Watching The Avengers, I was struck by Robert Downey Junior holding an activised metal object to his chest before he transforms into the Iron Man. Famous Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore's verses came into my mind...Aguner Poroshmoni Choao Praney (hold the magical stone of fire to your heart)...that verse has inspired generations of Bengali-speaking populace. It is the quintessential self-motivating thought that one can adopt. It means rekindle the fire in your heart, tap the fire in your belly, ready yourself for the ordeal by fire, it's better to burn out than to rust out, and so on. Tagore, being a brilliant poet, knew how to string words to have lasting effect. Life often bogs you down, but we need to remind ourselves to look at the larger picture, that it's a totally different world outside our little shell of misery, and how life is full of opportunities to smile rather than be gloomy. All one needs to do to break the cycle of despair, which is often a result of loneliness and fear, is to get up and take a walk, feel different, and come back a happier person.
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