Parents – are a Blessing

Today I had gone to meet the teachers at my daughter’s school, this was the first meeting of this year, and I did not want to miss it, so I drove to the school, and met her class teacher and also her subject teachers, the feedback was very positive, and the teachers were appreciating her for her good behaviour and interest she displayed in the class room, I was happy to hear that she was considered one of the best student in the class among the top 5 students.

While I was happy that my daughter is progressing well academically and has improved a lot compared to her previous class, I saw so many parents, the class rooms were full, and the teachers were very busy giving feedback to the parents on their children, and I found some of the parents were so particular about the marks scored by their children, some parents were  scolding the children for scoring less in some subjects, and were telling the teachers to be strict with their children to bring in behaviour changes.

This brought in memories of my own school days, and I never ever remember my mom coming to school to meet the teacher, it was the responsibility of the sisters and teachers to take care of my studies, and my mom came in only when there was a complain, or only when she was asked to by the management in case there was a delay in payment of fees etc.  

I realize times have changed, my mother studied only upto class IV, being the only daughter for my grandparents, she was not allowed to go beyond class IV as the concept was, what will she do after studying, one day she has to be married, and her life will be to  take care of the children and the kitchen. So she was married in a bigger family, wherein she had to take care of my uncle’s family too.

 It was difficult for her to manage a large family, but she was very generous and gave herself freely in doing all that she can and ensured that all nine of us children went to school, and was particular that at least we reach standard X.  She never put any pressure on any of us to come first in the class or get high grades, but in her own way handled every child with great love, concern and patience.

I marvel how she would have managed, and value all that she did for me. Despite problems and difficulties in the family, she was always encouraging and ever willing to support us in completing school education, she was always there for us at home, ready to receive when we came back from school, my dad worked very hard day and night to make ends meet, and she managed house without a helper, training my brothers to assist her in work.

I remember my brothers sweeping the house, giving us bath, and helping my mom to wash & dry clothes. Today all of us live our own lives; I am filled with Gratitude for my parents and my brothers and sisters for all that they did, in helping me in my journey.  

“The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them.  Frank A Clark quotes.”

Have a Grateful Day!

Fruits for Dinner

In the last few months, health is been one of my major priority to work at, I began addressing it by doing something to get active and healthy in life.  To my good luck, I found a beautiful pool in the place where I worked, and so started to swim every day, its four months now, and I am so happy to swim every day for an hour, and to my surprise, I am still energetic at the end of the day, it’s a myth that some people feel that swimming everyday for an hour will make one tired and exhausted.

My experience is that it has brought in a lot more of energy and also has helped me reduce a few pounds, and I look forward eagerly every morning to be back in the pool – it’s a special time for me, and I would not like to compromise with anything else in my life, I have created this time for myself and I am enjoying my own company.

This week I also made a small decision to include fruits as one part of the meal – normally, I used to just add one fruit which can be eaten raw either for breakfast or lunch, but I did not feel much difference, I heard that eating only fruits for one meal helps, so I have started eating fruits for dinner and vow! What a feeling! I feel light, and some fruits gives you the feeling of fullness, you don’t feel hungry, I make a fruit salad of papaya, apples, guava’s, banana & pomegranates depending on its availability, sometimes, I add a little salt and pepper for taste, other times I just eat one fruit, I am learning to develop right eating habits, and I am training myself to quit eating when I am full.

When my husband noticed what I was doing, he joined me, so now two of us are eating fruits for dinner, and in the last two days my mother in law has joined, so now I am happy I do not have to cook in the evening, as the dinner is easy to make and it is also healthy to eat.  I make a very small meal to cater to my daughter, who sometimes watching us eat fruit settles down for small bowl of apples & bananas.  

 I continue to make thank you notes, and in early mornings I sit in gratitude in front of the creator, and also practice a few rounds of mind conditioners – stating that I am divinely guided, protected and all is well in my world.  End of the day I rest in gratitude for everything I could accomplish.  I am still exploring to bring in changes in my life as well as in our family to live in harmony & gratitude.

Be Blessed & Be Happy !

 

Crying is Healthy

I had a dream and in my dream I had admitted my son in a convent school run by the sisters, it was the first day of his school, so I left him in this school and came home, but I could not rest, as I was worried for my child, as he is not articulating, I was anxious how he would handle himself, If he felt hungry or thirsty, whether he would be able to ask for help. 

And so I decided to bring him back home, as I felt very insecure, having my child in the school, so I went back to the school within an hour’s time, and told the school authorities, that I had come to take my son back, and the teachers told me that since he was older, they put him in the higher standard, so I went searching for him the next class, when I went there, I was told that he was sent to another class, so I went on moving from one class to another, only to find that my son was not there in any of the classes where I left, I became desperate, started calling my husband who was also waiting outside the school and both of us went searching in all the sections only to find my son missing.

I suddenly got up from my bed to find, it was a dream, but it was so real that I started crying and I felt very depressed early morning – I kept thinking about it, and was feeling unhappy. The next time, I went to church, and I just sat for few minutes, there was loud music, and very lively songs sung, and I could not control my tears, for it brought memories of my son who used to dance in the church for these songs – I wept and wept nonstop, I was just not able to hold my tears.

Now any where I go, I do not know what will trigger me – I have ready tears for my son waiting to just flow, sometimes I don’t let myself cry, and I exercise great self control, especially in front of my daughter, lest she be upset for being alive, but I am not able to control my tears. The other day in the family prayers, suddenly I started crying as I felt my son’s presence in our room, I could not stop myself from weeping, I continued to weep till the end of our prayers. 

Slowly I began to understand, my dream that I had still not accepted the fact that my son is no more, and I am hoping deep within myself he is alive somewhere, and I am angry with God for taking him away from me suddenly when everything appeared fine.

I am hurt, and I have still not let him go completely out of my life, and have been struggling for the last few months.  There is always something that I notice, or hear and it is enough to trigger me to cry, Now I do not mind crying for I feel much better when I cry. I believe crying can be so important and healthy, yet many times we don’t let ourselves shed the tears we need to.   I feel I need to be gracious to myself, and allow myself to cry without being ashamed to do it.

Do you know that there are benefits to crying?

• A good cry lets out bottled up emotions and feel a little relief
• Crying helps from feeling upset to feeling better
• A good cry helps you heal from grief or pain
• Weeping helps relieves stress, tension and anxiety
• Crying is said to rid your body of toxins.

So the next time, if you feel like crying, do not control or try to stop – let the tears flow, and you will be surprised to find yourself feeling much better, and healthier for having wept.

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts” Charles Dickens.

Be Blessed !

Happy Rainy Day !

Its rainy season, and it is raining everyday day in the evening hours, afraid of being caught in the rain, I rush in and rush back home on time, especially to escape from the traffic on the roads, and I also need to pick up my daughter from the bus stop.  I am happy when I get caught in the rain, I feel like singing, and the whole experience of being wet creates a sense of happiness, and leads me down the memorable moments of childhood wherein I loved rain, and always found some reason to get out and play in the in the rain, only to get shouting from my mom.

I recall making paper boats and set it on water to sail, competing with my neighbour friends, who would also come with their paper boats, so much of excitement, fun and thrill, only to watch a small little paper boat moving in the water.  Those were small joys, but filled me with so much happiness.

Rainy season also reminds me of my mom who used to wait for us to come back from school, and serve us with hot onion pakodas, potatoes fries, bread toast and I used to love the tea she would make, and enjoy every sip on a rainy day.

Now my daughter wants to go out in the rain and play, and I do not want to permit – I am afraid, she will catch cold and fall sick, I think of my mom, and then I think of myself, then I change my mind, and  allow her to get a little wet, to play little and help her in making small boats, she is alone, no children to compete with her, her brother is not there to clap hands, so I join her only to see a big smile on her face and to hear her laughter as she gets  little wet, I am happy ! and so is my daughter, its the small little joys, that makes a great difference ! Happy Rainy Day !

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.”  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Be Blessed and Be Happy !

The Power of Attitude - Video

It is often said that our attitudes are everything. Our attitudes determine our success in life, attitudes are life-scripts, the way we view the world, others, our lives and ourselves. It is the mental makeup and the pattern of our thoughts. The most important aspect is that we can always choose our own attitudes, and attitude is everything.

Dr Victor E Frankl summarizes beautifully when he says, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And it is with you…. We are in charge of our attitudes.

So very true, I came across this video on power of attitude, the sentence that inspired me today is the line that says – Attitudes are contagious and author Mac Anderson challenges us to ask ourselves, "Is mine worth catching?

The Power of Attitude - Video - Beliefnet.com

Be Blessed and Be Happy !