A Lone Stranger

Virtual vs real friends A recent survey says people are happier and laugh 50% more when talking to a friend face-to-face. So, it's safe to conclude that virtual friendships don't count any more It's the same scenario with most of us. We have hundreds of — some even have 1,000-plus — friends on social networking sites, but only a handful of 'real' ones. Real friends whom we hang out with, share personal details and spend quality time with. And yet, we keep chatting with our virtual friends on social networking sites almost on a daily basis, instead of nurturing real friendships. A recent survey concluded that virtual friends don't count. People are happier and laugh 50% more when talking to a friend face-to-face. Also, people find that the most satisfying relationships are with a handful of close friends, with an 'outer ring' of 10 significant others. Case in point Nicole Cyrus, 26, banker, has more than 800 friends on a social networking...

9 Things never to say to your child (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images) Being a parent is difficult and so is coming off as a proud child. It's only human to give vent to your rage by using harsh words. However, when the recipient of your outrage is your own child, it might have uncertain and unmanageable repercussions. We list 9 insensitive things that you should avoid saying to your child. 1. I was much more responsible when I was your age Comparing your child and giving him an example of what all you were capable of when you were a kid is the first big mistake parents make. Their irritation stems from 'expectations' - expectations of bringing up the 'perfect' kid. Try and recall your shortcomings as a child and what all troubles you bothered your parents with. You are the elder one in the relationship hence you ought to know more. A statement such as this will break your child's confidence. 2. You always end up taking wrong decisions Don't ...

The old Master instructed the unhappy young lady to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it. “How does it taste?” the Master asked. “Very bad” Said the lady. The Master then asked the young lady to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the apprentice swirled his handful of salt into the lake, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.” As the water dripped down the young lady’s chin, the Master asked, “How does it taste?” “Good!” remarked the apprentice. “Do you taste the salt?” asked the Master. “No,” said the young lady. The Master said, “The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the ‘pain’ depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things….. Stop being a glass. Become a lake!”