http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luy0ooQqXX1qg16eqo1_500.gif

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luy0ooQqXX1qg16eqo1_500.gif
A Point well made. There's AT LEAST two sides to an occurrence or event. Now extrapolate it to every rule, law we know. We wouldnt have prisons if.....we wouldnt have crimes if....we wouldnt have juvie delinquents if....we wouldnt have courts if....we wouldnt have wars if.....Yep! Makes me sigh in disgust.

Haiku on the Year's events

Occupy Wallstreet
Seasons changing, while we wait
On Evolving minds.

Anna Hazare
Gandhi incarnate, they say
Salt is still not made.

Its Democracy
All are free, to do and say
While minds are in jail.

A Revolution
Winter leaves, heralding Spring
Power Vacuum wars.

Giving Thanks

A friend of mine had this on his blog a while ago and I forgot to post it At Thanksgiving...so here I am posting it weeks later...but there isnt a particular time to be thankful for is there?

I AM THANKFUL:

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT’S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE CAR PARK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAILS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Live well, Laugh often, & Love with all of your heart!

Menstrual blood bank offers hope of new cure | Deccan Chronicle

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/menstrual-blood-bank-offers-hope-new-cure-772
That was interesting.

Some doors are different… they are closed for fifty percent of the population. | The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker

http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/some-doors-are-different/
I love the way she presented this subtle discrimination against women. So Here I am sharing.

10 Myths About Introverts | CarlKingdom.com :: Writer. Director. Artist.

http://www.carlkingdom.com/10-myths-about-introverts
Finally, someone came close to the way I think about introverts.

Dear Child

Dear Child,

 

I know you want to grow up

Grow up as fast as you can

Yet, I ask you

To use this as a lesson in patience

Growing takes time

There will be times when you grow on the outside

And times when you grow on the inside

Both are needed

No amount of hurrying will lessen that time.

 

I know you want to talk like older people

Use words that they use

Yet, I ask you

To not tax your tongue

Into saying what you dont understand

Words are precious and powerful

Take your time learning the words,

Learning their meanings,

So you can really mean what you say.

 

I know you want to look like an adult

Wear clothes like them

Yet, I ask you

To think through before you dress

Ask yourself -

Am I comfortable in these?

Is this appropriate for the occasion?

As sad and unfair as it is, clothes do make a (wo)man

Doors open or shut depending on what you wear.

 

I know you dont want to listen

To parents, when you have friends

Yet I ask you to stop and listen

Listen to the love and concern in their voices and words

Listen to their knowing of the world around you

They have experience, you havent yet earned.

They have lived longer than you, learned a thing or two

You dont have to do like they did

But stop and have a conversation with them.

 

When all is said and done

It matters not how fast you grew

but how steady a person you are

It matters not how many adult words you use

but how your words made the other feel

It matters not how fashionable you were

but how elegant your spirit is

It matters not how many friends you have

but how many touched your soul

It matters not if you didnt do what your parents did

but how well you did what you do

Its about how tall you can stand

When there is no applause.

 

Loving you always,

Your Mother.

Why I Am a Male Feminist

http://www.theroot.com/print/50815
If all Men would end up feeling like the author here...the world would have been a much better place than it is now.

Blood For Durga : Devdutt Pattanaik

http://devdutt.com/blood-for-durga/
Wednesday ended the 9 nights festival of the Hindu Goddess Durga.

brainsex matters - Live, love and learn to the full

http://www.brainsexmatters.com/news.php
Made an interesting read, especially since I notice the differences amongst the learning patterns for boys and girls at school.

‘Bra-burning feminists’: Who were they? « Media Myth Alert

http://mediamythalert.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/bra-burning-feminists-who-were-they/
An Interesting read. I am now left wondering what else did I get Wrong.

An Update

Hello my dear, unseen but mostly read friends.  How have you been?  How has your summer/monsoon been? 

 

I know I have been amiss with my presence on Multiply.  I can give you excuses but it all comes down to not being adept at time management.  So without much ado, let me give you an update. 

It has been a so-so summer and a really busy, no time to breathe kind of month since school began. We did just a couple of hikes. We did visit Crater lake, and Oregon Vortex, will put up the pics soon.  Middle of summer, my Mother-In-law was here to visit us and stayed with us for almost 5 weeks. It was a good to have someone in the house other than just the four of us. 

Daughter started middle school, so it’s been a big change in lifestyle for us that involve getting her really early to the bus-stop (6:30 am).  It’s a big adjustment for her… She’s had a couple of teary eyed “I am so tired, I don’t like waking up so early” episodes in 2 weeks, but she never missed her Bus(YAY).  I am hoping it will change, that she will get used to the routine and continue to love school like she does. That further implies that I don’t really have MY time(it used to be after the house slept). *sniffles and sobs*.

Son loves 4^th grade.  His favorite subject is Math and he hates Writing.  So guess what I do to live up to the “Mean Mom” certificate? *giggles*

Around March this year, my husband was laid off for about 15 days before he found another job.  A job that leaves absolutely no time for anything other than work.(I miss him)  The 15 days was the most insecure, frustrating, scary time I have had in my life so far.  I haven’t done a dissection or analysis of it yet.  I am clueless about why I felt like that when for the most part I am the kind that goes “What will be, will be”.  And for the fact that there have been 3 other times when he was laid off for over 3 months and I wasn’t scared.  Maybe it was because we were younger by a decade? One good thing came out of it, I cleared most of the Clutter out, `cause it would make moving out of here easy on us. I also marked out everything that I would give away when we moved and realized, I don’t have much, when it comes to what I really like or want or can’t live without. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know.

I have been working 2 more days at my part-time job, making it 4 half days.  It’s been a good experience.  It leaves me with very little time to indulge myself with things I like doing.

I haven’t worked as much as I usually do with the “Potted garden” this year, as it rained all through spring and summer started mid July. But we have had fabulous sunshine days and that warms my thoughts and my anatomy. I got a harvest of itty-bitty tomatoes, about 1 lb of beans and lots of mint. Of course the Flowers bloomed. Fall is already here, which means rains again and I am so not looking forward to it. I have lost my acceptance for the weather (never had much to begin with).

Talking of acceptance, have you ever felt really good about yourself only to have ONE person come in and everything you ever believed about yourself falls apart?  It feels like you lived a lie all this time?   You get very annoyed, disappointed, hurt and frustrated at all the time and energy you have invested so far, on a lie?  I had one of those “Karmic Beatings” this summer.  I am still nursing the wound, I haven’t recovered from it. I haven’t yet put down my mental whip. I really don’t have an acceptance or compassion for the way I am.   I hope to get through it in one piece or maybe lose a few pieces that surely arent fitting anywhere in me. Maybe thats the mental clutter I need to clean out.

I haven’t been reading much though I have books I want to read. Right now I am trying to find some time to finish reading a few that I started over the summer. I haven’t been writing much either…I know I need to take time out for myself, but my mind seems to be very pre-occupied with “things to get done” in the day.  Hopefully by the next month, things will settle down into a routine that is manageable and I will feel more like myself.  This feels exactly like the time my children were born. I didn’t have any time for myself, I was overwhelmed with things to do. My brain went into a factory mode, do, do and do some more.

So how exactly do I feel? As much as I love my family and the life I have, right now I feel overwhelmed.  I want to leave everything and everyone and run away to some place high up in the mountains or maybe a forest, where there are lots of trees, breeze, sunshine and a waterfall or river somewhere close. I want to just get away from all the noise and chatter around me and inside me. I really need a Break. So why cant I take it? Its that thing called Resposibility. Someone needs to be constant and for now, it seems to be me at that station.  I cant be rid of it. So goes my life in a circle, sometimes up, sometimes down.  Only to get Up again. 

Thank you, For reading up to here, listening to my thoughts.  I understand that your lives are also in that circle, so I am glad for the good company I am in. Life is Doable.  

Have a good weekend. Relax, rest and rejuvinate yourselves for the coming work week.

Peace,
Rashmi

My Family’s Experiment in Extreme Schooling - NYTimes.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/my-familys-experiment-in-extreme-schooling.html?pagewanted=all%3Fsrc%3Dtp&smid=fb-share
Enjoyed this read. This is typically the experience of people immigrating to places that dont speak much English.

Just a Cup of Tea

It is just a cup of tea. It would remain just a cup of tea, if we didn’t ask any questions or ponder the expressions of those sipping from the cup.  In a world where only the practical matter, it would be, Just a cup of Tea. But it wasn’t so in Ria’s world.  In Ria’s world, a cup of tea had its own personality. It became a different character, depending on the type of tea, the people involved in making and drinking the tea. It created an ambience of its own. It had its own vocabulary, diction and dictionary, albeit without words. It had meanings which, outside world hadn’t yet grasped and probably never will.

As a child, tea meant the arrival of a guest. Usually an honored guest she hasn’t seen in a while; a guest, valued above her own family. Her family drank coffee, which at the time was the most common beverage of the South.  Preparation of tea in the house meant the guest was of a higher socio-economic stratum than herself.  Tea meant the royals have arrived. Everyone was in their best garb and behavior.  There will be no raised voices, or un-necessary laughter. Just dignified conversation, with formal words, some so formal that Ria never knew their meaning.  There will be the faint hint of perfume, lingering after the guest leaves and a wish that lingers in Ria’s heart that they would visit again so she could watch and imprint the mannerism of the royals. Of course, that was the excuse. The real reason was, to look upon the Handsome Prince in that family of Royals.

Over time, Ria understood that Tea had a versatile personality. As she entered her teens, tea meant an announcement of great importance, like India winning the cricket match or a marriage or birth announcement in the family.  Her first cup of tea, meant she was now an adult. The presence of tea bound her to her classmates at the college cafeteria. It meant being able to talk to Professors and Lecturers in a cloak of maturity.  Tea was the silent witness to meetings, peace makings and deal breakings. Sometimes the silence of the tea acted as the symbol for the silence of un-uttered words between people. Words like “Ah! It feels warm” that seemed too obvious to say on a cold rainy day; or  “I hope you know I care” that is difficult to say to people whose ego comes in the way of humane interactions.

Serving tea was a means to sharing with people. At least until the tea is drunk, they will stay and spend time with you.  Hopefully, share and exchange ideas and parts of themselves.  Hot milky sweet tea early in the morning, iced lemon and ginger tea on hot afternoons, mint tea after dinner, shared with loved ones, neighbours, friends and family, in quiet togetherness.  It was important to feel that human touch for however small a while, however shy you were and tea, was a perfect excuse, an asking and giving of ourselves without making it obvious. 

Her wish for the visiting Royals was answered many times over.  She continued to look upon the Prince hoping he would look upon her the way she did. The Prince maintained Princely dignity.  He was polite, friendly and civil but kept an ambiguous distance.  It was never lost upon her, that he was from a long line of tea drinkers and she was a common coffee drinker.  The distance between tea drinkers and coffee drinkers, was the same as the distance between collective tradition and individual ambition. In communities like the one Ria lived in, what was expected and what she expected were never same. And she knew it well. 

It was 4 pm the last time the Prince drank tea with her.  It was the only time she ever met the Prince alone. Tea eased the awkwardness of that situation.  It was then that Ria knew that the Prince was assigned his Princess.  He spoke to her as he always did, in a friendly voice that did not betray that he knew of the pain that she felt except when he said with a faltering, trailing “If only you were a tea drinker….”.  That was enough for Ria. She needed no elaboration from him.  “Would you like some tea?” She asked.  He looked up at her with eyes that hoped she understood, wished there was another way, wanted time to stop here and softly said “yes”. She made the tea and served it in silence.  In their minds, their wordless thoughts overlapped each other. Their soul hands reach out to hold each other in a hug, the kind that didn’t let go. Their unseen tears mingled with each other, each heard the other sob and they comforted each other with sips of tea in silence. Outside their minds, calm reigned, all was in order, none wiser, conventions were in their place, protocols were followed and decorum maintained. 

For the last two decades since that day, without fail, how ever busy the day was, at 4 pm every evening, the Prince drank tea alone in his study. It was protocol to let him be alone. With each sip of tea, he remembered Ria’s smile, her eyes and imagined conversations with her.   While Ria served tea to her now husband at around the same time…wondering if the Prince still drank tea, and if he did, did it remind the Prince of her the way it reminds her of him? After all these years, one can't tell she isn’t royalty, for she drank tea, walked with an aura of dignity, spoke softly with formal words and never laughed unnecessarily, yet there was a feeling of something missing - The Prince by her side.

The Prince and Ria sip on the tea, enjoying their moment together, each day, unbeknownst to others around them.  They were never apart.

          

Epigenetic 'memory' key to nature versus nurture

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110724135553.htm
This made an interesting read...

Way back in Time

It will take me a while
To go back in time
To when I didnt know you
When we walked alone.
You were a forgotten memory
way back in time.

It will take me a while
To go back in time
To when I didnt know your love
When we were happy by ourselves
You didnt exist in my world
way back in time

It will take me a while
To go back in time
To when I didnt know of the Ache
When spaces in my heart was filled
You were not a need
way back in time.

It will take me a while
   A long, long while
To go back in time
            way back in time.

Five Liner - Dreaming or Waking

Dream, we wake from,
Knowing it was a Dream.
Life, we never wake from,
Never knowing it was a Dream.
Existence - Waking and dreaming seemlessly.

In my Dreams

In my dreams,
The world is Green
With so many streams
Trees rustle and preen.
Hearts are Warm
Gentle winds in the Palm
Night stars shine  bright
People shine their light
Such wondrous dreams, I dream

In my dreams
Lives filled with love
Kindness rides on the wings of dove
Passion in every hearts cove,
Humanity reigns every soul
Children and elders part of a whole
Youth, hardworking and fair
Truth, every soul does share.
Such wondrous dreams, I dream

Each time I wake
I sigh, knowing it was a dream
Wishing never to wake
The next time I dream.

All Non-Africans Part Neanderthal, Genetics Confirm : Discovery News

http://news.discovery.com/human/genetics-neanderthal-110718.html

Strawberry picking

The last two years, we made it  our tradition to go berry picking, once the berry season start.  We specifically like picking strawberries.  Oregon is famous for her really juicy sweet strawberries.  The stores here usually carry the ones from California but they dont taste like the locally grown ones. 

Today the sun was shining, the temp was around 70 F. There was a light breeze so we decided to go berry picking.

Heres my son the picky picker - He wanted only the most juicy ones so it took him longer to find much

My daughter who was less picky than my son but she wanted ONLY the red ones.

 

And heres the Strawberries we picked...about 10 lbs in all for about $19. We gave some to our neighbours. The rest is here and guess what we are having for dinner? Come over if you want some of these.

Monday's Mind Meanderings

Summer Vacation has officially started. I have a tentative list of things I want to do with my children.  I hope we actually tick off the stuff by the end of July.

Its five days since my Mother's Second death anniversary. Its amazing that two years have passed and so much has happened since. I hate to admit that it still stings somewhere inside.

I woke up at 5 today...so that hubby and I could go for a walk together, instead of walking by ourselves at different times. We did 2 miles with a 14% grade for half a mile both ways in 40 minutes.  Guess I should feel happy, hmm...

The Irises, Columbine, Poppy and Roses have bloomed. We put our backyard lawn in order and somehow the green of the lawn makes my coffee taste mmmm mmm good!!! Will put them up online soon.

It looks like we are going to have a cloudy day. I hope it doesn’t rain...I just want spring like it was supposed to be.  Except for the round of allergies nothing is the same. *Sigh* I don’t like the New Normal this Spring. 

I like the early morning/late evening silence.  The house is so quiet, I can hear it breathe.

My husband and I had our back to back birthdays this month. I turned 40. I feel like I should have had some profound moment where everything fell in place or felt accomplished or felt like I was the QUEEN of the world...but nothing.  Guess, its all in place and there’s nothing that requires changing :P.

My father has stayed sober for 4 months now…And I am so grateful.  I felt guilty when he fell ill and was in the ICU for about 3 weeks in Feb.  In a moment of intense sadness two years ago, I wished that he would fall so ill that he won’t be able to touch his drink and that will be the start of getting rid of his addiction.  I was shocked when the wish came true...I understand every moment will be a challenge for him.

I really like working with children...maybe I should further my education in the early childhood education. 

I got books on Cahokia Mounds and how to read what they dig out at archeological sites... it is fascinating, especially the way things are interpreted.

Did I use too many ellipses in writing this?  I need to brush up on the grammar rules for writing. *giggling*.

What is happening with you?

Have a Joyfully Productive Week.

Creative Challenge #157 - Undeniable

In Noise and Numbness,
In our imagined Powerlessness
Lies the camouflage for lies,
For All of the lies, one buys.
We struggle and refuse to be
In the silence of our being
For if we did
Undeniable, would be Truth
Frolicking  in eternal youth.

 

 

Tour CC#157 

 

Clothing the women | Shail's Nest

http://shailsnest.com/wp/rant/clothing-the-women/
This is one of the times Society's Logic Defies me. It is a common occurrence in places like India to blame the victim of Rape, sexual harassment or molestation...as I read the above I wonder, when this will change.

United Friends Challenge # 287 - On Judgement day

    

Alpha63's Challenge

 Write a story, poem or essay on the subject of "Judgement Day".
Think there'll be one someday? Why? Or why not? What do you think will happen?
Who do you expect to see in Heaven? In Hell? Why? And what if something happens that you don't expect?  

*===*===*===*===*===*

"You will be judged on Judgement Day" they say "and the wheat will be separated from the chaff...for God is Just." I look on in amusement.  Would Mother's/Father's day be the ONLY day we love our parents?  Would Valentine's day be the ONLY day we  love our beloved?

Only Humans Judge, Draw and Quarter. Our perception depends on comparison and judgement...therefore it is easy for us to perceive Judgement Day. What we see as Heaven and Hell is merely our perception and expectation of Pleasure and Pain.  Heaven and Hell aren't places to get to when we die. When we are happy, peaceful, accepting and content with our being, we are in Heaven. When we are angry, judgemental, in a state of discord and disharmony, we are in Hell.  If we saw all events as merely events without letting our judgement and expectation of how it should be, get in the way, we would move through the events without much ado. We would do and say what needs to be done and said without the drama of our judgement. My heaven exists where I am. My Hell exists where I am. I will move back and forth as long as I have an undisciplined mind. The day I am able to let my mind BE without feeling the need to discipline it, I will be in Heaven. This mind will exist only in this human form. All that exists, just IS, when I suspend my judgement and expectation of it.  Each of us will be in Heaven or Hell, of our own making. 

I accept that each of us are a product of the influence of nurture on our innate personalities.  According to our personalities, we learn and make the rules and philosophies that worked for our parents and ancestors, our own; or we seek out, question and conclude via our own observations or through the observations of others that resonate with our temperaments. I have observed that what I see outside of me is a reflection of how I feel inside. All that happens around us is a reflection of how we think, feel and direct our thoughts in our innermost, unseen being.  Every time we fear, our fear will manifest on the outside through the events that we are afraid to face. Every time we doubt, our doubts will manifest through situations that we feel doubtful and uncomfortable about. Every time we feel unloved, our lack of love will manifest in the feeling of separation, discrimination, discord, disharmony and the negatives, ensue.  Things, that we think are unexpected, aren't really unexpected.  When we look back and remember, it will be something we did think about it at some point of time in our lives, even if it was a passing thought that we might have easily forgotten. Usually when something unexpected gives us pleasure we never question how it came about or analyze the reasons for its happening, but when the unexpected gives us discomfort or pain we look for reasons like God being Judgemental and Sin haunting Us.  Pardon me, if I don't see it that way.  Where was the thought of God when that promotion came through or we got a raise or won the match or competition? Don't we usually say we worked hard or used our talent/skills for it? In all fairness, if what we perceive as good, happened because of our effort then why are we looking for someone to blame when something bad happens?

We have the most overused, abused concept of God.  None of us in all honesty can say we met God yet we have all these "Grandiose Ideas" of what God is.  I have my ideas too...We created God in our image.  There isn't one particular day in the future that will be Judgement Day, just days when you Judge harshly, days you Judge mildly and days you will let it be.  The God idea, I understand, isn't petty to exercise Power through Judgement, Fear or Guilt. In my mind God is Love, God is Truth, God is Choice, God is Compassion, God is All-encompassing, God is Inclusive. God is NOT about Separation, NOT about playing favorites. God is not an entity outside of us or beyond us but a part of us, a part of all that we perceive and haven't yet perceived. God is the Ideal we strive for. God is the Name we give for that part of us that leans on all that is noble and benevolent. We perceive this Ideal because we are very familiar with its opposite.   If we look within, there is no particular day to be Judged, we do that with flair every day of our lives. Every day is Judgement Day. So take care of how you think, what you intend, how you speak, what you do, each and every day. Practice awareness of every moment, for that is the ONLY Truth we have -this moment- then it is gone. It becomes a "hear a say"(heresy).  The Past is always "it was said so" never "I know so". The future is always "it MAY be so" never "I know so". In Knowing, is the Truth.. so if we profess to love God or to live in Truth, it would do us good to KNOW ourselves in the NOW, GIVE all of ourselves in the NOW, BE PRESENT in our NOW.

For more entries at UFC #287

Somewhere within or without

Ria walks through the Bazaar.  Amidst all the busy-ness of doing that needs to be done in a day, there is a vision of clarity. The times when we just Know without any proof, when we just Understand without any thesis, when we recognize the parts and its whole and BE. As she walked outside, the Ria within walks to meet her Self.

 

As she listens, somewhere within her, a warrior rumbles. The one that stands by the right, does the right thing, is fair and benevolent.

 

Somewhere within her, a saint awakes, knowing all is well. All will be as it is always intended. All will be as she wants it to be, shaping her reality without being aware of her creating.

 

Somewhere within a mother nurtures the children, born and those yet to be born.  Lovingly she scolds, coaxes, sings and soothes them as they get through childhood.  She cries when no one sees, hiding all her doubts and appearing brave while wondering – am I doing right by my kids, are they going to be alright as they grow?

 

Somewhere within a wife and lover does the only thing she knows how - to love this Person who shares her life.  In her waking hours she thinks of him with a silly smile on her face. In her sleep she snuggles up to him.

 

Somewhere within a Teacher serves Truth, sweeping out ignorance within, helping learn about Self, building an understanding of wholeness.

 

Somewhere within a Student sees light, begins to understand and journeys towards Knowing the Truth.

 

Somewhere within an eternal child is curiously joyful. The child watches the butterflies sit and the hummingbird sip and the raven build its twiggy nest. The child listens to the owl hoot, the eagle screech as it glides, feels the grainy sand, touches the tadpoles in the pond and marvels at the wonderful world of slush and worms. In that child, time, lost its significance.

 

On the pavement along the busy streets filled with vendors, wares, colour and shoppers, a baby sleeps, in spite of the din around it.  As Ria walks past staring at the peaceful baby, she sees that place within her, where peace exists.

 

She smiles in understanding, while the Saint looks on Peace, the Warrior stands alongside Right, the Merchant trades his wares and the Artiste plays different roles - mother, wife, teacher, student and child.  Within all those space is She, the quiet Witness, watching, not judging;  knowing, not influenced or influencing.  She, is Light within this form, a Constant, Eternally in existence.

Creative challenge #152 - Repose

I had to try out this format so here I  am. Hope you enjoy it. Thank you Tim(aka Gileson).  I am borrowing your explanation of the format.

Tetracty is a poetic form consisting of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 syllables (total of 20).  Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count.  Tetractys can also be reversed and written 10, 4, 3, 2, 1.   Double Tetractys:  1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1 Triple Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

Closed
Mine Eyes
Dream in peace
Cozy my heart
As tranquility flows, into our world.

Sleeps a child, cuddly soft, awakening
heavens around,
Bliss is mine
As I
Sleep.

Tour CC #152

Creative Challenge #151 - In Gratitude to Memories

“She passed away”, said the voice over the phone.  I knew who, without any mention of names or titles. I agreed and disagreed but let my agreement show with “I see” and buried my disagreement “She’s in me and in you, she passed yet she hasn’t” within the deepest caves of my being.

I wait for the heavy silence to make a noise…Nothing, absolutely nothing broke the silence, except for the lines click, breaking the connection. 

Somewhere I hear the echo "This moment will have passed too, in a moment or two, Just as she did pass away, within my life’s span, this day"

So many others have passed too…without an acknowledgement of their passing. In the days of childhood was She; She, in my youth; She, in my memories; She, in my experiences; She, within the days of impulsivity; She, the nights of yearning; She, my dream star; She, my fickle desire, She, my obsessive ambition, all, now past.  I count the ones who left without a whisper, yet the biggest noise was apparent in the way I passed away, in each moment, from what I was, to what I am only to become what I was.  The seemingly unimportant, mundane times, that came in without fanfare and left without a farewell, or funeral, or wreaths or people in procession or tears of loss, marking the moments of my life. Yet, it was Her passing that brought these thoughts.

With each passing, I unconsciously record my history…I think it should be her-story.  The things that shaped me are in those passing. What I am, became etched, like invisible tattoos, from those passing through, passed by and will pass by. I look back at how far I have come, how many I have lost, how many I left behind, digging into the records, only to realize, the far, was near, the lost, are found and the left, are with me. I understand, I cannot live from my history, I can only move forward, consciously making new pathways. I can only imagine a future and fervently wish its manifesting. I can only be in this Moment, and Know it will Pass. What I see, touch, taste, smell and feel become important, only because I know it will Pass and I can only hold on so long.  And so, I feel grateful, for memories…and work at keeping them true.

 

Tour the wordsmiths abode at CC #151

Creative Challenge #150 - The Fine Me.

Everyone says I am fine,
But I hear  the difference
In the tone of their voice
And, I see different
In the hold of their shoulders.

Everyone says I am fine
But I feel the difference
In their step as they walk
And, I know different
From the waterline in their eyes.

I remember Me,
When my voice was fine
         But I wasnt.
When my shoulders slouched
         Yet I kept a straight spine.
When with each step,
           I heaved a black hole.
When my eyelashes leveed
         To hold the waters in.

Everyone says I am fine,
While I know different,
Letting them Be.

Tour CC # 150

Creative Challenge #149 - Allure

 

Glass Bangles

Jingles and jangles

On my arms

With its circle

Reminders of life

In its glassy circle

Fragile yet strong

Breakable yet wondrous

Impermanent yet enticing

Beckoning me to

   behold, 

hold,

My heart sold.

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20 Notes to Self #2

1. LOVE has as many facets as there living things on this earth.  We only comprehend a few.

2. Stay away from Gossip and Drama, especially when it isn’t about YOU.

3. Stay away from Addictions and Vice. Both are easy to fall into but difficult to get out of.

4. Think before you speak and When you speak, Make your words count. Speak like your words are as precious as pearls. Do not dispense it unnecessarily. (this was my gran's advice and later on my mother's, to me who was constantly chattering or asking questions)

5. Know the difference between, Charity and Donation. Charity is between the giver, reciever and God(if you believe in the concept), you did it cause you could, without expectations of a gain in any form - no recognition, no favors from the receiver, no tax breaks or refunds. Donation is when you give something and there is a written or verbal legal record of it somewhere which gives you recognition for what you GAVE and you will have some form of gain. (This was my observation)

6. Before you marry anyone - watch how they treat themselves, their parents, siblings, relatives and friends, cause that is an indication of how they will treat you. ( My observation of marriages around me before I married)

7. All of us have a station in our life depending on the choices we make. Wake up every day and give thanks by doing the JOB at YOUR STATION to the best of your ability.  Remember you still have SOMETHING to do everyday, that is a blessing. (This is a variation of a Verse from the Bhagawad Gita)

8. Know that to experience happiness, you must have freedom. Freedom not ordained by external circumstances but freedom from mental formations of anger, despair, jealousy and delusion - Thich Naht Hahn

9. Heaven develops everything according to its preparation. - From the Doctrine of mean.

10. All Things are possible to a Disciplined Mind. - From the Book on Yoga.

11. Your Path is yours and yours alone. No one can walk it for you. They may be with you for a while but You MUST walk it alone.

12. Give people in your life, the gift of Your Time and of Your Light... Its the best gift you can ever give and they dont even need  wrapping.

13. Be not afraid of Death, for there are far worse things than dying. Live, knowing that you are dying every second, yet that is what makes Living worth it. (from Bushido)

14. Do not look for the Meaning of Life...The meaning is alive in every breath, but we comprehend it not. (I read this on a blog)

15. Never Betray Trust, especially that of a Child.

16. There are ways to reach the top without stepping on others.

17. Take no money that you did not work to earn, even if it is a nickel found on the street. Do not spend more than you have.  (My dad's advice translated)

18. When you have to fight or stand your ground, never resort to using bad language or profanities, it removes the effectiveness of what you do or say. (This has been my observation. I tend to stop listening once I hear profanities)

19. If you want to be Heard over the Din, Whisper. - Maya Angelou said something like this in one of her books.

20. When you begin to feel like you have no time to breathe, Stop and take a deep Breath, for that is when you need to Breathe most. - From the Book on Pranayama.

20 Notes to Self #1

1.      We come alone, we go alone, between those two points of aloneness, people will grace your live for a while, cherish and Honour them while being comfortable with your aloneness.

 

2.     Karma isn’t bad or good and it isn’t Newton’s third law of motion. It is merely a logical consequence that follows a particular thought, intention, word or action. When we apply our judgement via  the duality of pleasure and pain perception, we see it as Good or Bad. Remember Every Choice we make has a Consequence.

 

3.     Remember, the tool we use in our everyday perception is Duality for the most part, so take the losses and gains as part of that cycle.

 

4.     You Force it, you Break it, so do not force/manipulate relationships, whether they are personal or business. Make sure you know your boundaries within the relationship. Make those boundaries when you start and then tweak the amount of territory depending on how the relationship progresses. In personal relationships, do not give or receive in the hopes of reciprocation. Let it happen, let giving and receiving be a choice that leaves no regret. In business relationships, makes sure what you give and take is on a written contract. Wholeheartedly wish the other Well on their journey as you part.

 

5.     Instead of telling others how to live or what to do with their lives, listen to them talk of their lives, for in the talking they will know where they want to go. They have to make a choice, they cannot live your choice for them. Learn to Listen with Compassion.

 

6.     Before giving out advice, ask yourself why you want to give it out, if it - was solicited, is really something you are practicing, was out of concern, love, or just lip service. Be clear on your part as to why you are advising.

 

7.     Throw out your Ego,(which means you throw out words that are used to judge, “Cant”, “No”, “Wont”, “Impossible” etc.)Do what you need to do to learn.

 

8.     Every situation has its lessons, open your mind's palm to receive it.

 

9.     Trust your instinct, it has never failed you.

 

10. Life is a reflection of what you think, intend, say and do…All that you are Affects all those around you. So hone your thoughts, intentions, words and action towards Courage, Harmony and Attitude of Gratitude.

 

11. When you leave others, Leave them in an energy of Light and Love. (My mother said that to me)

 

12.  When you encounter a difficult situation, stand your ground always, but remember that should you choose to run, Run only if that is the only way you can live to fight another day(Gran(mom’s) said that to me).

 

13. Live life with sentences that begin with “In spite of…” instead of “Because of…”  Blaming and Complaining only means that you have a long way to go to discipline your mind(Husband said that to me.)

 

14. Self-audit your life frequently, so that you can keep to or change your goals. Never be afraid to change direction if something is not working for you (Husband said that to me).

 

15. There is no right or wrong, only what WORKS for you.

 

16. Life is mostly about maintaining(My cousin said that to me), so get used to Repetition, cyclical movement and Déjà vu.

 

17. Always do the job assigned to you WELL, cause the satisfaction you get from it, cant be bought with all the money in our world.

 

18. Having Wealth and Being Successful are different things. Being Successful means different things to different people.

 

19. Every Idea and Concept is perceived differently by different people. Remember every word, in every language is merely a representation of a form, not the whole truth.  Truth is in the Silence.

 

20.Remember the 5 Dos –

      Do Value all that you have in Body, Mind and Spirit.

      Do understand that the others opinion of you is not as important as your opinion of yourself. 

      Do what you say, and say what you mean.

      Do your best in any situation.

      Do build Courage, Compassion, Love, Respect and Integrity in you and others around you.

 

 

Creative Challenge #147 - Hands

The snake peeped into the parrot’s nest and a thought crossed its mind- if only I had hands, getting these eggs for dinner would be so easy.

 

In a rag-tag tent under the tree, the poor mason laments as he looks on at the egg he dropped on the ground- after all the hard work these hands have done, it couldn’t hold on to the dinner, it earned.

The snake slithers into its hole at the base of the tree coiling up satisfied.  The mason, curls up in his tent, dreaming of his next meal.

The night moves on, knowing both will wake when the day arrives.

Tour CC #147

Fiction in a Flash #30 - I, Me and Mine

 

I realize, there is an "I" other than Me and Mine, as I look down in awe and respect for the body that held me. My attention is drawn to the most important part of this journey - My Feet. My friend, Thank you, for carrying me so far without complaining. Now, we part with joyful hearts.

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United Friends Challenge #227 - On a Mission with a Missionary

Bonnymom's Challenge

We learn a great deal about others from conversation. Imagine you are engaged in conversation with someone. This can be a conversation between you and someone whom you wish to know -- you decide whom -- or between two fictional characters. Write that conversation. In either case, it will clearly be fictional. Try to make it clear in the conversation whom you are talking to, and also what the subject is.

DIALOGUE ONLY, PLEASE!

 

"Hi, you must be from Mexico."

"No, I am not."

"From Pakistan."

"OK, you are almost there."

"From India."

"Yes, The third guess, is a charm."

"My brother visited India and brought back such beautiful pictures and memories."

"Yes, India is that kind of place, it makes you  pay attention, even when you are asleep."

"He loved the Food, the people, the colours, though he was aghast at the levels of Poverty and of course the Rigid Caste system."

"Of course, India is well known for her Poverty and Caste system. Where did he visit?"

"He was in the Slums of Mumbai."

"Hmm.. why the Slums when he could have visited the usual tourist spots with a more grand view of what India is, like Jaipur, Agra, Delhi? Is he a missionary?"

"Yes he is."

"Ah! I see."

"I notice you have a dot on your forehead, so you are  a Hindoo?"

"Yes, I am."

"I dont mean to offend you but I am curious. May I ask you a question?"

"Sure, I will try to answer."

"What caste are you?"

"I am a Kshatriya."

"What does that mean?"

"The Warrior Caste."

"So then  you have to marry within your own caste."

"No, not really, my husband isnt the same caste as mine and we are doing fine."

"Oh! Does that mean you are now Out of Caste?"

"How do you mean out of caste?"

"Like Ex-communicated from your caste, being boycotted and ties severed between your people and you."

"No, I haven’t been boycotted by my people. Our families and clans are still our family and clan."

"I heard that the caste system is rigid.  My brother thought it was very discriminatory the way it worked in the community.  The lower caste not allowed to the temple is kind of sad, dont you think?"

"Yes, it is rigid in villages and remote areas of India where the levels of education(not literacy) is low.  It is different in the cities. I havent seen anyone barred from temples in cities.  It is very discriminatory.  No matter where you go in this world you will find prejudiced people practicing some form of discrimination, only the name will be different. India is no different. Only the Ratio is very visible cause we make 15% of the world's population."

"Forgive my ignorance, I heard that the Hindus worship a Million Gods, is that true? "

"We don’t have a Million Gods, but A Higher power, who appears to us in a Million forms. To each individual God appears in the form they are most receptive to. But yes, to an outsider who doesnt understand the nuance of Hindu Philosophy, it does look like a Million Gods being worshipped."

"So why do you have so many idols your Temples with so many different names?"

"The same reason you have Jesus on the Cross in your Churches.  It is an object to help us Focus our Intent and Attention or in your case remind you of sacrifice.  Hindus believe every mind, though from the same source has different properties. Therefore each person will perceive in accordance to the property of their mind. Very much like the properties of the different elements in Chemistry, each element has atoms in their basic makeup but they all behave differently to different factors. So we have many forms and names for our Idols/God depending on how we perceive the energy."

"How do you get salvation?"

"Salvation? as in Saved ?"

"Yes."

"We dont believe we need to be saved.  To be saved, you must be in Danger. When all of existence is God, what are we being saved from?"

"So what does a Hindu believe happens when you die?  "

"The answer to that would depend on the individual Hindu you ask. Some believe they will re-incarnate according to their Karma, some believe that they will be part of Nature’s recycle bin, some believe they will attain Moksha – liberation from the cycle of birth and death in Form. I believe, it will depend on where I am in my soul’s learning experience.  But whatever will be, Will be what it should be."

"So you could re-incarnate as a lowly animal?"

"I could be re-incarnated as an Animal, Yes! But I don’t think it is lowly. "

"What do you mean?"

"Hindus believe, Everything Emanated(not created), from the All pervading Source, called God, for purposes of communication.  Creating is taking some form of matter and forcibly make it into something that it wasn’t going to be. Emanate on the other hand is “coming out” from something that was Already There.  Since all of existence is Emanate, there is no HIGH or LOW forms of  existence.  Everything that exists in its manifest and unmanifest forms are here because they were to be here. So Yes, I could be incarnated as an Animal... but the reality is, it isn’t High or Low to be one. "

"That sounds like New-Age philosophy."

"Well, New-Age Philosophy is nothing but Old-Age Philosophy re-packaged Newly. If you have doubts, you could check out the translations of books of the Hindus, called the Upanishads, Darshanas and the Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha or just the Bhagawad Gita which is a part of the Mahabharatha."

"Does that mean that you never look for salvation?"

"I don’t think we have that concept in Hinduism… We have the concept of Being Whole or Being One which means we learn through our experiences as Human beings to cultivate - acceptance of what we are, being grateful for what we have, being responsible for the choices we make, knowing that nothing is impossible as long as we are willing to do, aligning ourselves through our thoughts, intentions, words and actions to live in Harmony with all that is around us, knowing what we see outside, is what we are within ourselves."

"What about Sin? Do you have the concept of Sin and Punishment?"

"We Call it Karma, but it isnt like Sin.  Karma is a natural consequence to an action or inaction(Choice).   Sin is missing the mark. In Hinduism we dont miss a mark cause that is where we were supposed to be.  We are in constant state of change and each place we reach is a place we made a choice to be. Every choice has a consequence(Karma), which You call it punishment when it pains you, and call it reward, when it gives you pleasure. "

"Oh! its late, I have a train to catch.  It was a pleasure talking to you."

"Thank you…The pleasure was mine, cause your asking has made it more evident of what I know for myself."

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