L ots of mothers want their daughters to know more about last week’s “Spinster Formula”. Hmm. To be fair, there is a clear difference between a spinster and a bachelor girl. The latter remains unmarried out of choice. She prefers aloneness and is truly happy.

What’s there to know about the No? Among the most important virtues a teenager can possess, self-denial tops.

The most powerful word in any language is ‘No’. The difference between a ‘No’ and a ‘Yes’ is simply this — a Yes may have the power to make your life but a No has the power to prevent your life from being broken.
So a No is far more important than a Yes — for before you start to make your life, you have to stop it from being broken up.

For two-and-a-half years this column has examined relationships of all types. We looked at parents and children, teen boys and teen girls, teachers and taught — somehow we never considered the relationship between mountains and men.

That’s right, you are a glowing fragment of consciousness floating on the sea of the mind. You can no more control the mind than a boat can control the ocean.

Of what use are these dresses, sweets and crackers when I know there are so many children my age who don’t even have clothes to wear? And you know what I asked my dad? I said, “Daddy…”
— A nine-year-old writes on, shaming a whole lot of us.

Young friend, I won’t quote your long and wordy letter here. You asked me to comment about the “art of living”, but that particular phrase is already pre-owned, branded and packaged. Let’s talk of life as an art form instead and see where our words take us.

Level Zero seems like some vague philosophy stuff. Give me an analogy I can understand. Why on earth should I practise some abstract thing? How is it going to help me?
— A teenager

Iam 40 years old, have lost all my youth working hard and trying to be a good parent and now I find that I have forgotten how it feels to be young and alive again. My friends tell me to “behave my age”… whatever that means. What exactly does it mean? Have I lost out in life?

The media misquoted me on this subject. I had merely stated that the funds could have been better utilised for ensuring a better sporting future for Indian children by providing them sports training. This is something I have been repeating for several years. Just imagine if the amount spent on the Commonweatlh Games — ` 35,000