Bored?
What boredom, no time for boredom!
says my seemingly exasperated friend in India on the phone.
With the complete lockdown and most on’ Work from home status ‘majority of families are struggling to cope with rising demands of the family be it the seniors at home, children and of course pets as well. The families are now suddenly having no house help, the quintessence of urban class living.
Compared to the Western world in India still, the lure of cheaper labor force makes a household helper available to all. But in the current scare, there are no maids, let alone cooks or gardeners. Except for those who may have a live-in helper which is not often the case.
Suddenly the ‘Work from home’ status actually registers the truth. For it is truly challenging for most families who have never bothered to make their own bed or do dishes or cook ever. In fact, there are many who wait for someone else to make their tea or coffee or get a glass of water.
In these hard-pressed times the major part of the work comes to the women of the household still, in spite of all those talks of women’s liberation that goes on doing the rounds every year around early March.
To all the women, who have suddenly vowed to prove themselves superwoman please take it easy.
A little dirty corner, neglected kitchen shelves, not a four course meal, everything is acceptable. But not at the cost of your own health. Remember your falling sick at these times will be disastrous especially if there is no one to take over from you !!
Stay safe
The women are left with no options as the demands keep on rising as those who are at home are hungrier than ever with time to kill.
There are, of course, some of those evolved households where all are contributing their bit. The onus of responsibility needs to be shared, else it will make every day a living hell.
If only more young parents of today teach all their children both sons and daughters equally to cook, clean and do housework as a part of life skills training so that they also know how to manage a home when they have one, the lives of so many future families will be truly much easier.
As we see it, the future is here with new challenges and unless we are all equipped with basic survival skills and takes into account, ownership, responsibility, and teamwork and move beyond gender biases, it is truly tough to live through times like these.
How are you and your families managing this interim period?
I went to a hotel. After seeing the menu ordered some food.
After 20 minutes a group of youngsters around 10 people came n sat at the next table and ordered their food.
It arrived in a short while and they started eating speaking very loudly and shouting amongst themselves.
One of them noticed me and said ridiculously that he is having good contacts in that hotel, hence food was served to them immediately and they need not wait like beggars.
I felt insulted and felt like cancelling my order. I called the waiter to do so.
The waiter told me quietly, sir, your order is very special to us. So our chief chef is making it especially for you. Their order was prepared by our trainee chefs in a hurry as your food is getting readied by our chief chef.
So I waited patiently for some more time.
In a short while, 6 bearers brought special food which I never ordered and I was given a royal treatment of very rich food. I was perplexed.
The hotel owner was my school friend. He saw me as I entered. He wanted to surprise me. He changed my simple meal to a rich one and instructed the kitchen to give me a royal treat before meeting me.
The group at the next table saw the service given to me and looked at me in wonderment.
That is life. Some will laugh at us pinpointing our inabilities and ridicule us showing off their wealth, power and happiness.
We may feel sad and disheartened thinking in spite of our hard work and sincerity we never get the breakthrough. Sometimes we get depressed so much that we start to think there is no meaning in this life.
Do not worry.
The owner of the world, the chief chef is preparing something special for us. Hence He makes us wait as it takes time. His plan for is special and only He can plan it.
So we have to wait patiently, doing our duties, till his special menu is served to us. When it comes those who looked down at us and ridiculed will have no word to say.
Stay blessed and enjoy your day
Believe in God.
No one and nothing can prevent what is due to us. It will come at the right time. He has Planned.
A share translated by my mother from a Tamil story.
A feeling A knowing A sensing in the being…that is centred in the core of your brain. The limbic system knows not languages nor logic. It is beyond all rational thought and works through the intuition or the power of senses…it is seen as the wisdom of the heart connects the path of the heart thus emanates from the brain where it is centrally located deep in our psyche.
Our cellular awareness is trained to transmit messages through feelings that convey where words fail. It is embedded within our conscious awareness to guide us from inside out. Many of our beliefs in trust, faith and hope are powered in and from this core of our consciousness.
In this understanding is the reason for the purpose of why we do what we do, why we feel the way we feel, have an instinctual sensation of the direction of where a path leads to. In the confluence of creativity in connection & compassion, there is confidence emanating through our deeds.
When we lead from here, many of our so-called equations held through by analysis often fail to make much sense.
When we follow in faith we move in synchrony with ourselves as we are not just in a flow, we are the flow.
For any person who is much too stressed or confused at the moment…do read this.
A rare conversation between Krishna & Today’s Arjun. Read it loud to family,
it’s one of the best message I have come across…
1. Arjun :- I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic.
Krishna:- *Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you free.*
2. Arjun :- Why has life become complicated now?
Krishna :- *Stop analyzing life… It makes it complicated. Just live it.*
3. Arjun :- Why are we then constantly unhappy?
Krishna :- *Worrying has become your habit. That’s why you are not happy.*
4. Arjun :- Why do good people always suffer?
Krishna :- *Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don’t suffer.With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.*
5. Arjun :- You mean to say such experience is useful?
Krishna :- *Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. It gives the test first and the lessons later.*
6. Arjun :- Because of so many problems, we don’t know where we are heading…
Krishna:- *If you look outside you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides the way.*
7. Arjun :- Does failure hurt more than moving in the right direction?
Krishna:- *Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you.*
8. Arjun :- In tough times, how do you stay motivated?
Krishna :- *Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.*
9. Arjun :- What surprises you about people?
Krishna :- *When they suffer they ask, “why me?” When they prosper, they never ask “Why me?”*
10. Arjun :- How can I get the best out of life?
Krishna:- *Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.*
11. Arjun :- One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.
Krishna:- *There are no unanswered prayers. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.*