So a long long time ago when I started sharing my writing skills, I received a beautiful message from a reader, who also introduced Thomas Merton, the poet & monk to me. I was intrigued by his words. And went on to read more. For back then I didn’t know who Thomas Merton was and had never heard or come across his works.
This morning I came across the above quote, another gem of a quote from the mystical light of this soul…
There are some souls whose works strike a deep chord without ever meeting them… you sense a connection in their words..
I am grateful in all humility to have come across the profoundness of these kindred spirits. 🙏
I wrote this poem back in time after an unexpected opportunity to travel set me off across exploring unforgettable places and spaces on my own.
Yesterday as I was conversing with one of my earlier dance student and friend now, he somehow reminded me of this poem again , as he has been traveling the length and breadth of India on a bike, covering over 80% of India.
While I wait to see his photo shares and hear more from him about his experience in the journey.
Thought of sharing my verses again.
Travel On
If you are given an opportunity to take a journey
Take it, for you meet many versions of you.
Along the road.
Some you cherish, some cherish you.
Some that change you and some that you change.
Fear not the travel or the traveling…
For one thing is certain
You come away enriched and wiser in every journey.
Travel to liberate yourself From self assumed notions To see the light on the other side There is much to unlearn and unbox As you travel yield in to the insights Travel every once in a while if opportunity arises,
Take the chance, You are richer in your explorations much as your experiences. Travel on …
Acknowledge… Betwixt and between The you & I, The us and the we, Is a ocean of multiverses. A tapestry of metaverses Springing into existence Creating connection Beyond compare Ingenious innovation Reaching beyond the known Forging ahead dimensions Unfolding technology With palpable sensations Creating new possibilities Exploring potential Understanding elements Of space, time and distance Challenging norms Quantifying needs & wants Finding solutions In a changing world Simplifying complexities In the realms of life & living.
Yet as this booming bubbles Is it a catalyst of changes? Some sensational and brilliant Some scary & confounding. Simply know it’s on its way And is here to stay As our world will redefine Life beyond existence…
Accept… There is bound to be a boom Colloidal chaos & confusion In chasing an unreal world And finding hope to live on In the very illusions in making.
Know… Every thing life appears now Is a momentary phenomenon.
Of perceptions that deliver The solutions for life in the soul.
Social media share of a story translation from Tamil.
One day, in a Berlin city park, a little girl was crying because she had lost her doll.
A young man, who looked about 20 years old, noticed her and instead of walking past like others, asked her, “Why are you crying?” He then said, “Come on, let’s look for your doll!” and helped her search for it. As it got dark, he reassured her, “I’ll come back tomorrow. We can search together again.” and sent her home.
The next day, he returned and handed her a letter, supposedly from the doll, which he read out loud. The letter said, “Please don’t cry… I have gone on a trip to see the world. I will come back soon. Until then, I will write to you about my adventures every day.”
From then on, he brought a daily letter from the doll, filled with stories of faraway lands and the doll’s amazing adventures, which made the little girl very happy.
Eventually, the doll wrote, “My journeys are over. I’ll be back tomorrow. My long travels might have changed my appearance a bit, but it’s still me. Please accept me.”
The girl eagerly awaited the doll’s return. The next day, he brought a doll that matched her descriptions. Even though it looked different, the little girl lovingly accepted it.
As she grew up, she realized all the man had told her were comforting lies. But the kindness of a stranger who didn’t ignore a crying little girl but instead took the time to console her had left a profound impact on her. It planted a seed of great love in her, helping her grow into a compassionate person who cared for others.
Years passed, and one day she came across an obituary in the newspaper. That was when she learned that the man who had comforted her was the famous writer Franz Kafka. She rushed to hug the doll and found Kafka’s final letter hidden inside. It read, “Dear girl… Everything we love might be lost and never found again. But believe… Love will find its way back to us in another form.”
Change is inevitable. However, Kafka believed it brings unexpected gifts and new beginnings, which is what happened to the girl. Even if we lose what we love, they often return to us in surprising and meaningful ways. We should learn to embrace life’s changes and disappointments.
What is the highest form of sportsmanship in a race? Runner #Ivan showed the world.
Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was a few meters away from the finish line but got confused by the track markings and thought he had completed the race. Spanish-speaking Ivan Fernandez was running behind him and realized that Abel was confused. Ivan started shouting at Abel to continue running, but Abel didn’t understand Spanish. Realizing that Abel didn’t understand, Fernandez pushed him towards the finish line.
A reporter who witnessed this asked Ivan, “Why did you do this?” Ivan replied, “My dream is that one day we can have a society where we push and help each other to win.”
The reporter pressed on, “But why did you let Kenya win?”
Ivan replied, “I didn’t let him win; he was going to win. The race was his.”
The reporter insisted, “But you could have won!”
Ivan looked at the reporter and said, “But what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor of this medal? What would my mother think of it?”
Values are passed from generation to generation. What values are we teaching our children? How much do we encourage others?
Most of us use others’ weaknesses to our advantage instead of helping them overcome those weaknesses. Ivan is a perfect example of how wrong this is.
How many of us align with Ivan’s actions?
In school and college life, when discussing competition, our son often asked questions like Ivan’s. Today, we learned a valuable lesson from an Olympic runner for our son’s questions.
Thank you, Ivan…
Thanks to Vignesh Janarthanan’s Facebook post
A wonderful share to motivate good values & goodwill in action.
This morning a refreshing conversation with my mother triggered a series of thoughts on different directions in Hindu Scriptures.
Usually there are eight directions depicted in any compass.
She shared how there are ten mentioned directions in the Hindu scriptures and named each of them. Besides the four cardinal and four ordinal directions it’s interesting to note the two additional directions are Urdhva the highest point symbolizes by creator (Brahma) Zenith and Adhah the opposite represented by (Vishnu) the preserver, which call the Nadir.
It was intriguing to note how these preordained guardians of our galaxies play a significant role in Astrology and Cosmology with insights on how everything connects in life and living.
I started researching further trying to understand more. I came across this interesting share…
‘It’s quite intriguing to note how much effort our ancestors put into demystifying the elements of nature & their impact on us,’
I highlighted this line in the above informative article, because the more you learn of this vast ocean of scriptures you realise there is another horizon of understanding that beckons.
But one thing leads to another…
And that’s how the path of learning grows. And everything connects….
Building people up is a skill worth valuing and investing in. For great teams are not formed simply by hiring for roles. A whole lot of nurture and consistent care goes into team building. A strongly motivated & purpose driven team is empowering for any organisation no matter the odds.
Besides all the values and skill training imparted to a team there is one very important team builder that makes all the difference. The power of positive words, used and conveyed by the leaders, the appreciation, that is authentic, genuine hopeful and trustful. This is a game changer that drives home the message that we are together, no matter what.
One kind word changes the trajectory of the day.
Here are a few positive ways to communicate with your team.
Words that share genuine care and support :
How are you doing?
What are your challenges now?
How can I support your growth?
Words that create confidence and empowers:
I believe in you.
I trust your judgment.
Tell me more about what you think we should do?
Words that share appreciation for the effort and encouragement :
This calls for a celebration
Thank you
If you haven’t already do try incorporating these words in your conversations with your team from today and watch the power of these words unfold.
You must be logged in to post a comment.