To the wonderful people who make my life

I had to write this post today to share with you all how the universe respects your efforts.

To begin with, off late I have been reaching out to calm my nervous energy. Being a private person, I had always believed keeping personal issues in the darkest closet inside me. No more. However, I will never vomit over all and sundry. That’s an absolute NO.

Have you noticed when you have something bugging you, how your determination plays hide n seek? For a few days you feel you cracked it and enjoy peace only to wake up one morning and smell the shit all over again? Well, I was riding this see-saw for some weeks, until the husband and my mentor took my case.

So after the long period of self-deliberation, when I finally made peace here’s what happened….READ ON…

I received the below message on WhatsApp… 

Once Buddha was travelling with a few of his followers.

While they were passing a lake, Buddha told one of his disciples, "I am thirsty. Do get me some water from the lake."

The disciple walked up to the lake. At that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy & turbid.

The disciple thought, "How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?" So he came back & told Buddha, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink."

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake. The disciple went back & found that the water was still muddy. He returned & informed Buddha about the same.

After sometime, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back. This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, & the water was clean & clear.

So he collected some water in a pot & brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple & said, " See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be & the mud settled down on its own & you have clear water."

Your mind is like that too ! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own.

You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless." Having 'Peace of Mind' is not a strenuous job, it is an effortless process so keep ur mind cool & have a grt life ahead...

                                                  ***************

In the evening my classmate chats me up: “Hey Nisha…so you write, yeah?” When I replied in the affirmative, she asked, “Did you see the poem I posted on our FB page.”

I felt guilty of not seeing her work [it was posted three weeks back]. She immediately copied me on the poem… 

Oh! the lovely ST ANNS SCHOOL
Like the moon which is always cool
It is the best of all schools
With so very few fools..

The sisters are wise,
The students are nice,
The teachers are full of life,
and few of them are wives...

We are always spick and span
And try to be as smart as we can
We meet our friends with a hearty "hi"
And depart them with a gloomy "bye"...

Our cheerful hearty laughters
You must join in chorus dear teachers
Laughters of joy where else can you hear
Nowhere else except here

We entered the school and we are full of tears
But we have to leave it, we are already in tears
How i wish i were still a kid
To enjoy life, that ST.ANNS bids. 

I found the poem kiddish with gross errors. So without being dishonest and yet not sounding rude or snobbish at her efforts, I replied, “gud rhyme”.

“You wrote this!!!!” she immediately replied. Thank God I was in the safe confines of my bedroom that I could hide my embarrassment. “You wrote it in Grade 8 during the…” she tried reminding me.

I just can’t recollect.

But the truth that one of my friends had preserved that piece of paper for 25 long years – during a period when there was no social media and no hope we would one day speak to each other - means a lot, lot, lot, lot…. to me!

Finally, when I realise that it was brought to my notice only after I was calm and collected and discovered clarity of my priorities…means the universe respects my efforts!

                                                   

                                                    ***************

I wound the day up in the best company ever – my lil girl’s single-handed birthday party for her dad. She baked the cake herself; bought the candles and set the table, too, before he returned from work.

She gets the first bite...Always!

Thank you to the Divine! I am humbly grateful!

I now consider myself qualified to say this: The moment you feel uncomfortable with any situation, write down your priorities in life. That will help you emotionally detach yourself from the issue. Then you are no more uncomfortable!



Also read:
A life-changing week

What people call me

My coffee date with the mesmerizing boss

The other day I arrived at the café a good 45 minutes early for my scheduled meeting, for three reasons. One: I love studying people; Two: I wasn’t sure of the location and didn’t want to be late; Three: I wanted to enjoy my cuppa alone!

Picture Courtesy: MorgueFile

Sipping the latte as I sat engrossed assuming the nationality, age and mood of passersby, I saw my friend step out of the elevator at the far end of the lobby. She was with another woman [she had told me that she was bringing her boss along because she had to be dropped enroute.]

What height! I have a thing for tall people. And this boss was towering over my friend. Her demure strappy stilettos stole no credit for that, possibly her pixie hairdo stretched her neck up an inch, if at all. Her flashy red lips paled the Louis Vuitton on her elbow joint, as her carved legs strutted with precision kissing her knee-hugging skirt.

I had to hurry for they were nearing… Noticed the peacock-blue silk scarf teasing her plunging neckline and I imagined measuring her slender waist with my palms, so much so when she extended hers on arrival, I couldn’t say a ‘hello’ because I was holding that breath hard to tuck my tummy in.

And wow! her nails were polished the same shade of her eye-shadow that highlighted the hues of her scarf. She sat diagonally on the chair, crossed one knee over the other delicately, took off the shades from atop her head delicately as if a piece of melting cheese and placed it next to the classy iPhone.

My friend, meanwhile, had started briefing me on the agenda as she was in a rush. I couldn’t concentrate because I had not consumed her boss to my satisfaction yet.

I have this thing about women who carry themselves well; as in moderately-yet-glamorously-but-attractively-and-not-over-the-top sort of well! And yes, my latte turned odourless and gave up when her perfume took over. So dainty and lilting and...I had to remind myself not to nuzzle the space between us.

“What will you have?”

“Nope. We had lunch, and we need to go quick…” my friend volunteered.

“That’s wonderful of you..” began the mesmerizing boss and I turned to her greedily. 

“Thanks Nisha. But I’m full…”I didn’t hear the rest of what she said, nor do I remember the expression I sported or the conversation that ensued.

The remnants of her salad were on her teeth!

Now, I also saw white powder on her tailored black shoulders. Then again for the first time I noticed her index finger going to her scalp.

Time to leave, she dabbed her lips with a tissue, took her lipstick case and used the same index finger to extract the piece of lettuce stuck between her teeth!

I have this huge thing against women who embarrass me. You ask why the hell I felt embarrassed? That’s the thing about me!

A life-changing week... In gratitude!

So I thought, what better way to end a week - one that has been life changing at that - than by expressing my gratitude.

This has been a roller-coaster of a week emotionally... Thank you Nabanita for the reminder by way of your post. Thank You Laurel for the initiative.

Before I set any further in my new-found self, I owe this to the Divine and a few people...

A big huge hug to the cutie, softy doctor for returning my mother to me and telling me, "Now that your mother is healed, you relax. Be happy." Thank You Dr Shreeja.

A thousand thank you to my mentor, for not mincing his words and telling me in no uncertain terms what I need to change in me so that I don't attract uncomfortable people in my life. Thank You Velu Sir.

A hundred hugs to my blogger friend for helping me cut the crap when I shared an emotionally draining episode and helped me see a fresh perspective. Thank You Judy.

Humble prayers for my driver who through his sickness was at my doorstep early morning to take me to work. Thank you.

Thanking my editors at work who trust and respect me. I wish them success.

Thanking my colleague Vicktoriya who inspired me with her real-life happiness story! I wish her health and joy always.

Thanking my young friend for thinking about me when he embarked on his project. My prayers and wishes with you Ameel.

A zillion hugs to my little girl who through her words, action and simply being herself each day  makes me complete.

To my man, for being my rock!

To the Divine for making me realise who I am!

Thank You!!!

PS: To all those who wish to be part of the gratitude Link-Up...Click here and Laurel Regan will guide you

You may want to read related posts...

This is where it began...on Sept 1  

    What people call me...

Social media’s love for women

Deepika Padukone’s Twitter rage over Times Of India video is disturbing. Not because she roared. Salutes to her! Well said!

It is so because it is making News. Social media is on a roll… all and sundry slamming ToI, praising the actress’ courage and discussing media ethics and women’s empowerment.

[I do not want to comment of media ethics or women’s empowerment now, as they are grave topics that warranty isolated attention. I'm speaking only on social media and virtual users now]

Well, during these last few days, another woman has been on the internet.

Dr Sunitha Krishnan – co-founder of Prajwala and an anti-trafficking activist. She was gang raped as a teenager that has left her partially handicapped. She not only survived the dark days but is living in style. A style that defies glamour and hoopla. She has dedicated her life to ensure no other girl suffers her fate! 

Now she is selected as one of the five finalists for the prestigious "Nelson Mandela - Graca Machel Innovation Award 2014. The news is on the very same social media that’s rallying for Ms Padukone. Dr Sunitha needs her countrymen’s and women’s votes to win. 

Her FB page [as of writing this] has just 3,401 likes. The link I shared on my page requesting my virtual friends to vote has just 9 likes and one re-share. 

Am sure, Dr Sunitha wouldn’t care about winning. But as a citizen and a woman, in particular, it hurts.

It hurts to see that the nation rallies for a star’s cleavage rather than a laywoman’s courage!

Continuing on the social media clamour…I happened to see another post comparing Mary Com and Priyanka Chopra, followed by a plethora of comments on how “one is fake and the other original”; ‘Only  fake sells in India”… [To those uninitiated: Priyanka Chopra is an actress who essayed the role of Mary Com in her biopic].

This time around our virtual friends are sympathizing with Mary Com – the sportswoman - and slamming Ms Chopra. Here its money and fame that’s rubbing salt. Each single one of them forgetting that both the women are just living their passion, their dream.

On the same note, let me mention another woman-related social media News that made headlines last week. An IPS trainee officer Merin Joseph went viral on the internet because of her beauty. Following a rumour that she has taken over as the ACP of Kochi, virtual friends confessed that they wouldn’t mind being arrested by her. Phew! 

Her FB page [as of writing this] has 48,437 likes already…and counting!

I am NOT concluding this article... simply because it’s going up on the very same social media...

Just one reminder: The social media reactions to the above women were not all male-exclusive!

PS: Meanwhile, as bloggers let’s do our bit… Here’s the link where you can cast your vote for Dr Sunitha Krishnan. Voting closes on September 25. http://www.civicus.org/awards/#/home

Nisha is...they filled it in

Battling a sinus attack and irritatingly jabbering a mind, I was looking at giving today's entry a miss, when a post on how we judge people knocked something within.

Ever since I can remember, I've been called names or at least bestowed with ample adjectives. A private person; an intense person; a high-strung individual... The latest is that I am a simple person.

I lay my thoughts bare on this blog 'Uncensored'. My Toastmasters speeches are laden with my shameful incidents. My book 'Anamica' is an autobiographical novel. And yet I'm called a 'private person', presumably because I don't roll-over and laugh and walk around talking ninteen to a dozen with all and sundry, making my presence felt.

I am one person most colleagues have said they are comfortable working with. I make it a point to visit all my friends staying within my reach at least once in two months; call those who are far away at least once a month; visit all my relations on my hometown visits even if it is at the cost of re-scheduling and cancelling my assignments...yet I'm called a 'high-strung' individual.

I cannot hold myself at the slightest of jokes and cannot laugh without holding a tissue to my eyes and nose, and yet I'm called an 'intense' person.

Now the latest on the list of my descriptions is that I am a 'simple' person. Well, flashy dresses and dramatic make-up is not for me. This is one adjective I would love to retain with my name, for the 'simple' reason that it has helped me crack my mental Sudoku.

Decoding the 'simple-ness', I believe it is a matter of the heart. I trust people easily. And, therefore, I suffer easily.

This is also one of the main reasons, I now understand, for my sinus attacks and frustrations.

All those who have named me thus far - friends, relations, acquaintances, colleagues and foes - a Big Thank You!

“My heart is no more a garbage bin! My self-worth is not for public voting! Any more.

I hope my doctor reads this announcement. She would be pleased I took heed of her advice. 

PS: Has name-calling helped you look within? Helped you become a better person?

You may want to read: How was your name born?