I lost my leg when I was just six years old — a truck ran over me while I was walking on the road and before I could cry for help, life, as I knew it, had changed forever.

Awareness is true power. Use it properly and it will give you everything you need to succeed in life. Why is awareness so powerful? Because your mind has surrounded you like a maze.

Over the last few days that I have been in Italy, I have come to realise that I am living a completely different life.

As a lover of romantic films, I find the notion of ‘braveheart’ in the last week’s column very inspiring. Tell me how to become one in real life.”

It’s hard to explain how I feel after that near death-like experience. I wouldn’t deny that I consider myself lucky to have survived despite the close shave, but at the same time, I also feel extremely sad when I think of those who could not make it. Many of my fellow patients in the female ward of the cardiology department where I was admitted, were not so lucky on that horrible day.

True love is in short supply.”
— Seher, 18. “Everyone wants to take, no one wants to give”
— Vikram, 16, and oh, so many other loud complaints.

Okay, listen up. There are two kinds of love. The first is Love Ltd. — a dubious fly by night corporation with limited liability offer, subject to terms attached, conditions apply kind of love.

Yasin Merchant, One of India’s best-known snooker stars, called time on his career after 30 years. he recounts the gamut of emotions that triggered his decision to retire.

I try to be beautiful outside, I work hard on my looks, my attitude, my style. How do I make myself beautiful inside?” — Aarti, 23 years.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa once said, “Be as deep as the ocean, as wide as the sky.” Beautiful words, among the best I have ever read, and beautiful is who you will become if you ever strive to put them into practice.

I was born to an agricultural family in a place near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. At the age of seven, I ran away from home. I had beaten up a classmate in a fit of rage, and feared my parents’ wrath if they got to know of the incident. Hence, I decided to run away from home.

I get bullied at school and can’t say this to anyone. I’m very scared to talk back to them. What do I do? Nervous and confused.” (Name withheld by me). Age 13 years.