This lovely picture above by award winning photographer, Steve McCurry, of National Geographic fame, tells a story. Steve was passing through the Rajasthan, India desert by taxi, when he was caught in a furious dust storm. This is when he spotted a group of women in a huddle trying to brave its fury. The only way they could protect themselves was by taking support of one another. It had not rained in the region for 13 years and a dust storm like this forebode coming rains. While life hung precariously in this devastating storm, together they not only could fight it, but even sang happily on the prospect of possible rains. What better metaphor to show that women have the inherent strength and resilience to literally brave any storm and also at the same time rejoice on the positive side of even the most hostile situation. Together we stand. .. !!!
I came across this striking picture and story on Social Media and I just felt like sharing this today.
The world is going through a severe crisis
Anyone could be the next victim of the virus
It knows not man made differences
Of caste color creed race or religion.
The edge of reason
This is a time of uncertainty
Relationships old and new are on trial being tested in every way.
The need of the hour is to exercise caution, care, and spread hope and positivity
Yet there is still hatred, excess self indulgences all across the world.
There is still emotional mental and physical abuse in relationships…
Caught in the knot…
Caught in the knot is often the feeling for many
Where there is no trustful bond but just a feeling of being bound.
But yet tomorrow is another day…
Boundless bond…
May the love we have surmount the hate
May the good prevail over evil
May the light shine over the darkness of the mind
May we stay healthy and happy in our every now.
May we understand the power of words and spread them with care.
Soulful sensing…
What we have today we must cherish…
For a tomorrow that we build with love
For when we begin to see with our souls…
Our perceptions can alter, re-creating bonds beyond feeling bound.
Every year Parents took their son to his Grandmother’s House for the Summer Break, and they would return Home in train after Two Weeks.
One Day the Boy tells
his Parents:
′′ I’m Grown Up now,
What if I go to Grandma’s House alone this Year ???”
After a Brief Discussion
Parents agree.
They were standing on the Railway Station, seeing him off,
Giving him Last Instruction through the Window,
As Boy continues to repeat:
′′ I know, you’ve already told me so many times…!”
Train is about to leave and Father whispers:
′ My Son,
If you suddenly feel Bad or Scared, this is for you !…… ′
And he slips something into his Pocket.
Now the Boy was all alone, sitting on the Train, without his Parents,
for the First Time…
He looks at the Scenery through the Window.
Around him Strangers Hustle, make Noise, Enter and Exit
the Compartment,
He gets that Feeling that he was alone..
A person even gives him a
Scary look…
The Boy felt uncomfortable…
And now he was frightened also.
He lowered his head, snuggled in a corner of the Seat,
tears rose to his Eyes.
At that Point he remembered his Father putting something in his pocket.
With a trembling hand he groped this piece of paper, and he opened it,
Son, “Don’t Worry,”
I am in the Next Compartment…
*Truth* :
This is How it is in Life…
When God has sent us in this World, all by ourselves,
HE has also slipped a note in our pocket,
*God Says:*
I am Travelling with you,
I am within your reach !
Call on Me…❗
1. Be silent – in the heat of
anger.
2. Be silent – when you don’t
have all the facts.
3. Be silent – when you
haven’t verified the story.
4. Be silent – if your words
will offend a weaker
Person.
5. Be silent – when it is time
to listen.
6. Be silent – when you are
tempted to make light of
holy things.
7. Be silent – when you are
tempted to joke about
sin.
8. Be silent – if you would be
ashamed of your word
later.
9. Be silent – if your words
would convey the wrong
impression.
10. Be silent – if the issue is
none of your business.
11. Be silent – when you are
tempted to tell an
outright lie.
12. Be silent – if your words
will damage someone
else’s reputation.
13. Be silent – if your words
will damage a friendship.
14. Be silent – when you are
feeling critical.
15. Be silent – if you can’t
say it without screaming.
16. Be silent – if your words
will be a poor reflection
of your friends and
family.
17. Be silent – if you may
have to eat your words
later.
18. Be silent – if you have
already said it more
than one time.
19. Be silent – when you are
tempted to flatter a
wicked person.
20. Be silent – when you are
supposed to be working
instead.
21. Be silent – when your
words do not do any
good to anyone
including yourself.
WHOEVER GUARDS HIS TONGUE KEEPS HIS SOUL AWAY FROM TROUBLES.
Silence is full of wisdom
When we listen in silence
We hear and understand more
Silence speaks more than words can say. Listen to the intuitive The meditative, contemplative The reflective & the restorative voices There is a connective wisdom In the sounds of silence Emanating from you. It is your precious inner self Expressing itself. Be mindful and attentive Listen if you can, Every once in a while.” Embody the peace within.
I wonder what makes the mind want to take a spill to art.
What evokes the heart to charge the creator with imagination and energy…
To be able to create such artful associations.
Some learnings from a Spill
To turnover a spill to evolve for better
If a child has spilled a cup of milk accidentally….
To keep calm and address the lesson in the spill like carefulness, steadiness, patience, thoroughness, cleanliness and most of all mindfulness.
What’s is spilled, is spilled already…. what matters is what we do about it.
Savvy
As a child when my daughter dropped a glass of water, spilled milk on the floor accidentally, without getting angry admonishing, I have used it as moments to convey such lessons… so much so that it made her understand the value being in the moment while doing anything.
Great lessons can be taught in such moments and vulnerability can become a strength in time.
Similarly one can intend
To create hope in a spill…
To sense a pattern of possibilities in a spill
To use a spillover to change mindsets
To challenge the statuesque through a spill.
To evoke creativity and art…
To test skillsets learned from a spill
To create art in revisiting patterns & perspective
To spill some more and align the pattern formations.
To move beyond the evident spillover…
To envision hope beyond the accidental spill
To accentuate the spill artfully
To create masterpieces from the potential in a spillover…
To understand there is always a reason why and the learnings to come.
To empathize with the spillings across the learning curve
So the very act of overflow or spill
Or a cup that runneth over
Can be a turning point in itself
With the many lessons to learn.
The choice rests with us.
Savvy
This post is a spillover effect from an earlier share by my good friend Ali Anani, PhD.
