Dew

On my email box today! Just received this touchy message in the subject line of one of the banks where I do not hold any bank account or have any dealings with. How beautiful is the message!! Especially when people have stopped sending some sweet messages like this in the closer circle!!!! It is easy to fall for this romance and hence land up in deep chocolate sauce puddles - divulging financial details, getting caught up with phishing woes and the like. Just in time, blocking these unsolicited romantic messages addressed so personal(ized) to you, will help you in the long run.  Felt so good though that nice words make our hearts melt still!!! and feels like eons ago when I walked into Archies card shops and bought nicely worded cards for my friends! Some of them would recall my craze for gifts and cards to people... Should go to Archies one of these days and buy a card... :) Let's see who gets it!

Slow down.... Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In the heavy traffic, to let a fellow on the road take over you. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In the midst of a chaos, to breathe deeply and consciously. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In the mad rush to success, to ask yourself if its really your success that you wish for, or a win over someone or something. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In your busy work calendar, to just smile a greeting to a colleague. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In your craziest of temper, to look the other person in the eye for ten seconds. Once in a while, Slow down a bit.. In the middle of a complex work assignment, to talk to a friend. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In racing with the clock, to check if its the clock that decides your actions really or yourself. Once in a while, Slow down a bit... In a restaurant while being served your meal, to ask if the server has had his meal. Once in a while, Slow d...

Are you in? If the answer to these questions is "Yes" from the other side, then the next question will be: Can I come over? If it is a "Yes" again,  then the next question will be: What time would be convenient for you? If you are beginning to wonder if this is an official meeting precedence, then stop right there. This is what happens on casual visits to friends' /relatives places too. Implies... that we are beginning to formalize everything and every relationship too. We are beginning to see the other person as an intrusion in our lives because that's why the doubt comes up if it would be the right time to visit someone." What if I go in when they are busy getting ready to step out? What if they are not at home when I travel all the way to their place? What if they are unwell and are not in a position to answer the door-bell at all?? What if I disturb them or their plans??" Agreed, these formalities are important and essential for...

On one of the Facebook posts someone had shared a story about Siddhartha Gautama who later shined as Gautama Buddha and presently is being worshiped as Lord Gautama Buddha. The life and story of Gautama Buddha like many other great people's life is for us to learn from. There is no right and wrong in all the stories. All stories, real-life incidents, gossips etc., are always opined for or against by many . This post is just a response that I wanted to share based on a small snippet in Siddhartha's life. It is said that "Siddhartha left his home at the middle of night, the night when his wife gave birth to their son". Years later, when they met again, his wife had no complaints about it. She had lived all her life alone for the son and did all her duties right. Gautama became popular and his wife did not, for she did what was asked of her and Buddha did what his calling to the earth was!!! It was just this that makes me write this post. The fact that ...

Its a popular colloquial term I recall from my Chennai times used in many contexts. Here my context is : At four minutes past midnight on a very normal day/night, what are the masalas on my head : 1. How do some people's skin glow like they just came back from utopia where there are no rashes, blemishes, tan and wrinkles? 2. How do some children sleep through the night from day one of their birth? 3. How can work be exciting after a trying and tiring day at home with regular demands from everyone? 4. How does programming glue you to computer like nothing else in this world? 5. Why does a No Whatsapp message bring a slight 'low' to you at this hour? Would everyone you know be night watching like I do? 6. What is for tomorrow's breakfast? 7. Did I sign the school diary today? 8. Do I have a work plan for tomorrow's home day and work day? 9.Isn't multiplication the toughest math in this world? 10. What is it like to Sleep like a Log and to Sleep like a ...

What's in a Good Night Kiss?? I kissed my birthday girl good night after she slept off today with prayers and lots of 'Down the memory lane' thoughts. She  smiled beautifully, although faintly. I am sure she slept off and I still cant stop wondering how she knew the kiss. Somewhere I have read, Kiss your children good night even if they are asleep. They surely know. Back then, I didn't realize that it could be true, but today I did!!! Learnt this : Never miss an opportunity to say love, hug close, and shower kisses on your children. They are the only reasons why you stay grounded most of the time amidst life's rides.

I am just settling down in Bangalore. Among the many processes that a relocation and settling in involves, the most important thing I felt was setting up a bank account. With the welcome kit came half a dozen PIN mailers. I am super scared about these passwords in life, especially the cash related ones. I just tossed the kit inside my bag after one glance at all of the mailer covers in it. There were hundreds of things to think about. When my husband did a withdrawal for the first time to check the account initiation, he mentioned the password to me. Immediately I did a minor math with the digits and that is all. Never had a chance to think about it again. Three weeks later, I am at a hospital counter for paying a bill. The amount was heavier than what I had with me. I took out the card and just then I realized that I have not got the password with me and I am going to be using the card for the first time. Madness, but I still counted on the formula that I had worked out earlier...

அவனே இவனே என்று நினைக்காமல் சிவனே என்று உள்ளே போறவனையும் வெளியே வரவனையும் மட்டுமே கவனிக்கவும் நேற்று நடந்த யோகா வகுப்பில் நான் கற்ற மிக பெரிய பாடம் இது. நாம் அனைவரும் நாள்தோறும் பல வேலைகள்  செய்கிறோம், செய்யாமல் இருக்கோம்,நாம் செய்யாமல் இருக்கும் பல வேளைகளில் நிதானமாக மூச்சு விட பழகுவதும் ஒன்று. மூச்சு என்பது பாடல்களுக்கு சேர்கப்படும் ஸ்ருதியைபோல மிக முக்கியமானது. ஒரு பாடல் பாட தொடங்கும் முன்னதாக, செய்யபடுவது ஸ்ருதி சேர்த்தல் ஆகும். இந்த ஸ்ருதியை அடிப்படையாக வைத்து தான் பாடல் இயற்றபடுகிறது. ஒரே பாடலை பல ஸ்ருதிகளில் பாடினால் அது வேறு வேறு பாடல்களாக தோன்றும். அதே போன்று மூச்சை விதம் விதமாக உபயோகிக்கலாம். அதில் எல்லா விதமும் சரியாக இருப்பதில்லை. நாம் எல்லாரும் சரியாகதான் மூச்சு விடுகிறோம் என்று எண்ணினால் தவறாக விடுவது எப்படி என்று யோசிக்கத்தோன்றும்.அப்படி யோசித்ததில் தெரிய வந்தது தான் பிரணாயமம். ஒவ்வொரு நாளும்காலை எழுந்த உடன் நம் மூச்சாகிய ஸ்ருதியை சரியாக வாசித்தோம் என்றால் அன்றைய நாள் முழுவதும் மூச்சு சரியான ரீதியில்  இருக்கும். உடம்பின் இயக்கங்...

Good Food, Good Exercise, Good Meditation, and Good Life style converge in Good Health. Good Food is in simplest terms - Food that is not over-cooked, not over-greased, not over-spicy, and not old. Good Meditation means taking simple steps to improving focus of the otherwise usually scattered brain - Regular prayer routine, Regular Five minute hobby time, Regular stereo-typical work that doesn't require your mind's complete attention. When you do one of these or activity similar to these, your mind meditates on the work and not anything else and these activities are not done by force or do not have materialistic gains. Good Exercise is to just ensure you move every part of your body to activate the otherwise sleeping joints and muscles. You can choose to walk for twenty minutes or be a regular in a local gymnasium or dance class. Good Lifestyle  - Spend family time at home, Share work load at home, Have strict disciplines on prayer, morals, food, clothing and manners, ...

I wonder Why? I wonder What? I wonder Who? I don't know When.... I have just had my baby boy and could do one small change to help myself tide through my third trimester ante-natal term and the post-natal term. I STOPPED READING OR WATCHING NEWS. Then, when I finally thought it's high time I got back to the real world, I started lending a listening ear to the news items that came floating by from friends, channels and paper after six long months. I have still not made up my mind to read them though. Guess what are the first things I heard ?!! - 1. Inappropriate behavior towards a six year old in a popular Bangalore based school. 2. A murder of two people who were last seen welcoming friends inside the house for dinner. Among many more were robberies, plane crashes, inflation rates, hospital mishaps and like oasis on a desert terrain, I did hear about the lesser problematic topics - politics, education, social service and religion. My questions to no one in particular ...

A bright tomorrow, A new beginning, An opportunity, A cloud that can bring rains, and most importantly a chance to hope for the best once again... And many more things if you can speed up your thought train.. Watching sunset has always been interesting for me.. but then I never enjoyed the sunset so much like I did today. It has been the best sunset experience so far because today I was with my daughter watching the sun go down for the day... Now, how do you explain this to a 2 year old?? Sun going down? Sunset? Sun going behind the clouds ( today is slightly cloudy here)? Or does it set behind the mountains?? I was carefully looking at the changes in my daughter's face.. First she smiled.. Then the expression changed to a very questioning look? She looked at me every other second and said, it is going off.. the sun is going off.. I kept saying.. Not so fast.. Slowly it is going home... and then she kept repeating sun is going home slowly... The colors changed from gold ...

About an hour ago, we were having tea. My daughter (1 year old ) usually joins us if she is awake. She takes a bite from the biscuit in my hand. Today, I wanted her to eat by herself. It is only when I tried thinking of ways to tell her, it struck me that it is important to actually learn to eat!!! I have always thought that eating is a natural process and does not have to be taught.. Children learn on their own...  I kept a biscuit in her hand and she took it as usual to analyze it. Then, I guided the biscuit to her mouth and she immediately took a bite, like she usually does. Then she gave me this look which meant to say " Did I just do something out of the world? Why are you giving me that smile? ".. Then I repeated the same guidance just once more.. She was thrilled this time I guess. She was all smiles may be because she just understood something... Then, I took a bite of the biscuit in my hand and she started eating her own biscuit. And with every bite both of us ...

The future is uncertain, so why worry about it?.. - I read somewhere.. Thought it is perfect sense. Then I recalled: Prevention is better than cure. Which means, worry about what may happen in the future and try to avert the issue. Nutshell: All thoughts are correct based on the writer's situation and the reader's experience or frame of mind to accept or criticize.

Just read a statement which made perfect sense..And here is what I understood. Whenever you think that things have changed in a people relationship, it is really not the people who have changed, but it is the situation that has changed at any given point in time.. and the way people react to the situation makes all the difference. It is this reaction that makes one feel that the people have changed. It is not often you get to read sensible bits that are worth sharing on a blog or book. I thought there is no documentation for some realizations in life and decided to blog it for all of us!

I just received a phone call from a cousin of mine. We have not really spoken to each other in a long time, but when we started talking, time just flew. I realized it was late and we then chose to end the conversation. After the talk, I sat back relaxed and happy not because I had any information or any news or anything else significant, but then a complete free and joyous feeling of just having spoken about nothing in particular. I just realized that it is possible for long conversations without a particular serious issue or significant pre- planned discussion.  And to top all realizations related to conversations, is this: All it takes is two people who can speak on the phone for a continuous five minutes without getting bored or driving others to boredom. If you can engage someone on the phone for five minutes without getting bored with their talk, then you will surely be able to continue conversing with them for longer than that... Weather, studies, school, culture, traf...

Never a great animal lover, but I always have thought that they are  nicer than human beings. I always think that people in the pretext of caring and loving animals unintentionally harm them and curb them of their freedom.. And besides am super scared of animals, whereas never of human beings... ideally it should be the reverse, I know!!! When I was on my usual walk one morning, I saw a cow approaching our main gate. Instinct said that the cow would stop by my gate and it did!!! Surprise of surprises, as for the first time I could guess the move of an animal right in my life. On the cow's eyes, I saw a look that I don't know quite to explain. I just decided that I will go inside to fetch a banana for the cow to eat. Again a bold move according to me.. Also wanted to make sure that the cow does not misunderstand my going in as indifference.. I still don't know where I got this kind of compassion from, but was glad to know this undiscovered truth about myself . I gest...

மத்தாப்பு சிரிப்பு; சிணுங்கும் சைக்கிள் மணி ஓசை; திரும்பி பார்த்தேன் ஒரு முறை; மின்னல் வேகத்தில் என்னை தாண்டியது... பளிச்சென்ற பல் வரிசை; துரு துரு கண்கள்; ரெட்டை பின்னலின் ரிப்பன்; மடித்து இட்ட துப்பட்டா; மீண்டும் திரும்பி பார்த்தேன்; இம்முறை எனது ரெட்டை பின்னல் காலங்களை.... அழகிய மின்னலாய்  என் மனதில்; அன்றைய நான் தோன்றி மறைந்தேன்!

The South West monsoon and its rains are very popular in India , more so in Kerala and Mumbai . The papers ran news threads saying , Heavy rains lashing Mumbai ... and I was in the kitchen making our breakfast . Yummy ( I really mean it ) Aloo Poha ( Cooked rice flakes , potato , and southern spices blended in uniformly ) was coming out really well in my mind as I started adding one ingredient after the other . While at this , my mind was also doing some parallel processing of the ' To Do ' list for the day and complaining to much about the rainy day . I had so much to do and the rain started off really early ( rather it had not stopped througout the night , which possibly I didnt know ). I could not hear any other noise except the noise of the rain falling on the asbestos and plastic or whatever other material people used as an extra shade to t...

In a very enlightening moment today ( Not sure, if the word is correct in the context of job hunt, but to me it does seem like a real enlightenment ) I realized that it is time I really worked hard to find a job for myself. The quantum of job hunt experience I have is more than that of the work experience itself. I even went to the extent of starting a job hunt series in my blog, but never chanced or took the effort to write more posts on the same lines. I am writing this post for myself now and people like me who are looking for job change or new job or a new beginning in career. It is more of a recap of yesteryear when I needed more and more of encouragement to be able to type that next job application email. Here is what it takes to find a job : Determination to get it: No matter who you are, where you are from, what you have been doing, as long as you have the determination to find a job, you surely will find one. And.. the next point that usually comes up is : Is it the right kin...

With people it is possible to stay in touch over phone or email or letter or even an SMS. With spirituality, through temple visits, prayers, verses and music. With innocence through children and their non-stop chatter. With wisdom through talks with old people who can express. With love through a simple 'I love you'. With freedom through a quiet lone walk in a familiar locality. With talent through a hobby of your choice. With ability through practice. With health through determination. With fitness through exercise and perseverance. With excellence through persistence. With knowledge through other people's experiences. With self through what??? All of the above?? I just realized that we all stay in touch with a lot of things that we want in life and strive hard for a lot of things in life and somewhere forget to connect with ourselves. We are here but are so lost in the outside whims and fancies that we lose track of what we are and what we can achieve. I have started thi...