

Are we - and all living beings - just survival machines, blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules
known as genes,
as Richard Dawkins states? Are we incapable of knowing beyond the frames imposed to us by nature?

Is there any significance for life in a Universe of billions of stars that ignore us? Is there any significance for
life in an Universe whose dimensions and nature overcome our understanding?

Pascal, in the seventeenth century says -

When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity that lies before and after it,
when I consider the little space I fill and I see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I am ignorant,

and which know me not, I rest frightened, and astonished, for there is no reason why I should be here rather
than there.
Why now rather than then? Who has put me here? By whose order and direction have this place and time have
been ascribed to me?

But if we have purpose in life, then everything falls into place.

The Indian philosopher Patanjali has explained it beautifully - "When you are inspired by some great
purpose, some extraordinary project, all your
thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every
direction, and you find yourself in a new, great,
and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to
be a greater person by far than you ever
dreamed yourself to be."

with regards,

APM

Dear All,

Last week when I was talking to someone about leadership required in organization at various levels and in
society. The experience was people think 'reasons' rather than 'results' to be successful. The question then is -
what is leadership and can 'everyone' be a leader ?

"Leadership is not a private domain of a few charismatic men and women. It's a process ordinary people use
when they're bringing forth the best out of themselves and others. Liberate the leader in everyone, and
extraordinary things will happen". - Jim Clemmer. Perfect, so short but smart definition of leadership.

Leadership is a verb, not a noun. Leadership is action, not a position. Leadership is defined by what we do, not
the role we are in. Some people in 'leadership roles' only can perform as leaders, they are 'bosses' not leaders.
Conversely, many people who have no formal leadership role and yet are excellent leaders. In today's fast
changing world, we all need to be leaders.

To lead is to show the way by taking an initiative. To lead is to guide or direct a course of action. To lead is to
influence the behavior or opinion of others. We all need to be leaders, regardless of our formal title or role. The
process of becoming a leader is the same as the process of becoming a highly effective human being.
Leadership development is personal development.

It would be easy if we could all become leaders by following a simple set of steps. But the journey of personal
growth means finding our own way. Strong leaders are well-rounded and constantly expanding their personal
growth around some key Leadership Principles :

# Choose Not to Lose.

Whether we choose to focus on our problems or our possibilities is a key leadership issue. When we are faced
with obstacles and failure, those who can overcome adversity and learn from their experiences, turning them into
opportunities, are the ones who will be successful.

# Focus and Context - The core of my being.

Our Focus and Context is shaped by three vital questions: Where am I going? (my vision/our vision); What do I
believe in? (my principles and core values) and; Why do I exist? (my purpose or mission).

# Responsibility - ‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me’.

Leadership means accepting responsibility for our choices in life. They refuse to succumb to the "Victimitus
Virus" ("it's all their fault" and "there's nothing I can do").

# Authenticity. Leadership isn't just what we do, it's something that we are, which then drives what we do.
Genuine leadership comes from within. It's authentic, and based on honesty, integrity, trust and ensuring
consistency with our stated values and principles.

# Passion and Commitment.

Successful people are energized by a love for what they do because it brings them ever closer to who they are.
They overcome apathy and cynicism, develop a burning commitment to their cause, and with discipline achieve
their dreams and desires.

# Growing and Developing - From a phase of life to a way of life.

True and lasting security comes from constant growth and development (reflection and renewal).

# Mobilizing and Energizing. Putting emotions in motion.

Leaders don't motivate with rewards and punishments. They engage people's hearts as well as their minds. They
get them involved and participating. They actively nurture the "being" or culture of the group, not just the "doing".

The more the world changes, the more leadership principles stay the same. Leadership principles are timeless.
And they apply to all of us, no matter what role we play in society or organizations.

with regards,

APM