Just some "Food" for thought....

Mantra no 1:  Love thyself!! 

Because unless you do, you cannot expect others to love you back!!

Mantra no 2: Let go!!!

Sometimes you have to learn to let go... Maybe the inability to do so which is the cause for so much grief.... be a free soul.

Mantra no 3:  Stop worrying!!!

Most things will settle on their own, if only we could stop worrying about them! It not sucks away your positivity and confidence but also leaves you stressed out and flustered. Learn to lay back and keep calm.

Mantra no 4:  There's always another view!! 

Not for nothing is it said, that there's your view, the other person's view and the truth....Face it! you may not always be the only one who is right...

And lastly, Mantra no 5: Take that turn!

When you reach a dead end, take that turn...You don't want to be stuck in a rabbit hole forever...

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I'm participating in the write tribe festival of words from 8th -14th dec...

and this post is on the Write Tribe prompt- "Food" 

Memories.....

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Steamed up?

Nayana emerged from the shower enjoying what the hot water did to her tired and cold body. After a hard morning of strenuous running and working out in the chilly weather outside, the hot water had felt like tonic. She looked at the mirror in front of her. It was foggy with steam. She always had to write something on a steamy mirror. Using her finger, she scribbled on it.

I Love you.

She was about to make a heart shape on the mirror as she always did, when she noticed another line of scribbles starting just below where she’d left off.

I love you too…

She gasped.

“Who’s there?” she screamed, turning all around, looking everywhere for some signs of the prankster.

No one.

She looked at the mirror.

A smiley.

“If this is a joke, I don’t like it one bit” she said. “Who’s there?” A firmer tone this time. She didn’t want to sound scared.

And then she looked at the mirror again. More scribbles.

“Always the bold one, huh?” 

“Why won’t you speak out?” her voice gave away the scare that had started seeping into it, her eyes glued to the mirror.

“Fancy getting some clothes on? You don’t want to be seen like this, do you?”

She hastily pulled a towel from the hanger and wrapped it around herself. She decided that she had had enough of this. She turned the door knob trying to get out of the bathroom. The knob seemed stuck.

“Pity!”

“Why are you doing this to me?” she broke down, sliding along the door, falling to the floor, tears now beginning to fill her eyes. She looked at the mirror.

Nothing.

Maybe whoever it was, had left. She gathered herself, got up and walked to the mirror. She didn’t want to be talking to someone through a steamed mirror. She picked up a napkin and rubbed the mirror furiously, till it looked free of steam. And then she gasped again. She could see Neel’s face through it. He was smiling at her.

It couldn’t be…she thought. Neel was dead.

The mirror steamed up again, and he seemed to have vanished as quickly as he appeared.

“You killed me, didn’t you?”

“No….no…. Neel, it was an accident. You...you….kn…know that…”

“Liar!!”

And then something wrapped itself around her neck and dragged her into the mirror, even as she struggled to break free, making a crash sound followed by a thud.

Mind matters.

I had read somewhere that,

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way, you are right!”

What had just been a quote to feel good about, turned true for me today.  I had been trying for quite some time, to walk for more than 20 minutes on the cross trainer. As much as I tried, I failed every time. My legs wouldn't carry me beyond 15 to 20 minutes at a time and I had given up trying too! My old trainer having met with an accident last week, a new trainer had taken charge. He made me do the cross trainer today.

 “45 minutes” he said, setting the timer on his watch.   

“Oh, no…no… no…. sir,” I protested. “I have never been able to walk for more than 20 minutes at a stretch. I’ll try to stretch it to 25 minutes today.”

“45” he said sternly.

“But I can’t!!” I was not about to give up.

“Says who?”

“I know myself, don’t I?”

“For someone whom I have seen doing  100 counts of 8 variations each in ab crunches, 10 variations in weights and 5 in jumping jacks, all of last week, this should be a piece of cake.”  

Really?  Would it be a piece of cake?

“You WILL do it today” he said, as if he was very sure of the outcome.

I will?

I set the timer on my watch too and began the walk, my heart telling me that I will walk 45 minutes today.

The first 10 minutes were easy, then my legs began to get heavier, I wanted to stop. But it wasn't even 20 minutes. It would be a shame if I didn't even clock my regular time. So I continued walking. The trainer put on some song and it felt soothing. My steps started to fall in rhythm with the song. As I continued to walk, the heaviness in my legs began to wean off and I walked rhythmically, telling myself I can do it. He came in some time later,

“10 minutes more,” he said.

“35 minutes up already?” I asked, happy that at least the previous record had been broken.

“Yep… you can stop if you are feeling tired.”

“No, no, I’m fine,” I told him, I wasn't feeling tired anymore. I was  now walking with a renewed enthusiasm and vigor.

“Didn't I tell you, you can? It’s all in your mind.” He said his finger pointing to his head.

I smiled. He was right after all. Lesson learnt! 

Tiny voices....

My elder one participated in an elocution competition in school, and the topic given to them was "My favourite Indian". He is a voracious reader like me and writes pretty well (did I tell you he writes a blog?) He is fiercely independent and does not like me helping with writing for him. Well, this is the exact version of the speech he wrote. It left me amazed and speechless and I just had to share it here. (the pictures are my addition....) So read on...

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When I think about Indians who have inspired me, a lot of names pop up. From great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, and great sports persons like Sachin Tendulkar and Vishwanathan Anand, to great minds like, Narayan Murthy to Abdul Kalam. Each one of them have inspired me in their own special way.

But there is one person closer home who has been my biggest inspiration ever. She is my grandmother- my mom’s mother. She is the Indian I like the most. Yes, you heard it right! My grandma is my most favorite Indian. I have never seen anyone quite like her. She stands for everything a true Indian should be, Secular, Democratic and Courageous. Amongst her many qualities are her joy in giving, caring for everyone irrespective of who they are and treating everyone with utmost respect. While most people just go to school, she is educated in the true sense. Let me tell you why I admire her so much. I have learnt many valuable lessons from her.

Most people follow one religion or faith. But, have you EVER heard of anyone following all faiths. Yes, you heard it right. That’s my grandma for you. She is a born Hindu, but she also reads the Namaz and visits the Dargah, the Church and the Gurudwara with equal faith and devotion.  She is as comfortable when offering a chaddar at a dargah or lighting a candle at the church as she is when offering puja to the shivling. She says that all religions are the same, all God is one and all scriptures teach only one thing and that is to love your fellow human being. Reading and knowing about other cultures helps us to understand and respect everybody. She is truly the most secular Indian I have ever seen.

Once while travelling by a cycle rickshaw in the hot summer heat in Nagpur, we took a break to have a fruit juice. She promptly ordered one tall glass of juice for the rickshaw puller too. How many people can actually think that the rickshaw puller is human too?

When we visited her, I didn’t even realise that the aunty who was helping her clean the house was actually the maid. She never treated her like a maid. She believes in offering to people in need and makes no differentiation between people based on their financial condition.

I have never seen her behave like a dictator with anyone. She always listens to everyone’s opinion however small or elderly they may be. She never forces her opinion on anybody and we have the full freedom to do what we want to do. She firmly believes that children should not be hit by the elders. I can proudly say that no one ever hits or threatens us at home and that has made me confident and helped me believe in my abilities. I can also openly discuss anything with her and my parents.

She has immense knowledge of all subjects, especially of geography, history and maths. It is very interesting to talk to her on any subject as she is always up to date in her knowledge of current affairs. She encourages the reading habit in me and she is herself very well read.

She always encourages me to be honest and truthful, whatever the consequences may be. She says that being noble and being a good human being is more important than being rich, famous or successful. She also motivates me to work hard and put my best effort in whatever I do.

She is my most favorite Indian. Thank you.

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After his speech, the headmistress was quite moved and she wanted to meet his grandma.Well, Mom lives in another city so he promised to bring her to school when she comes here. 

That is kind of impression we make on our little ones, and they observe everything we do and learn from it. 

The latest news and the icing on the cake is that this speech won my son the first prize!!