A Father was reading a magazine and his little daughter every now and then distracted him. To keep her busy, he tore one page on which was printed the map of the world. He tore it into pieces and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.
He was sure she would take the whole day to get it done. But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map……When he asked how she could do it so quickly, she said, “Oh…. Dad, there is a man’s face on the other side of the paper….. I made the face perfect to get the map right.” She ran outside to play leaving the father surprised.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
There is always the other side to whatever you experience in this world. Whenever we come across a challenge or a puzzling situation, look at the other side…. You will be surprised to see an easy way to tackle the problem.
A few musings…
The difference between just looking and seeing is so much in the depth and dimension of expansions in our flow of thoughts .An expansion in our acceptability and flexibility changes the seemingly complex situations to simple solutions .:)
There was a message from one of the readers that made me reflect and write on the very nature of ripples in life and living. From the chaos of change to the stillness of sublimity.
Unconference, the word piqued my curiosity for a while now.
I checked it up on the internet only to find that the idea has gained tremendous momentum across the globe.
The idea of un-structuring the ingrained structure seemed interesting to say the least, in creating spaces and possibilities to honour the learning.
Suffice to say recently, when I came across an Unconference event in the local newspaper I decided I must make a visit.
The venue of this Unconference was the well known Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts in Pune. I reached just in time for the proceedings to untold.
A customary registration ensued and I was greeted by a few volunteers with a relaxed warm and welcoming attitude. Clearly, the Unconference had started right there.
The word Conference kind of stiffens people up. There is a formal attitude, a thick air of competition to perform at their very best. There are fees and strict rules to adhere to. There are super busy organisers scurrying through and tension is writ large on their faces and their bodies as well are stressed out with expectations of the outcome of the event. Suited men and women whizz through looking super important. And yes there would be a Chief Guest of honour and a coterie of important people who need VIP handling… Adherence to their whims and fancies and most importantly their speeches which may or may not be of interest to any. But all must endure as to get up and leave is an offence to the speaker.
On the contrary here, there was a prevalent free-spirited feeling in the first place that all were in it together. The sense of community always takes time to build so I stood in that room with a small group of people waiting for the (informal introductory practice,) the opening circle.
The Opening Circle :
Someone from the group had taken an initiative to design a pretty pattern made of flowers in the centre of the space and light a lamp there.
A few introductory rounds later which turned out to be icebreakers with a few games to let loose and get into the flow.
There was a board set up with a mention of few rooms and a time slot to boot. The participants were encouraged to choose to attend or conduct workshops or just wander around and network.
A few people got up to mention their workshops and claim their slot. On a moment’s impulse although I was not exactly in the right attire for a dance workshop I simply decided to go with the flow and offered a Dance connection workshop by me.
Encouraged by a decent number of participants I let the moment take the lead. As I began teaching I witnessed the flow of the energy in the exchange.
I spoke about the dance, hold, frame and positioning and started introducing them to partner dancing and some basic steps. Bit by bit people shed inhibitions as they were getting tuned into the moves.
The moment strangers began to hold hands and face one another… for many, there was harmony to be found in the mirror imaging. For after all the lead and follow were simply an extension of each other dancing as one unit.
The energy in the room turned up a notch with the Achy Breaky Heart country cha sounds of Billy Ray Cyrus for company.
All started sensing the tuning in to the rhthymic expression of music & movement with their partners at that moment.
After the dance workshop I asked what they felt in that moment and here is what they shared immediately…
Deeply grateful!
The Give and Take
Truly to immerse yourself in that which you love all you have to do is to take a step … for your own good as much as for the others.
Essentially the whole experience was to me simply about honouring life energy in all its uniqueness of expression.
Great experience being a part of this interesting initiative!
Hope to see more of such initiatives across the country and our world.
I am not a milk consumer, but at home, everyone loves plenty of yoghurts to go along with food. In fact, it is considered to be appropriate for digestion, and as Indians, we often tend to finish the meal with some buttermilk.
For the past few weeks the milk we would curdle to make homemade yoghurt became increasingly slimy, to say the least. The brand I was buying is one of India’s biggest and well known. I have often read about adulterated milk and it’s implications on health and wellbeing but somehow never got down to testing the milk itself.
Recently I came across a Milk testing kit and I decided to check it out myself. It is easily available once I began to check out for it … I truly wonder why I didn’t ever think of doing this ever before.
Although there are just too many milk adulterations in the market today … this particular kit listed the few rampant ones.
Found the kit very user-friendly and it was having four parameters to check the milk on for example.
On the Milk Quality
On the Urea Content
On the Starch Content
On the Soap/ Detergent Content
As suggested the vials were duly filled with the milk and in just a matter of minutes the truth was staring at us!
Here is what the colours indicate.
Blue …. poor quality /no milk content
Sediments urea
Yellow …. starch
Yellow …. pulverised soap
So it was nothing but a concoction of chemicals.
In leaving the milk in the vials for a while after the results came through… at the time of cleaning the kits I was aghast to find that the strip in urea check container was truly stripped out… in fact, there were only a few bits of the strip left it was eaten away literally ….uric acid perhaps!
Wonder what’s happening to our insides!!!
Essentially it was no surprise that what we were consuming was not milk at all.
We have stopped buying milk from this vendor. But as I also read recently almost 65% and more of Indian milk consumption is adulterated.
Here is a video that I received as a forward on Social media. Take a moment although I must add the clip is recorded in Hindi it speaks for itself.
This is just one of the sad reality of our times.
Knowing that a majority of Indians have grown up with the belief that milk is good for health…
What are we actually feeding children?
Who is going to punish the culprits?
Do share if you have had a similar experience…
I would be keen to understand how we can tackle and overcome the rampant milk and food adulteration.
To dance is to acknowledge the living you at this moment
In every move, the heart and mind is looped in joyousness
In every flight is the beauty of lightness.
Weathered and worn
I lie here today
In this moment
That you look at me
I know so many thoughts
May pass your way
Memories that only can fathom
Of a time passed long by
You and I
Have lived through
Those days protecting
Your dear child
Through rough weather
Your mother’s affection
I can sense till today
As you would lovingly
Clothe your precious baby
With me
I know we are privy
To those special times
When you child lived in me
Played and fed with me on
How many times
You would carefully wash dry
And iron me out
And keep me clean and warm
All ready for your baby to wear
Your baby may never know me
But you and I
We have a special bond
A recall of those memorable times
That we shared
Until one fine day
She outgrew me.
Today you found me
As you left me
Deep in the closet
Among the old and discarded
But am I glad to be caressed with love
And photographed with joy
And reminisced about…
For in this moment
Your little gesture
Touches my being
For I feel I have served my purpose well
Thank you as well
For choosing me
And caring to keep me with you
All these years and maybe more!!!
With love
❤An old baby dress ❤
Found my daughter’s old baby dress and I was suddenly transported back in time…
Today my daughter is indeed all grown up. I took a picture of this little dress and shared it with my daughter who studies in a land far away…
The nurturing years of her childhood flashed by and I sat down to pen my reflections…
Wisdom speaketh not always in words It sends forth a knowing of its presence At times elusive like the spirit of the being, blowing in the wind. At other like a soul in the living, sensing, emoting in the feeling.
And in such a knowing Understand the bliss In the moments Acknowledge the grace In the blessing.
Sense its presence Allow it to communicate Honour its effects Respond with all your being.
For wisdom is a deliverance That comes from the truth in the being Of life, loved and lived Giving eternal hope to the living.
WordPress certainly has its unique ways
Of appreciation and encouragement
To support the writers on this platform
There are stats that show up on screen.
So I am told one morning by WordPress
That I am on a three-day posting streak
At first, I was amused and a tad bit confused
For hadn’t I been posting literally every day… for so long…
But guess WordPress took its own sweet time
To catch up to my blog amongst the millions
So I too decided to play along…
Every day since then I have been publishing
A poem written afresh, simply inspired
A continuation from my previous post
In creatives emerging in thoughts.
Perhaps from a readers comment
Or better still in its contemplation.
Today as I complete a 10-day streak
I want to share these published posts
Here together in an attempt to string
These beads of thoughts together
Poetry can be the jewellery of language.
Pearls of fresh thoughts bonded into words.
Creativity strung together in a form.
Like a necklace that is adorned in appreciation.
Creativity is there within
Us all for the taking
And all it needs is a step in
In reflection and action…
It was a joy to play along
Connecting the dots,
Stringing the words,
As they came along.
Kudos to WordPress
Stats for the supportive inputs And my amazing blogger friends
For inspirations along my way.
Savvy
Here are the links of the last 10 day Post streak that I will simply call Creative Enrichments
A few observations …
These ten days I had a purpose steeped in creative enrichment. The idea was to be receptive and responsive to whatever that these posts brought forth.
And I sensed how these Inspirations came my way on its own.
A special thanks to a few WordPress writers who are involved without their own knowledge… that I want to thank here.
for being there with words of encouragement and sharing apt and brilliant quotes in goodwill every step of the way. They are truly thoughtful insights. Do keep them coming.
Words, we all have in our thoughts
But a trigger of senses in life and living
Brings it out in its own unique way
At times it’s a trickle
And other times a shower
As it springs forth a million thoughts and streams it’s way in a flow.
Poetry emerges from life in the living
The writer ought not to hold back
For it is powered by its own purpose
To be born and shared.
All it needs is a trigger
Of emotions in the sensing
Of feeling and witnessing
Of pain and of pleasure
Of being and doings
In life and living.
The poet is born in the expressions in eloquence.
As much as a painter waltzes with his brush on canvas
And like Photographers tango through the light and dark
Poets dance through the heart with words…
Art births itself in breathing in life
A little deeper every time…
And leaves imprints in exhaling from the heart
For Art is a matter of connecting hearts.
Wouldn’t you agree?
An Expression is full of intent
Full of focus and determination
Seems far removed from submission
Let alone the letting go.
And yet in the juxtaposition…
To flow with the eloquence of grace
Exists the enigma of the elusive
The surrealism of subtlety
Of approach & demeanour
Of action and intention.
For in the wisdom of every movement
Is the potential of the now…
To capture or to connect
To be bound or to blend
All is a choice within us.
My sincere thanks to Dr Sridhar for nominating me for a ‘3 day Lyric Challenge’
Please do check his wonderful blog at
Philosophy Through Photography
And dwell into the philosophical angle of his photos which is his interest as well.
Hence the apt title.
My choice for Day 3 of the Lyrical Challenge is
I hope you dance By Lee Ann Womack
This song is about taking chances and not being afraid to try something new.
I hope you dance
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger May you never take one single breath for granted God forbid love ever leave you empty handed I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance Never settle for the path of least resistance Livin’ might mean takin’ chances, but they’re worth takin’ Lovin’ might be a mistake, but it’s worth makin’ Don’t let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter When you come close to sellin’ out, reconsider Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) I hope you dance
I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder) I hope you dance (Where those years have gone?)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along) I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder?)
Rules:
1.Thank the person who nominated you.
2.Share one of your favorite song/lyrics one at a time for three days.
3.Nominate three other bloggers each day.
Is the dance of wonder and awe
Savvy Raj 
You must be logged in to post a comment.