"Food for Thought"

We really are seeing rains aren't we? Yes the smell of first rain makes us feel so fresh. It was raining last week and I was hurrying to catch a rick to get to work...and what I saw on the way stayed with me the whole day at work... I was aghast by what I saw. I know there might be other ghastly things in this world but for me that moment was really heartrending ... This was too much for me to take...Before getting to what upset me - let me just switch gears to a different topic.

How many times during school- we left a little portion of milk in our glass, and how many times mom would have said "don’t waste milk, few kids do not get to drink milk ever in their life", how many times we leave dinner unfinished? and Mom pleads to finish everything on the plate, How many times we go out buy stuff and throw it saying "well not nice or oh I'm stuffed".. Well I'm feeling guilty of doing all this....

What I saw that day made me take an oath not to waste any food ever. I saw a dog eating cow dung he finished up the entire thing in few seconds he was that hungry L

Food for thought really is. We must do something for these helpless animals not much but the food we waste can be shared with them to  start with. Let us all  take an oath that we will never waste a single morsel. I will never.

Priyanka Rao

Habitual Certainties

This afternoon came across this tweet" Letting go of our habitual certainties opens the   doorway to creativity" started pondering about it while... I was waiting to wash my hair - had to rush out for shopping so could not complete this post.  Coming back to this tweet- how true it is isn’t it?? From past few months I was just not able to adjust to a fact that why do things, people change all of a sudden- I mean just like there is a new day everyday... thinking more and more I could relate to this tweet... At times all of us just do things as we feel it is a certainty but in fact every day we are a new person... We hold back on new thoughts due to these habitual constraints and later realise what we are messing up with.

Now there is one program that is telecasted on one of the "Dharmic"channels...it is called as "awakening with Brahma kumari's" -hold on don't go by the name- the topics discussed there are just to do with the above mentioned feeling.. We have to accept the fact that every day we are a new person and we have to let the thing or the person the way they are i.e. by not making it or them as a habitual certainty... Example I tell myself someone who is a very close to me is not giving me time- and then this becomes a certainty, then I start questioning the person rather than letting go of the certainty...  It is easier said than done but while I was thinking about it- it just occurred to me that yes... I feel this disturbance is what I'm making it as a certainty. If i just let go of it and accept the change- the result might be just amazing....

Wanted to share this as by trying to see others the way you want to or by getting upset with these certainties we harm the inner mind- which is the way you think- and it damages your creative mind. I have kind of related to this. I will practice it for a day and make it a habit to let go of habitual certainties!!

Cheers
Priyanka Rao!

"Kill the Bin in you"

This week world woke up to the news which said "US forces Killed Bin Laden " When I heard this first, I went back down in the memory lane  Sep 9/11 2001 I was at GECIS office and the whole floor was astonished and bewildered by learning what happened at the twin towers.. I remember management and leadership with tense faces as they were enquiring the well being of few our colleagues who were near World Trade centre at that time...10 years ...  and here we are.... I was listening to the people on CNN near ground zero and felt for them, they all had lost their loved ones. The loss is irreparable.

Then I heard one girl who had lost her mother during this attack saying.. "I don’t see any closure, I'm glad the terrorist and the evil man is gone, but Hate for Hate can never get peace and love" This caught my attention.

We are living in the world where the values are diminishing with every second. And we hear people talking about closures on these kinds of issues. I mean I acknowledge the fact that it is a great win in the fight against terrorism... But the question I asked myself - "Is that it?"

Let’s take a pause and look at few things,. Starting from our house... We see people fighting, holding grudges, vowing to demean neighbours, friend’s colleagues as their selfish interest is not met, or there was misunderstanding- is this not thinking the Bin way- Vowing to kill values as something did not appease us, or is not according to us.

Innocent people are killed, Arunima -national player. How low can we get? She lost her leg and the politicians talk about her conspiring to get a job??  Thousands of poor farmers are killed, every year. Politicians are just making money. This is not the story of one city or state, but every country and nation. Why? This is a bigger question at a different level and the point is what about the Bin in us? I mean the thought process we all live with.- Hate, jealousy, grudges... this progresses further as vengeance- sounds philosophical but isn’t this true.??.  In school our teachers and during bedtime our grandmother’s used to teach us- Learn to forgive, love all, and treat one and all as self-. These days’ people who possess these values are considered fools- not exaggerating but it is a fact...

We as a young nation should look back at our culture, value system, and principles. It is an uphill task but not difficult. Charity begins at home and so does the power to love all, give peace and spread non violence. If we have to wipe out terrorism. It cannot just happen by capturing “one Bin Laden”. It is by killing the very root. Wipe the Bin like thinking. I'm just using this name - as we have heard about his deeds which killed so many innocent lives. Nothing against that name personally. The message is kill the bin in you!

Cheers!

Retrospection....

It is just another day. With an agenda just as regular as ever...  Ever wondered why life has become so mechanical?? And it is not just with a group of people or a particular working stream but almost everybody.

I was on my way to work on a Friday, was stuck in a traffic jam waiting for signal to break. Looked around... and to my disbelief I saw everywhere around waiting as though they are waiting in an emergency ward... "Tension” is what I saw on all the faces as I looked around...

The point, Life has become so mechanical that we have forgotten the very essence of life.. We all are running after something without even knowing whether we really want it.. And 24 hours are not enough to do anything.

Now I started thinking, when I was in school. Well I was on the same planet, there were same kind of people around, I was eating same food  what I eat now  I did more things and had so much time left to play, cultivate hobbies, visit relatives and RELAX.  WHAT CHANGED??

Today with technology at its best and accessible, ATM and credit cards, different methods of conveyance, the magical internet, MOBILE phones –iPads and iPhones better with each version... Why is there a feeling that there is no time left in the day, why is there a feeling with every second person that the day is too short and there is too much do...? Why Life appears so technical and difficult?  Is advancement not better?

I began to think and started retrospection... We all have become non thinkers, we look for the comfort which is temporary, slowly but surely complacency has set in...

Looking at the mad rush at the traffic signal I realized that Speed is important but there has to be a meaning to why we are doing what we are doing?  I decided to stop and take my mind few years back...the missing factor clearly was again the thinking... Now Can I associate this phenomenon with everything and everyone??Well if not entirely but in some way or the other.. We all are running behind getting comfortable temporarily and not really thinking about small details.... Well to be really basic- things were more organized, efficient and healthier before..the need of the hour is retrospection to bring peace, sanity and blissful days back.....

'Excuse me'.. "Do you mind giving me some space "???

Couple of day’s back I was standing out in my balcony wondering what to do... Thought provocation isn’t it?? Laughs... Sun was as mighty as ever..  The thing was Mom and dad went out for some work. Was all alone at home. .. While I was contemplating about few things... door bell rang... It was my cousin... Looking tired... He was locked out of his house LOL.. My aunt had gone out and he did not have the keys.. He was also wandering around in the compound.   So both of us decided to take a small trip around our compound to look at the new plants and the old ones and thought we could chat a bit....

We were standing next to a new Skoda Laura parked under portico- and my cousin was   telling me how important it is to keep a tool kit, spare keys in the car... I suddenly realized something standing next to me. It was a huge TOM cat. With a bushy tail and lovely whiskers, looking straight into my eyes... as though he was telling me:-. “Stranger go away I need to sleep under the car”. Pity I could not capture his expression..

I wanted to pet him. Before we realized he moved away to another car parked and sneaked beneath it... after seconds he came out in disgust... he was dejected... He came to the Laura and looked at us with an expression. Which said "Excuse me, do you mind moving away , this is my space I want sleep"!.. I do not have words to describe the expression...

I moved back and the Tom cat made its way. I realized our compound was the only one in the lane which had greenery.. Few big trees lot of small plants. I see a lot of birds and, squirrels and cats come in... I ran to the gate to look around.. Other than two compounds all the other big houses were demolished and built apartments with very minimal greenery.... I felt sad for these little creatures....

If this is the situation of a small neighbourhood. Then I dare not imagine the state of our cities. But it is true... and very sad...  We are going very far from nature... Before it is too late we must get our act together.. Make our neighbourhood more convenient for these tiny lovable creatures....

Nature teaches us. In fact it gives us hints about what is going to happen in future.. We all get our basic instincts, power, wisdom from nature.. It is time we do something about preserving the same. Let us take a break from mundane activities and think about these things. For a better future!!

From last two days I'm waiting for him... "Tom Cat" but he has not come!!

Beautiful Eyes

Today's incident reminded me of a Ruskin Bond Story “Girl on a Train".. Well..  I was getting to work today.. And something amazing happened.. I have walk a few Furlongs.. this morning a taxi stopped by and a gal asked me where is G1 Block.. i showed the taxi driver the location.. As I was going to the same block... I looked at the girl's eyes and said to myself.. WOW... they were Big, great eyelashes and with child like twinkle...

I reached the block and heard a voice "Excuse me MAM" I turned back it was the same taxi driver with the girl inside.. I said "Yes", he said... She needs help to get in.. I assumed it to be access issue.. I took her to the building security. The gal said.. "I have access".. I was perplexed then I shrugged my shoulder and asked what she wanted me to help her with... I noticed she was walking very close along with me as though, trying to hold my hand... She said.. Please take me to 6th floor I can't see... I was stunned...

Strange are the ways of God... I thanked him for all I had...

In celebration of being alive

In celebration of being alive.
Way back when I was in school, there was this "lesson" in the English text book titled, "In celebration of being alive", by Dr. Christian Barnard (yes, the first surgeon to perform a heart transplant). I was moved by the story then, as a kid I always thought I have everything in life and I will be very rich, famous and beautiful :) as I was good, obedient, hardworking and helpful child... Well as I grew up i realized it was not that easy...ok not drifting from what I want to write today... I remembered this English lesson and wanted to stress  up on the fact... WE all must celebrate the life we are gifted with... Life is short and very unpredictable.. All of us get involved so much in the mundane activities, we forget that in our struggle for existence we ignore the key essence of celebrating the fact.. Life is beautiful, joyful, and full of lessons, sorrow to teach its value... But we make it ugly, for our selfish interests, motives, we get jealous, we do mockery, we hurt people, pull people down.. Or simply hate few with no reason and bring them down... Lie, betray...I mean.. We do all unimaginable things.....

I don't remember the exact story, but it was something on these lines: The setting was that of a hospital dorm full of children. A blind boy and his friend who doesn't have a leg are playing the push-cart game. The blind boy is pushing the cart on which the disabled boy is seated and is steering it as well as guiding the blind boy. The rest of the crowd cheers them. Many of them don't have a lot of time with them. Dr. Barnard is surprised to see all of them happy.

The essay is very aptly titled, "In celebration of being alive". That, in my opinion is the ultimate form of optimism. And needless to say, it is some task to maintain that levels of optimism.

Whenever something even remotely related to "lacking" in one’s life is presented to me, the black and white illustration in my text book of the push-cart game flashes for a moment before my eyes
The reason why I’m quoting DR Christian Barnard is.. 1- We must value life and celebrate it 2- We must always do good deeds and HURT NO ONE ever.. Because we never know if we will even ever see that person.. Today's post is in dedication for two strangers.. Both young women, full of life... but passed away in mysterious conditions..

I was very moved by an incident which happened couple of days ago.. My neighbour who was in late twenties... had some illness and recovered.. I met her two weeks ago... she was fine.. She said "priya, I got your post" postman delivered it to my place ... and day before yesterday...I learnt she is no more....

A similar thing happened when I was at Indiranagar house. Land lady.. Beautiful and ever smiling and most helpful ... just was gone.....

I want to dedicate this post for these two women and I pray that their soul gets salivation and God takes care of their families....

All. Love life and never hurt a soul... not trying to give gyan here... being logical...... an amazing trainer told the class.. We have 84.5 + million births.. Not sure if there are so many births but... All i know is we have one life!!!

To be or not to be

27/02/2011 India Vs England match  @ chinnaswamy stadium... Had plans to go see the match.. Well last minute changes... So not going.. Got time to write something...Just saw this post on Face book  "Apologizing doesn’t mean that you are wrong and the other is right. It only means that you value the relationship more than your personal ego!"

I'm not sure if I come across as an arrogant or a self defensive person but I feel sometimes that it is like catch 22 situation ... I read this on Twitter - What the victim calls luck, the virtuoso calls practice (I want that on my tombstone please ;)-Robin Sharma. so much of this is true... We are always stuck in catering to our ego but often forget the essence of value and the relationship. Why is it always said?  "This is not the age of selfless people, modest people... oh values what is that? I think it is just not saying it but people are living with this thought process.  The amusing fact is, these kinds of people strongly believe they can fool others all the time...while others who are victims are only ignoring this fact as they value relationship.

To be or not to be.. In Hamlet it so well described about the state of confusion.. Not going into further details..On this phrase i guess often we get into this state and we do not think practically.. The end result is all the emotional turmoil we go through...

Well I have had enough experience to now realize that one must not to give more than what one deserves- it is not required to compromise with value system anyhow.

The point I'm trying to drive is... To forgive is not weak but the sign of a being great! At the same time.. Ignoring the fact that others do not deserve it is actually being stupid! My two cents.. There will be more on this... in future upgrades.. May be with time I would look at the whole thing with a different perspective.

Compromise

Small Wish whispered in my ears,
Hush said my mind and said Compromise,
Crush said my heart and said I Compromise,
Compromise, Compromise why Compromise,

I want to fly, and fly so high!
Hush said the World, and Said Compromise,
Crush said my Heart and Said I compromise,
Compromise, Compromise Why Compromise,

I will fight all odds, and go running after my dreams,
Hush said the responsibilities and said Compromise,
Crush said my heart and Said I Compromise,
Compromise, Compromise Why Compromise,

I won’t give up as Yet; I care to achieve my dreams,
Hush said the Hurdles of life, and said Compromise,
Crush Said my heart and Said I compromise,
Compromise, Compromise Why Compromise,

No No, Not anymore can I Compromise,
Hush said the Commitments and said you are all about Compromise
Crush said my Heart and Said I Compromise
Compromise, Compromise Why Compromise.

Responsibilities, Commitments, Hurdles, Sacrifices Let them all be
Hush Said I and said now no Compromise
Yes Said my Heart and Said I won't Compromise
Compromise, Compromise, No More Compromise.

The Chase!!

It has been9+ long years that I have started to work...Time flies and it really does! It just feels like yesterday. As I was looking back and all these years I feel it was not that bad :)) was rich with learning every day...  Today I want to write a few lines about the restaurant of which I have very fond memories... Those who have worked at iProcess/GECIS "the now GENPACT" would for sure remember this place.... It must be Nov/Dec 2002 or Feb/March 2003.. After the dinner at this famous restaurant. My close pal "We were called as Siamese Twins"-. oops said I-.."mein apana wallet desk pe bhool gayi" ah said she... I didn’t get it either ... We told the manager at the restaurant- We will be back in ten minutes as we were his regular guests he said “NO Problem”. We got out of the restaurant and unmindful of the money we have to pay – we decided to go for our usual walk...  We took a different route and there were two standing near the railing as though they were leaning against it...  So scared were we of the stray dogs – we started walking fast- the dogs started to follow us perhaps they did not like the location either and wanted to move,,, “Then the fun started- for which I still don’t know the reason both me and my friend screamed as though we were going to eaten up by a Lion and started running- and the dogs started the chase- The scene was so comic people who were sitting near the resting area at cyber towers stood by and started to enjoy the running race- Now the huddle race had turn into long jump.. Both of us jumped off the railing and the dogs did the same.. We finally reached the reception area and the dogs were no were in the scene.... W were grasping for breath and thirsty thought we will go and have lime soda at the same restaurant- and when we went in... The Manager said “Anything for the dogs”???J Laughs!! How I wish I get to meet my freind and go back to the same place .. Not sure if the Manager still works there!!

Few Good Men!!

Sun Still rises, Earth Still revolves, Night Still Falls, Climate Still Changes,
Men, come and Men Go but Few Good Men are hard to Find,
In this ever changing world, where Truth is diminishing value,
Few Good Men are hard to find. Yet there is a ray of Hope,
Few people are still alive for whom being good and helpful is still a charm,
Few good men though are hard to find but still are around!

These few lines are for such few good people who have been around me!!

Misery of my right Leg!

Well all excited I was to take my long due vacation to go home (Hyd)... Saving money in today's ever so expensive world decided to take a bus. Ah gone are those days which were making our flourishing airline Industry richer each day. Courtesy "yours truly" :-). The real story is about the return journey. So to give it some introduction let me start..  " pack your bags" said my Mom on 9-1-2011 , I shrugged my shoulders and said I haven’t open it since I arrived anyway, we have a late night bus on 10-1-2011 so there!! .. I felt that I just said that and it was 6PM 10th Jan- and my Dad said we must leave in next 30 minutes. Next 30 minutes "HUH" the bus is @ 9:45PM and we have to leave in next 30 minutes?? Then he said nope by 7:30 ... Irritated with the fact that I would not be taking a flight and will miss the expensive my favourite mocha at airport I started packing my unpacked bag "laughs"!! I was surprised I saw a good shopping bag tied up like a sack, to satisfy my inquisitive hunger.. I asked my mom "What is in there"?? Mud with Manure for my plants in Bangalore-- ah and next to it was a big cloth bag-she had put utensils - I was like WHY??? You don’t have any @ your house. I need them.. Imagine I had to travel in a bus with a mud sack and a cloth bag... oops... ok. Saving was the hour of the day "My dad said let’s take a rickshaw”.. At 8PM I left and was at the bus station by 8:20PM... Now the fun started- very curious looking man was at the counter in the so called "X travels" spoke in Kannada to me asking why was I so early and the bus is going to come late... well what could I say.... okie now.... with more than 2 hour waiting the bus arrived - we put all our luggage and boarded it.. A4 and B4 were our seats; i said I will take the window seat. My mom looked at me innocently and said ok do I keep your laptop bag in the over head cabin?? I said no- she said ok. I adjusted the seat and tried to remove my shoes... ouch... there was the cloth bag on which I found my laptop bag ... and my leg between them... finally i took it out and told my mom...this is the last time I'm travelling in the bus... alright it was night and I had to sleep.. I kept my left leg on foot rest and other leg on the bag/sack arrangement- poor leg failed to understand why I wore my shoes to make matters worse. Well it was cold... While I thought it was little comfortable. There was mosquito... and it bit my leg which was already in misery!! I moved my leg from foot rest and put it on the seat...And fell asleep...

Bangalore Nights...

The days were busy and nights were lazy,
The air in the City was hazy and breezy,
I landed in the strange city in a hurry,
Oh the land lady was she so weary,
I was in the Bangalore City!

The welcome was so very grand,
All I knew I had to give away every penny in hand!
Excitement fun with lot of Time in hand.
I found people around me whose names I wrote in sand,
I was in the Bangalore City!

Geared up was all I, landed at work oh I was on a high,
Selfish was the place of work oh no i had to cry,
Friends I made familiar to my eye, oh that was I Sigh,
Hope I had and believe I can fly,
I was in the Bangalore City!

Midnight Oil is what I burnt,
Gave away my best stunt,
Earned my bread and that was not a hunt,
My success and wisdom made people grunt,
I was in the Bangalore City!

Friends I made with a stranger who was so weird
Love, care, tear and penny on which I Shed,
Is this real or a bluff or a deceit, I feared,
Stranger, stranger do you care?? Stranger never bothered,
I was in the Bangalore City!

The night was dark and appeared frightening,
Alas there was a rain with lightning,
Stranger friend was an enemy I was sleeping along
She had eyes of deer and venom in the heart left me crying.
I was in the Bangalore City!

My pride wisdom and success all was gone,
Nothing to do but  to brood alone,
Few good friends still said all is not gone,
Hope is there and truth can never be gone,
I was in the Bangalore City!

The day was bright and Hope Smiled
I told myself I’m here to win and i never lied,
Care, Love and tear still there and all of that would be on self I never lied,
Truth is bitter but life gives opportunity to correct and I vowed and i never lied,
I was in the Bangalore City!

 As I write these lines of my first poem,
I take a vow to make every bit of my life a song,
No more tear and no more fear for people who don't deserve,
The air in city is still hazy and Breezy,
Oh I'm still in the Bangalore City!!