Each Moment of Kindness and Love Accounts

Shall I call you, sister? She didn't know my name yet she chose this to be my relationship with her. 3 years, we met hardly 4-5 times! 

Our talks lasting a minute or perhaps two, she would be thrilled to talk to me in the midst of her rush hour in the evening. Very fluent in English, good student, and a wanna be entrepreneur for sure, the eyes of the 14 year old said it all. Come what may, she would not miss to ask me - Sister, coffee?. I would smile and say, ' Thanks, next time. '

It was a few weeks past New Year 2020. Since I wasn't regularly going to the main vegetable market, didn't see her that often. As customary, I had bought her gifts and some T-shirts, wasn't finding time.  I was passing by that route, I saw her at her designated place. Call it some intuition, I reached home, quickly took the gifts and walked up to the market. 

Hey, hi dear! She was like, been so long that I saw you, sister. I said, Before I forget, here, these are for you. Hope you like them. She was so happy and excited. He eyes twinkled and as she opened them all, ignoring the curious looks of her fellow vegetable sellers. She loved it all. I will have coffee in this mug, sister. Thank you. She said, Sister, you are kind. Coffee? I smiled and I waved her bye, as it was getting crowded on the street. Unconditional bond that we shared, she owed me nothing. Didn't know that I would never return there for a year. 

Exactly after a year and a few months, the place seemed deserted. Vendors reduced to half the usual numbers. My eyes did search for a glimpse of her pure smile or her family member there. Just feeling hopeful that they are safe wherever they are. 

Also felt nostalgic, her humble nature, her boldness and the self- respect. Moments or minutes spent with people, family or friends or familiar people, might just be the treasure to cherish with gratitude for your lifetime. Be kind, be humble, be love, be genuine. That's what is every moment calling for, just live in the moment. Bless people. 

Be a 3 Ws Knight to Save Lives. - Masks Up

It was this time, last year.
Streets were deserted, people hardly to be seen.
Those that were, stood more than a feet away.
There was a new addition to everyone's attire.
Masks were hoisted as a respectful discipline to cover up till the nose. The scare of the unwelcome visitor that promised adieu was deep seated.
Masks up, follow the 3 Ws  ( Wear, Wait, Wash) and many jingles on radio and hashtags were streaming all the time. Daily stay home stay safe reminders in the local language replaced the religious sermons.

Months passed by, masks got tired to serve the purpose due to disrespect.

The invisible visitor took a U turn, elevating the momentary calm to hounding nightmares.
While giving no chance for proper goodbyes or even pyres. The masks seemed confused, reluctant to take responsibility as the previous year. Reasons being insensitivity and ignorance by the educated humans to bestow trust in it's power to protect.

The same roads, the same people, with masks down the chin as if the nose ought not to feel offended. Who cares if there are people dying or getting infected, masks were meant just for fashion, or as namesake. Try telling them to respect and mask up, well it's a new world already turned deaf ears. No public awareness announcements, more closeness when in public places, masks definitely have no significance.
While on one side the ambulance siren and the sound of oxygen cylinders while shaking during transit, chills our spine.
On the other side with masks out or down, there is no sign of fear for loss of life.
Perhaps the fear for loss of livelihood grew bigger than life.
Perhaps life was never treated with such lowest priority ever.

Such was not when you welcomed masks last year as a saviour of you and your loved ones.
Mask up, people. Every breath you inhale and exhale accounts for the lives of probably hundreds. Not just you.
Times call to be TRULY Human.
To be the #MasksUp  3Ws Knight and save lives!!

Cherish the Bliss of Special Connects

He sat, with hands casually rested on his thighs, watching them race with all might, to the victory stand. His friend came first and he waved at her to cheer. He was thrilled to see her get the winner's medal again. When the photoshoot was over, she came running up to him as the regular special ritual to put the medal around his neck. A friendship like that what the batch at school spoke about for years to come. 

Friendship blossoms in unexpected ways  journeys of life, they say. They were classmates since Grade 1, yet knew each other better in Grade 5, the spark of friendship actually happened, when they both helped each other on different occasions. Once when he was bullied, she stood up for him strong and went hard on all others. On another day she was struggling to solve a sum in her not-so-favourite subject mathematics, he being a genius offered to help and share his notes as he was. Well their worlds and dreams were 90 degrees different, like North and South pole , they acknowledged their weaknesses well yet chose to turn that as their strength in life. They always inspired each other in every aspect of life that helped them emerge stronger. 

Years passed, they went their ways guided by destiny, losing connect and contact. 

For nearly two decades, she would gaze the sky, on every success and failure, talking to the  Sun and the Moon Or the stars, wondering if such unconditional friendships still existed as she had experienced beautifully, as a child. She would think, well people come for a reason and always go for their own valid reason known only to the Almighty. The void she left it as it is. 

She was leading her life happy, unattached and focused on her dreams. Until when, magic happened again as joyful rarest of the rare divine connects, from miles away, as amazing soulful angels helping her identify the significance of quality goals and to cast forever smiles all along and around her way forward in life. They were cute new beginnings leading to everlasting special bonds. She thought, guess it was just that faces changed in the journey of life, yet the purest like-minded souls were destined to meet, greet and help each other as magical blessings, to uplift life completely.

She cherished the moments with love, respect and abundance of blessings. The void was filled with multiple blessings when she chose to identify and welcome the best soul. 

Your next big

When you feel you have had enough, remember, there's lots more to confront. 

It is time to focus as you are guided for your next big. 

When you feel all roads seem to lead to the journey that you wish to abandon or let go. 

Be assured that you are guided for your next big. 

When you protect heart cautiously while it truly yearns to blossom again in the freshness of pure love and care. 

Listen to your soul as you are guided for your next big. 

When there is always an argument as to what is right for all and what is right for you. 

Remember that your conscience says you are guided for your next big. 

When a thousand words echo seem soundless to your ears of mindfulness. 

Trust only your gut feel as you are guided for your next big. 

When you have the shield guarding your sacred aura in the form of angel light workers. 

Believe in this divine timing as you are truly guided for your next big. 

No matter what, as you take each day with a smile of gratitude to offer to every other person you meet. 

You are watched with unconditional love and guided for your next big. 

Are you KIND enough?

The phrase 'Be Kind' is probably the most commonly used phrase specially during the pandemic times. I remember during my childhood days, whether it was at home or in school, it was part of our everyday life interactions.

Whether it was helping anyone who came to my parents, neighbor or family friends or dad's colleagues, I used to see him listen to them patiently and calmly and suggest the best solution or the best help possible. My mom would always help those who came for a little bit of grocery stuff that would be needed to treat the guests at home (sugar being most common one).

At school we were taught to be helpful to our fellow students, share our things, solve a sum if they get stuck, offer notes to help them improve. We have all have learned it naturally, as we grew up to become responsible humans. 

So then does ' be kind' have to be told to us each time or should it be our innate nature?

 It costs absolutely nothing to be kind, and to help unconditionally is truly a rare quality with benefits manifold.

1. Smile and be kind to yourself

2. Random acts of kindness makes others happy

3. Kindness multiplies gratitude

4. It is a free gesture attracting solutions and blessings

5. Kindness gives inner peace

Be Kind. The world needs more of kindness above money or power. 

The Report Card Reveals A Writer's Journey

 

While cleaning the cupboard to get rid of old stuff at home, those that are my childhood memories, which my parents brought all the way from Jamshedpur, my place of birth and upbringing, I happened to find some interesting things like diaries, autograph books and yes one more. I wonder where this was hidden, all these decades!

My report card spanning my first to fourth standard showed up as if yearning all attention. I kept it aside for a deeper review while I bundled off some of the things that did not strike a connect now.
I went to my mom and showed her the report card. While I was reminiscing those days, I was reading the remarks or feedback shared by my teachers after every term. We had 3 terms in each class, at Hill Top School.   (One among the best schools in Telco and now as I have heard it is the best there. I always feel proud for being a HTS Alumni). So yes the remarks, I was reading it after decades actually. Never even thought I would get to see my own report card. Thanks to my dear parents for keeping it as a precious memory of my childhood for them.

I smiled at the marks and was thinking how well my teachers forecast my future or rather guided me in that direction. Mine were honest fortune tellers for sure. While most of my respected class teachers had suggested that I should read more books and also participate in literary competitions, I guess they already knew my incline. While the shy me chose to be a silent yet observant student, I bring out the best through my essays and very good marks in English. While books were always my first friends, my school library had the best of reads. In an era where computers were yet to be upgraded and Google had no existence at all, the books opened their world of knowledge onto us and that is how perhaps I developed the strong association that continues, even today.

I was a very good student. Credit goes to my teachers and definitely my mother, my best-est teacher at home, who would make question papers for me, to help me practice in almost all subjects. While my affinity towards the number world was not that great which would reflect in my overall marks getting deflected down by numbers, yet now, mom says that she used to pray to God so that I get a decent mark in Math. I knew it was definitely her prayers that helped me sail through. Number nightmares as I would term it never made me smile. That's another story.

So yes the report card with remarks for a fourth grader, definitely makes me believe that my teachers were somehow fortune tellers, because I know while many of us have chosen a path based on market trends and skills that they had learnt in college, yet very few chose something different like writing to be a profession and passion. They do not follow the usual footprints yet choose a path less spoken of or traveled and an art that is divine. Glad to be one, rebellion then who chose not to follow the BPO trend and was rather happy in my own skin. I am grateful to my parents for allowing me to follow my heart than the money race. I still have the visiting card from my first job- Sreelatha M, Copywriter, Cedilla, Chennai. I had earned it through my years of disciplined hard work, faith and creativity. Getting a copy approved perfectly was not easy at all in print media, with practice I learned how to give the best always.

Times have changed. Everyone can write decently well. Yet writing deep and right is reserved for the intellect. While writing for business is also one best trend and justified. As I hold my Report Card after decades, the child in me springs up merrily appreciates the words of my teachers, and trusts the prayers of my parents. My soul says, 'Keep writing, walk your own journey in your pace and poise, as it is how best you Meditate and seek your divine love and peace. '

Love - Unconditional. Unspoken. Untagged

We had a pretty short interaction first, in the month of December. He was kind of a frequent visitor at my home. Well, he was forbidden entry inside yet he never gave up on his wish in this regard. Keeps trying his luck still. 

The likeness developed as he became my sole friend out here so I would eagerly await his short surprise visits. He would come on purpose, not for sweet little talks, of course. He has taught me a new version of love and affection that has no tags or expectations yet soothing and humanly. 

So his timings, as I said is unpredictable and he would come in his own sweet time, for his share of early morning snack and later for lunch when rice was placed at the common eating spot for all the life belonging to their kingdom.  He is special in his own way, does love ' Monaco' salt biscuits and the 'Unibic cookies' are a no. He likes the regular dosa, roti yet does not enjoy eating these like Monaco. He is a gypsy soul with royal taste, I say.

Everytime I get to see him I become happy and do miss not even a second of the opportunity, conversing with him. Well he only replies in one language and one word, always. It took me some time to figure out the many intentions of his infamous spoken word. Eventually, I did decode to some extent. 

My friend is very clear, didn't like the emotional attachment as such. Yet he does show signs of special affection, once in a blue moon, by walking close and around me, touching me and wagging his furry tail happily, but the moment I realize, he chooses to be done and would signal, business time. Just few minutes, I get to do my talking, he does keep his ears on high alert yet totally concentrating on his food for life and thoughtful purpose. He is actually not even listening to me. Once his tummy is full, he chooses to walk awaywithout a word or at times share his only word, feebly, as a gentle namesake goodbye, until next time, whenever it be. 

The very sound of  'meow' from outside, makes me sneak out into my backyard, hoping that it's him. He comes once a while. Brings a joyful aura and then disappears. No strings attached yet part of our lives.