When you don't know, never say 'no' !

This brought tears... 

Dear Ones...

I wept reading this.

Some of you might find it silly & may feel i went overboard sobbing.

But for those who are sensitive and atleast once have said 'no' to what we thought were silly

requests from our kids this might be close to our hearts.

WILL YOU GRANT ME A BOON.....

'How long will you be pouring over that newspaper? Will you come here right away and make your darling daughter eat her food?'

I tossed the paper away and rushed to the scene.  My only daughter Sindu looked frightened. 

Tears were welling up in her eyes.  In front of  her was a bowl filled to its brim with Curd Rice.

Sindu is a nice child, quite intelligent for her age. She has just turned eight.  She particularly detested Curd Rice.  My mother and my wife are orthodox, and believe firmly in the 'cooling effects' of Curd Rice!

I cleared my throat, and picked up the bowl. "Sindu,darling, why don't you take a few mouthful of this Curd Rice? Just for Dad's sake, dear. And, if you don't,your Mom will shout at me' I could sense my wife's scowl behind my back. Sindu softened a bit, and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.  'OK, Dad. I will eat - not just a few mouthfuls, but the whole lot of  this.  But, you should...'  Sindu hesitated.

'Dad, if I eat this entire Curd Rice, will you give me whatever I ask for?' 

'Oh sure, darling'.

'Promise?

''Promise'.  I covered the pink soft hand extended by my daughter with mine, and clinched the deal. 'Ask Mom also to give a similar promise', my daughter insisted.  My wife slapped her hand on Sindu's,muttering 'Promise', without any emotion.

Now I became a bit anxious.  'Sindumma, you shouldn't insist on getting a computer or any such expensive items. Dad does not have that kind of money right now. OK?'

'No, Dad.  I do not want anything expensive'. 

Slowly and painfully, she finished eating the whole quantity. I was silently 

angry with my wife and my mother for forcing my child eat something that 

she detested. After the ordeal was through, Sindu came to me with her eyes 

wide with expectation. All our attention was on her. 

'Dad, I want to have my head shaved off, this Sunday!' was her demand!

'Atrocious!' shouted my wife, 'a girl child having her head shaved off? 

Impossible!'.

'Never in our family!' my mother rasped.  'She has been watching too much of 

television.  Our culture is getting totally spoiled with these TV programs!'

'Sindumma, why don't you ask for something else?  We will be sad seeing you with a clean-shaven head.'

'No, Dad.  I do not want anything else', Sindu said with finality.

'Please, Sindu, why don't you try to understand our feelings?' I tried to plead with her.

'Dad, you saw how difficult it was for me to eat that Curd Rice'. Sindu was in 

tears.'And you promised to grant me whatever I ask for. Now, you are going 

back on your words.Was it not you who told me the story of King Harishchandra, and its moral that we should honour our promises no matter what?'

It was time for me to call the shots.  'Our promise must be kept.'

'Are you out your mind?' chorused my mother and wife.

'No.If we go back on our promises, she will never learn to honour her own. 

Sindu, your wish will be fulfilled.'

With her head clean-shaven, Sindu had a round-face, and her eyes looked big & beautiful.

On Monday morning, I dropped her at her school.  It was a sight to watch my hairless Sindu walking towards her classroom.  She turned around and waved.I waved back with a smile.  Just then, a boy alighted from a car, and shouted,

'Sinduja, please wait for me!'What struck me was the hairless head of that boy 

'May be, that is the in-stuff', I thought.

'Sir, your daughter Sinduja is great indeed!' Without introducing herself,

a lady got out of the car, and continued, 'That boy who is walking along with 

your daughter is my son Harish.  He is suffering from leukaemia.'

She paused to muffle her sobs.  'Harish could not attend the school for the whole of the last month.  He lost all his hair due to the side effects of the chemotherapy.  He refused to come back to school fearing the unintentional but cruel teasing of the schoolmates.  Sinduja visited him last week, and promised him that she will take care of the teasing issue. But, I never imagined she would sacrifice her lovely hair for the sake of my son!  Sir, you and your wife are blessed to have such a noble soul as your daughter.'

I stood transfixed.  And then, I wept. 

'My little Angel, will you grant me a boon?  Should there be another birth for me, will you be my mother, and teach me what Love is?'

Children might be 'small' but they might have their own 'big' reasons for their demands... I take this as a lesson as a mother...When you don't know, never say 'no'.

Lovingly Yours

Hats off 2 His uncomparable WIT !

Hi all

Couldn't resist sharing this with you...

Q : Guruji, Would you please encourage our husbands to wash utensils and cut vegetables even at home just as they did here during the advance course? (One of the seva activity in the Part 2 program of the art of living).(followed by loud cheering from all ladies in the crowd)

Guruji : Yes Yes definitely. But then it would be nice if you too maintained silence at home just the way you did in the advance course. (Followed by loud cheering by all the men in the crowd)

Onam in full swing.. catch up with you very soon with more of my moments.

Lovingly Your's

Vaish again

Hi dear ones

The way I feel when i watch my little one reminds me of the toungue twister 'I feel, i feel a funny feel and if you feel the feel i feel then i feel you feel the feel i feel' ( u sure must've heard this right?)

I donno, I always wonder, does every mother feel that their children are the best in the world. I sometimes feel a bit embarassed about it, but actually i feel that Vaish is par excellence and the best of the lot ( i donno whether i should be telling this). Anyway for me my little darling is one of a kind and truly unique and i am proud to be her mom ( if it sounds like bragging, you are mistaken. its not. i am just being true to myself)

Like I said, she is now playing the role of my teacher... now the lessons are on patience, patience and again patience.

hooo....does she get into my nerves? dont ask me. Now its all day long practical sessions on patience. Trust me, nothing works with them. At this age they will outsmart you in anything and everything you say or do. With her, all my logic seems to be like ping-pong balls. I try to drive some sense into things and she is all up with 100 s of who-s why-s, how-s, when-s and where-s that finally I end up losing my mind.

I go crazy over why she doesn't let me put her to sleep when she is feeling sleepy and then fuss over every little thing that comes up simply for the reason that she is feeling sleepy. (doesn't make any sense to me.) She drives me crazy enough to turn 'impossibles' to 'possibles' and impractical to practical.

Just 2 years n 4 months and she cant take her eyes off from the mirror. Can you believe it? Whatever I do, i have to do it such a way that her self-admiration process in not hindered. NO..your imagination is not doing justice. Its more frustrating than you can imagine.

But at the end of it all, when she runs to me for a hug, I smile at how she makes my world the most beautiful experience. After all the fuss and havoc, when i cuddle her to me in sleep, she completes me and my life, she is the twinkle in my eyes.

For me, the slogan goes... 'east or west, she is the best.'

I pray that it be thus for all mothers and all children. Let every mother be blessed with a heart to see their children as the best, no matter what.

I guess its our faith and trust which will evolve into their confidence. I believe this is the best a mother can do to make them truly the best.

Lovingly Your's

Wisdom rules and the wise win !!!

Maharshi Patanjali was truly compassionate to gift us with his Yogasutras. 'Patanjali Yogasutra' is timeless and all-encompassing. Every time I listen to it its so fresh and new.

Thats the beauty of Purana ( the word meaning is ' the latest in town' , forever new)

Just finished a yogasutra session today and since the first day , I've been finding it difficult to think of anything else to write other than wat was said in that. Everything else seemed to be very silly.

At some point in history we got this wrong idea of listening to scriptures and wisdom towards the fag end of our term in this world [as a part of our training to take on the other world ;-)]. SO very UNFORTUNATE. Most often we end up making a mess of our lives and then when there is nothing better to do; no options left; we turn to the scriptures. This definitely is not a sign of intelligence...

This knowledge is all about how to manage ourselves and our lives; to be succesful and happy. Practical tips, applicable in our day to day life which assures a dramatic change in the quality of our lives ! Then why let our narrow and limited concepts and ideologies to take us through the proven short-cut to failure and misery ? Why not allow wisdom to take over and rule?

( Btwn, lets not mistake wisdom for information - the two are worlds apart)

Its only wisdom that can guide one out of misery and show us the way to true success.

Everyone ought to listen to the tapes or read it at least once...this knowledge is applicable in all times, for all people. It would be a crime to miss it...

Listening to Patanjali Yoga sutra is a fascinating journey from ?s to !s (questions to wonders). Its a must-have experience in each one's life.

Do check it out... Absolutely gratifying !!!

Lovingly Your's

Hats off to Youth!!!

All those who ever did the mistake of making(or even considering) the statement- Youth is rash, it would be nice if you took a break and evaluated the same. My experience so far has been of a different kind and if i stick to it, the story goes like this.

When I started penning this down, I was just back from the a beach session with a lot of glorious youngsters and trust me, thats wats called 'packed with fun and gusto'.

An intellect not conditioned by ignorance and concepts and a mind which is open to give and take wisdom makes them the best company in the world. Abreast with all that is latest in town, no matter what age you are, they carry you along with an overflowing enthusiasm which is their USP ;-). Its so easy to forget your age and be young at heart when you are around them [thats the selfish bit of it ;-)]

Innocence, intelligence, sincerity and genuineness all packed into one- thats what youth is for me (not to mention 'enthusiasm' which is a synonym for 'youth'). Being with them, you guide , you learn and you enjoy every moment of it. It is experiencing life with all its passion and intensity.

Its every person's responsibilty to ensure that such potent energy and zeal is channelised in the most constructive way. Thats what really drove me to take an interest in the youth programme of the Art of Living- Yes!+.

My expereince so far has been really mind-blowing. Being with the Yes plus team is a truly awesome experience, a blessing. Its such pleasure being a part of this 'youthful energy'. I invite all to join us in our cause to make a difference in your lives and that of others around you.

Youth is the spark of revolution. Youth is the seed of transfomation.Youth is the future and when we take care of them, the future takes care of itself.

Lovingly Your's

My First Baby Lesson !!!

....continued

'Now wat?' was the question in my mind. Everything was in place...except for my self. The first three S's-sadhana,satsang and seva- had totally disappeared from my life to vanish the 4th one- smile :-(

One fine morning Guruji suddenly showed up on screen sanskar and my world was not the same any more. The change happened in a matter of secs when he said...

' Being totally with a baby...100% involved in all their activities... playing and having fun is meditation in itself '

Hey...wake up dumbo...that was exactly what I was doing... all I had to do was love doing it and be 100 %. I guess that was a mild version of 'realisation'

Little Vaish(Vaishnavi) suddenly became my Art of Living Part 1 teacher :-) giving me practical lessons on all the course points...

For those who are struggling to get through the first few years of child-minding, I learned that this is the best time to bond with them. Soon they will start hopping away and very soon fly off on their own...its now or never for us, so lets not miss it.

Moments when we do stupid things to simply roll in laughter... when I start crying to make her stop crying....when she insist on joining me in the bath b cos i did so with her...when odd sounds have meanings and make sense to me... pandemonium is music...mess is fun. I realise that my baby is the best company I could ask for... always in the present moment...no complaints, no long faces, no expectations, easy to please, freedom to be stupid and even shares her chocolates with me.

When the 4th 'S' started appearing... the first three S's were automatically put in place. My first baby lesson was that things are as they are. What I make out of it is totally upto me. I am responsible.. I alone am responsible.

Sure she has more trying lessons in store for the years to come...

Lovingly your's

My First Baby Lesson !!!

Dear ones

The last two days have been absolutely fascinating watching myself struggle to find the matter for blogging. The ever entertaining and non-stop fun activity is watching my mind go on this roller-coaster rides. If any of you have tried this thing with your mind, am sure you would agree with me.

This is live reporting... my little one(who is just 2 yrs n 3 months old now)...packed with bubbling enthusiasm walks up the stairs to where i sit now typing and proudly declares that she climbed up on her own...she is growing up and i suddenly realised there is no more hiding or escaping.

Oh yes...its getting even better...she wants to sit on the key board...I was very obviously having serious problem with content :-) but something just happened to me...

Last two years have been a wonderful period of learning... sometimes fun-filled and at times tearful...The funniest part of bringing up babies is that at every stage, you think the next stage would be easier and they prove to us that its otherwise...

(A loving advice I give to all the new mothers I happen to meet now)

Having quit my job after our little bundle of joy took form, it was fun learning the basics of child-minding and diaper changing. Very easy job when they are infants but as they grow to become a toddler the lessons become all the more trying...wake her up, feed her, bathe her, feed her again, put her to sleep( when i have to tend to my basic needs) and then back to sqaure one...Thats all i do...

'Pissed off' would be too mild a word to describe the emotional mess I was in... niroop was the lucky one who got the chance to bear the brunt of all my inner turmoil...

One fine morning I realised...life was everything I wanted it to be...but I was in a mess...who is responsible??

to be continued....

Lovingly Your's