Entwined thoughts - ready to be straightened out !

55 Fiction: Don't Save Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sun, 07 Jul 2019 12:33:00 +0000

I provide for you – air, water, food. In my beauty, you are mesmerized. You consume me yet fail to care for me.

You abuse me. You exploit me. You neglect me.

I struggle. I recuperate. I thrive. I am a survivor. Your species may not endure the abuse meted out to me.

Image Courtesy: Westmount Charter School

Yours,

Mother Earth

55 Fiction: I have a voice, Stop Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:51:00 +0000

I am a part of nature. I have a purpose to my existence, like how you do. You must understand that by killing me you are annihilating your race steadily. Without me, not just you but the entire ecosystem will be doomed. You aren't farsighted my friend. I am warning you today – Stop being greedy!

Source:Internet

Inspirations:

Upworthy video

Center for International Forestry Research

55 Fiction: I am a woman. No trespassing please!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:50:00 +0000

Source: Internet Image care of Reuters photographer Finbarr O'Reilly

I strain my neck to catch my baba walk home against the backdrop of the simmering sunset. A sudden fear grips me as the sound of a marching force approaches my village. Before I can alert, men barge into our homes. My mom is brutally raped by three hungry militants. I live in Kivu, Congo.

Jo'burg in 2 days!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:42:00 +0000

Jo'burg or Jozi as the natives would like to call it is city of contrasts. Johannesburg has a rich history dating back to thousands of years but the city got its real attention with discovery of gold. George Harrison was the man who stumbled upon the gold bearing reef which led to the gold rush with thousands of migrants thronging the city in search of wealthy prospects. It is believed that this man sold his claim for 10 pounds and left the city!

The Jo'burg CitySightSeeing Hop On- Hop Off tour is a great way to explore the downtown and learn the history of Jozi. They also offer combined tours of Soweto and Jo'burg city which is a worthy deal. Soweto is a township that provides housing to several blacks who were evicted during apartheid. The city had to bear the brunt of Apartheid and has been a witness to hatred, pain, and tears which is poignantly captured in the Apartheid Museum. A visit to the museum has left many in tears! It is indeed quite disturbing to know that the natives were treated inhumanely and were subjected to a grotesque livelihood. The city tour covers the Apartheid Museum but be warned that a decent tour around the museum would take about 2-3 hours. Right now, there is a temporary exhibition of Nelson Mandela that takes you through his life history.

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others" - Nelson Mandela

The quote beautifully summarizes the spirit of the freedom struggle in South Africa.

You can find more details about the City tour here. You get a discount when you book your tickets online.

Gandhi Square

The downtown depicts one side of Jo'burg while the sprawling suburbs of the city tell you a different story. Swanky cars, Glittery shopping malls, High-speed free ways, Fancy restaurants, Expensive apparel stores and Fashionable diamond outlets paint the burgeoning city!

After a tiring tour of the downtown, you can pamper yourself at one of the many plush up-market shopping areas. You can choose any one from the list that is close to your place of stay - Rose Bank, Melrose Arch or Sandton city. The Nelson Mandela Square is next to the Sandton city mall which boasts of a larger-than-life Nelson Mandela statue and is a quaint place to have a sumptuous evening meal.

What is an African city without wildlife? You can plan your Day 2 to visit one of the many private game lodges. Lion park is a famous wildlife conservation enclosure where you can drive through to meet and greet the lions. You can either do a self drive or book a guided game drive. You can also pet lion cubs. There are other similar private games within the vicinity of Jo'burg. I would recommend Lion Park as I have had great close viewing experience of lions and other animals. If you are with children, Jo'burg Zoo is another option but zoos aren't unique like the game drives. If you are visiting Jo'burg, I am sure a visit to the Kruger National Park is on the cards. In that case, you can give this a skip.

Cradle of Humankind is another prominent tourist destination which is a World heritage site depicting the journey of human species since evolution. If you are interested in science and curious about our origin, it is a place worth visiting provided you have time to juggle things!

View of the city from Carlton

Jo'burg also boasts of a couple of theme parks that makes to the top of popular tourist destinations but in my opinion, there isn't anything African in a theme park. Gold reef city is a theme park that is built over a closed gold mine. A tour down one of the mine shafts is possible but i believe it is currently not open to visitors.

Safety in Jo'burg is a huge concern for many travelers. There are many do's and don'ts that one must follow to not attract any untoward incidents. Just stick to the basics and am sure you will be safe. There are certain areas that are better avoided after sunset and venturing to such places can land you in trouble. By and large the city and its after-the-dark shopping malls are quite safe.

Things you shouldn't give a miss

An African meal - Try Moyo @ Melsrose arch or if you are the adventurous, try the shebeens in Soweto ( Exercise caution if you are visiting in the night, it is better to take a local along)
An evening meal at the Nelson Mandela Square/ Rose Bank
A walk around the Downtown in daylight - haggle and shop at the roadside
A visit to the African Market in Rose Bank to get curios (open till 6 p.m)
The view from the Carlton center

Curios @ African Market

Recycle, Reuse and Reduce

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 15:29:00 +0000

Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide.

That's over one million plastic bags used per minute.

Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/plastic-bag-facts.html

It is not happening elsewhere, it is happening in your home. Although we know that the use of plastic is detrimental to our environment, we are unmindful of the plastic bag that we carry back home from our shopping. why? People give importance to issues that have an immediate impact on their lifestyle. Unfortunately the use of plastic does not fall in that category. The tangible impact of plastic use in our everyday life will not be witnessed by you, but by your children. Don't you want to leave a greener environment for your children?

Plastic pollution affects humans. Period. If you thought, plastic is only choking the marine world and destructing the fauna then, you are completely mistaken. Chemicals used in the manufacture of plastic are toxic. While on one hand we struggle to practice sustainable waste management measures, on the other even a successful composting has the danger of injecting the toxic materials into our food chain. We shouldn't forget the ecology lessons thought in school, what affects a fish will eventually affect humans.

We need to act. And, act now. Reduce the use of plastics and it has to begin in our homes.

Source:Internet

Somethings I do and I suggest you consider doing:

1) Carry a reusable cloth bag for your grocery shopping
2) Buy products that are packaged in boxes/glass bottles rather than plastic containers/bottles
3) Avoid frozen foods. Two-way benefit, you not only avoid the use of plastic as most frozen foods are packed in them, you will also get to eat nutritious fresh produce.
4) I avoid straws as much as possible.
5) I do have a few bio-degradable plastic bags at home for the need of the hour situations. I reuse them.
6) Avoid drinking aerated drinks/juices that come in plastic bottles. Two-way benefit, Health and environment

I believe once as an individual we become aware of the consequences of our plastic usage, the measures to curtail our usage will follow suit.

I am sure there are several other ways to reduce the usage of plastic in our homes. Please do share your ideas and spread the awareness to create a plastic-free world!

PS: I was inspired by the work of Chennai Trekking Club in creating awareness and initiating the Chennai Coastal Cleanup drive. Sitting far away from Chennai, I decided to do my part by writing and spreading awareness.

If you are in Chennai and want to be a part of the cleanup drive. Click here.

Parenting: Affirmative Toddler Transactions Helps In Shaping A Confident Adult

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Thu, 29 May 2014 11:15:00 +0000

After a long time, here is a post from the world of psychology :-)

Do you have a toddler at home? As much as you are excited about the fact that your little baby is now up and running, you must also be exhausted at keeping pace with your toddler's incessant energy.

So what does being in the age group 1-3 years mean?

According to Erikson's Psycho-social model, the stage is known as Autonomy Vs Shame:

The child's universe expands beyond the mother - the primary care taker. The child understands that its universe includes different other things and develops a sense of curiosity.
It is at this stage the child begins to explore its environment.
The child develops a feeling of self-control and a sense of independence
Successful development at this stage, leads to autonomy and self-confidence.

During this stage, you will see your child wanting to do everything on their own. Adults at home are on their toes preventing the child from exploring as they fear the child might get hurt. Is it the right thing to do? How should we handle their enthusiasm? Let us understand how does a child develop a sense of control and independence at this stage? - Exploration and Achievement.

The child feels a sense of accomplishment when it climbs the sofa on its own. Have you seen the smile on the child's face when it does something naughty as we call it? To the child, he/she has done something incredible by carrying an household article from one room to another. It is natural for a child to meddle with things, carry articles, dump them in corners, climb over stools/tables/beds at this age. The child gains a feeling of self-control by experimenting with the objects in its world. When a child achieves its target it builds their self-confidence. If the child is not allowed to experiment then, the child develops a sense of doubt on its own abilities and feels ashamed.

What do we need to do as a parent?

Stop stopping the child from experimenting. Let the child explore its environment. By preventing, the child experiences self-doubt and grows into adult who lacks confidence in his abilities.
I am often asked the question, "How can I let my child play with electric socket knowing that it would dangerous?" I often see parents being over-cautious and stopping the child from doing anything. Be cautious but not restrained.
Ensure that dangerous objects are not within the child's reach.
Create an environment for the child to explore at home. It could be a small corner/room filled with objects that the child can meddle with. The objects need not necessarily be toys.
Be around when the child is practicing to climb.
If the actions your child attempts are too dangerous, distract the child but don't say NO to the child.
A bump here and there is a part of growing up, don't get anxious.
Finally, it is the right age to get your child toys that help in development of motor skills.

It is seen that many adults who lack confidence have had protective parenting in their childhood. Nothing to take away from the parents, they did what they believed was best for the child. But now we know that by being overly protective we hinder the child's natural development process. Developing a sense of autonomy and good self-worth is essential to take on challenges ahead in life.

Allow your child to explore, stay calm and smile with your child.

The voice of a common man!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 08:46:00 +0000

India is gearing for elections 2014 and is witnessing one of the greatest political drama unfolding. I pity the common man, who is considered the most powerful at the moment. He has to make the right choice from the lesser of the evils over a cloud of allegations. Tough job indeed.

The political scenario has changed ever since the Aam Adami Party has contested the Delhi Elections. Indians are so desperate for clean politics that anybody who promises to bring the much needed change is looked up to as a savior. Humanity no longer functions on the basis of Trust, which is a pity. Unfortunately, it is not possible to have all the checks and balances before a common man can conclude - "He is clean". A cloud of doubt hovers around always. When trust evades humanity, deceit is all that is left over. It is not only the deceit of the political class over the common man, it is also the deceit of the common man over himself.

The games the politicians play to retain or gain power is unimaginable. Power corrupts the soul. I wonder, if they even take a minute to introspect what this race for power is all about and if they feel justified with their own reasons. The events that unfold everyday, only gives me a feeling, there is none I can trust to power. The country needs a leader with Integrity!

Arvind Kejriwal needs to do more groundwork, before he jumps the gun. He comes across as a man who is in a hurry to clean up the system, which is older than him. I am not sure if its his urgency or his temperament that is demeaning his name. It is indeed a move that we need to welcome, someone has taken the step forward to jump into politics and do the dirty job of cleaning, which most of us, educated Indians, shy away from. One also needs to understand, "cleaning the system" can't and shouldn't be the only reason to form a party. I am yet to understand what is the vision of AAP for India. There is a long way to go for this man and his party and we the citizens shouldn't be overwhelmed by the wave of anti-corruption emotion. In today's scenario, with no basic trust in society, people raise all kinds of concerns that further muddles the mind. I, only hope this man's intentions are clean and he is not a pawn in the political game.

A party in power should seek votes by highlighting its achievements, whereas we have a party in governance that seeks vote by promising us it would do more in its next term. A party that highlights that there are six bills in the waiting. Again, a party that is capitalizing on the anti-corruption movement and promising to tackle corruption with these bills. A party in power for 10 years couldn't pass these bills is telling the common man it would so in its next term. What is the party's vision for India's future? I can name a few bills in waiting FDI, Food security, etc. This party's vision for India is in passing bills. In India, it is the implementation of laws that takes a beating and it is not the lack of regulations. Apart from that the Government has to answer for the plethora of scams to its name. I agree, they are allegations as the Government sees it; in a world of deceit, this is all we can expect. Allegations proven or otherwise, the Government still needs to address the Nation on how such baseless accusations can be made. There are several records that hint towards irregularities. Let us put aside the debate of how heinous the crime is.

The national opposition party does not come with great record of achievements to its name. It is a party that has been looked upon as a party that would communalize the country; a party that would only represent only religion of India. India has been fighting the elections on the communal-secular front for years. Many years of education has done nothing to keep the forces of religion, caste and community out of our elections. If the Governing party was a truly secular party, shouldn't it have in its 60 years of rule, made the country truly secular and ceased to appease minority of the country in the name of vote bank politics. The opposition party has a term of 5 years to its name in Governance with a few scams; at least no series of scams that rocked the nation. In its 5 years, India was not stagnated by communal violence as was expected. Today, the opposition party is seeking votes, not highlighting its past tenure, aware that people's memory are short-lived, but seeking votes based on the performance of one man's governance in a state for three terms. Narendra Modi does come with his own baggage of Gujarat riots. His baggage also includes his many achievements as the Chief Minister of the state - 1MW solar power plant, E-services to Gram Panchayat, Rural electrification and more. The question remains to be answered - would this party leverage the goods delivered to Gujarat to the Nation or would it divide India? The party in its campaigns, aggressively is pushing a growth agenda for India, which is conspicuously absent in others. Would the party walk the talk?

As vigilant citizens, we have risen high and made our Government and political leaders listen to our cry! Yes, we have succeeded in communicating that we our fed up of feigning ignorance to national looting that occurs. Have they heard it loud and clear? Would they try a new trick to satiate their hunger for power? Only General Elections 2014 and another 5 years of Governance will give us the answer. But, am sure our vigilance can keep away communal forces, scams and mis-governance. I am bit disappointed that common man has no provisions to oust Governments before the 5 year period, on valid reasons.

Development is only answer the common man is seeking!

We have been mislead and will be mislead; it is up to us to tear the mask of deceit and rebuild trust.

My new hobby!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 12:46:00 +0000

Crystal stone

Wooden bead

Crystal beads chain

Paper quilled Jumki's (My Favorites)

Paper quilled ear-ring

Back in Jo'burg

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:48:00 +0000

It has been 12 days since i landed here. Many of my friends are asking me if i have settled, if settling means having a roof over my head and 3 meals to eat then, yes am very well settled :-) I wonder how people settle in a new country! Do their emotions ever settle? I can't comment so early, but in my experience after having met many people who have lived away from home for many years, i can only say "deep" down there is a state of void.

I had been so busy last year and it wasn't a kind of job that kept me occupied. At the end of every day, when i went back to myself i was content, i had very little to crib. So, to be exploring now and starting my career afresh appears to be more than challenging! I have moved from one profession to another once in my life, that had been quite a challenge and now to have a new profession in a new country - you know what am talking about. If you have been down that path, leave a word of encouragement ;-)

I am back to being the jack of all trades!

Happy New Year 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 05:49:00 +0000

Happy New Year folks!!

2013 - Blog count - 1

Life kept me busy and I didn't make an effort to visit my blog space. I feel so bad! Thanks to my friend, who wrote a novel else I wouldn't have made that single post too. Pity!

I hope 2014 is better and I promise to self to write more this year. I am traveling back to South Africa and that is going to give me more time to write!

See you soon with more thoughts.

Wishing you guys a prosperous & peaceful year!

Book lovers attention please!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 05:39:00 +0000

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

How many of you like the smell of a new book and still in the habit of picking up a paperback? If you love reading books and would like to write book reviews, then here is an opportunity to review

Newton's Law Reversed by Howard Roark

Please drop a comment or mail your interest to divya.palaniappan@gmail.com, we will send you a copy of the paperback to your address.

You can review the book on your blog and send the link to us.

Thank you!

Newton's Law Reversed

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 14:47:00 +0000

I am happy to announce the launch of my friend's first fiction - Newton's Law Reversed published by Leadstart corporation. He writes under the pen name Howard Roark inspired by the protagonist of Ayn Rand's Fountainhead.

It is been a long and an interesting journey for him, from his first draft to a final print on hand. I am glad I was a part of the journey and was able to contribute my bit in his artistic endeavour. As bloggers, we know how hard it is to get our writing published and what it takes to express our thoughts in words.

I recommend reading his book, not because he is my friend but for his earnest efforts as a writer.

The book is available on

Infibeam

Rediff Books

Crossword

Landmark

Leadstart

Like his Facebook page to follow updates on the book.

Happy Reading!!

55 Fiction : Odd one out

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Rachel was staring at her monitor; she didn’t know how to end the mail she had drafted. She had given up; she found herself unfit to live in this world that she believed was self-centered; centered around ego. She picked the tiny bottle that would seal her journey – an end that was easier to compose.

Love

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:20:00 +0000

What is Love? A question that comes next to "What is Life?" I sometimes feel the purpose to my existence is to just realize the meaning and essence of these words. An emotion has profound as Love can never be explained; it was man's greatest sin to coin a word to express an emotion that has an infinite ambit.

Love is the foundation of companionship. A perfect companionship is the right blend of insanity and rationality! As we grow up, we tend to understand love is beyond the initial attraction, it requires maturity, understanding, tolerance, openness, acceptance, concern, respect, passion among others. Two people come together cause they believe there is a commonality on which their life could tread, but with time doesn't the intensity of love fade away? Individuals grow, interests change and hence to keep the love alive, it is just not enough to bank on the initial common grounds. It is at this juncture the other facets such as openness, tolerance and the ability to see your partner through and the maturity to set them free are essential to keep the relationship young and wild.

I have always believed understanding and intellectual cohesion is vital to keep the relationship going beyond the honeymoon period. It is indeed true, but one aspect of love never outweighs another. If the aspects of love had to be placed on a scale beginning with physical attraction to intellectual coherence, each aspect takes equal importance. Exploration is the key in love, it enables us to discover not just our partner but ourself, helping us grow together. The new aspects spice up the love! To be in love is to be the chirpy bird - buoyant & carefree!

Love never fades, it is the people who fail to grow in love. To love is to be naughty and curious as a 16 year old with the maturity, wisdom and cognizance of a 60 year old.

Be naughty, Be understanding - Be in Love!

P.S I logged into blogger after a long while and realized i was only one shot of 100 ;-) Consciously decided to write on 'Love' - Doesn't it keep us alive? To all of you who have been asking for my posts, I hope to get regular here on. Thanks for checking :-)

Story time..!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:56:00 +0000

Friends,

Here is a link to my story in "Tell a Tale Club"

http://telltaleclub.com/2012/07/17/extra-ordinariness/

If you love reading stories, Tell a Tale Club has a great repository of stories from various genres. You like to write stories? You will not be disappointed, you can also contribute to their collection!

It is a club for Story tellers. Enjoy!!

Every end has a new beginning...

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:47:00 +0000

I have always believed one life has to take several dimensions and kept my interests varied. It is this strong inner-conviction that has driven me to experiment with different things in life! Shifting gears in life isn't easy in a society that seeks stability and permanence. We have been groomed to always operate out of our comfort zones and hence the society doesn't quite approve of juggernauts. The previous year has been 'one hell of time' - I had decided to be by myself and i have realized in being by yourself, you learn much more about life than by engaging yourself in external activities. In that sense, the year has been a crucial phase in my life.

From the 3rd August 2012, i am treading on a new path - i am now an employee of Dream India, a Educational and Charitable Trust catering to the needs of under-privileged children.

Dream India is run by a group of working professionals in India, trying to make a change in the country through education of the poor and the upliftment of underprivileged communities. Come, let us join hands, and reinstate the once lost greatness of our nation!

We are part of the Vision2020 groups, one that is guided directly by our great visionary Dr. APJ Kalam.

Dream India Logo

I am extremely fortunate to be working with a group of highly enthusiastic and committed individuals. I have been associated with Dream India as a volunteer since August'2005.

I have a humble request to make, if you are a fellow blogger reading this post i request you to blog about Dream India (www.dreamindia2020.org) and our activities on your blog. It would help us reach a wider audience, Dream India needs more volunteers and more people to simply know of our activities. I believe there are a lot of people out there who want to help the society and they do not know whom to approach - just knowing would help them find the right channel. The gap between 'people who need' and 'people who have & willing to give' is wider in our country - your blog post can bridge that gap!

I am sure you can hear me saying - "Thank you" from the bottom of my heart for your involvement in the movement :-)

If you are personally interested in teaching under-privileged children or interested in doing 'something' for your village school, please get in touch with me. Dream India will evaluate the needs and provide necessary guidance to initiate and execute the project.

I am very excited about this new journey and with your support, am sure Dream India would be scaling new heights in serving children.

Need Vs Desire

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:37:00 +0000

I am writing a post after a long while! Post recovery, i have been up to nothing ;)

So, here is a post from a person who is idle :) It is said that the 'Observer' and the 'Observed' cannot be differentiated, but all that have been up to over the last couple of months is 'Observation'! I believe at some point the observing dissolves and only the observer stays - a state of nothingness! I am nowhere close to it, hence watch for the observer effect..

Well, need is a necessity, while desire is not!

The society as i see it today is filled with 'Desire' rather than 'Need'. Does this world have enough to fulfill the growing desire of each one of us?

"Define your needs, it drives your action"!

It is a man's basic need to 'Eat', but today we have turned the 'Need' to 'Desire'. With so much options in life, our desires have only grown. The lesser number of choices, the simpler life is, but we have complicated our life's by augmenting the choices.

If only we stayed satisfied eating apples(food of the region), today we wouldn't have to worry over deciding which restaurant to go! With choices and the desire growing, we work harder to earn the extra buck to fulfill our desire. Today, we aren't satisfied eating international cuisine, we want to make more money to afford food at the lavish star restaurants.

It is the same with every other need in our life. Man begins with a need - a cloth to cover, then probably a attire that is in-trend, then branded clothes, then designer clothing - desire is endless.

Nature has enough to fulfill our needs, but i doubt if it can fulfill our voracious greed!

The beauty of life lies in its simplicity :)

One may ask what is wrong in yearning for more in life - desire is endless - endless desire leads to endless troubles!

I have observed that people who are simple being more peaceful and more content. The mad rush for everything in this modern society has made us live in denial and a superficial world! Life is truly a 'Maya' in current scenario more than ever.

The observer is steadily losing interest in the hushed-up living of modern days! It is indeed difficult to stay simple when you have the potential to compete in the rat-race and fulfill your desires. A sense of being left behind is also not easy to come to terms with, until and unless you decipher the 'Maya' of desire.

Fabulous Four

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Today marks four years of marital journey!

I feel blessed to be sharing my life with you! It still feels like we just crossed each others' path and the freshness still lingers...and the exploration continues...

We have grown in strength and my admiration for you has only increased over the years. we have evaded the weariness that most relationships endure over time and am proud of us!

You continue to me be my source of life! Love you..

Dated:18-May-2012

Ready to bounce back...

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:10:00 +0000

I am back home after entering & exiting hospital twice in the last month, in fact thrice( Including my South African experience). Even now, i can only say "hopefully" and not with certainty that am recovering and ready for a bounce back :)

I don't have a specific diagnosis for the symptoms & discomforts i have been experiencing over the last month, which makes it very difficult to say how the future would be. All we know at the moment is, i had some kind of an infection or allergy in my kidney that caused hematuria for a month. Docs do not know what caused it yet, which makes the treatment difficult.

With the blessings of the almighty, the hematuria has stopped and the severe pain that i was experiencing post one of the diagnostic testing procedure called uretheroscopy has come down. The result from various scans and the invasive scopy shows no threatening condition inside the kidney, but we dont know what it is. So, for the moment the docs have suggested regular check-ups to ensure we do not miss any new developments inside and they believe "whatever-it-is" has been healing and would disappear on its own .

I sincerely wish, it leaves me soon so that i can get back to my normal life! Thanks for all your support and prayers, the journey through this phase wouldn't have been possible without the love of dear ones.

I did learn a few lessons from this physical illness and i believe they will help me lead a quality life!

Hoping to get back to regular blogging soon :)

Back Home

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Blogging from India :-) Yipeee..

I am so glad i made it here despite the illness. I wasn't comfortable being in a foreign land with an ailment! Now, i am more at peace though the diagnosis is still on. The medication so far hasn't helped me recover completely. I am just hoping the docs find the cause soon and heal me quick!

Somewhere, deep within, i believe there is so much more to my life and this is a phase that will teach a lesson or two ;) I am already thinking ahead...There is a larger purpose to my existence! I am patiently waiting to get through this phase and get back to myself!

Yeah, at times it's scary to think of the many possible diagnosis but again the inner voice says, "Divinity doesn't punish, He only tests!"

Wishing myself Good Health :-)

Be the Change...!!

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I was someone, who grew up hearing the phrase, "I hate changes". My brother was totally not liking the changes he had to endure in his adolescence, while i was still young to appreciate what my brother was experiencing. He is elder to me by 5 years and he often used to utter the phrase, "I hate changes", when he came home every week from his residential college! My brother pursued something close to his heart - Marine Engineering, but wasn't wee bit aware of how arduous his life is going to be !

My brother's statement echoed within me as, "Stay away from changes. Try to stay in your comfort zone. Changes aren't nice to experience." I grew up to be a 'girl-who-stayed-satisfied-with-anything'. I never used to dream big, i dream of things within my reach, attain it and stay content! I was never the great aspirant nor was i the dormant, sluggish girl - i called myself smart :-)

Time is not only a healer, it is also a true teacher! With time, one gets to learn and mature and so did I! It took me a while, but i did realize that, "Change is inevitable" and "Change should be embraced and not shied away".

The more you resist change, the more it persists.

Life's experience taught me that 'One who accepts change can bring in new solutions to life'. I realized that though my brother detested change, he accepted his new environment and the changes that came along, to be a successful Marine Engineer he is today!

When i graduated out of college in 2005, i had no big experience of a 'changed' environment but by then i knew to realize your dream, you need to be the change yourself, and not wait for the change to occur.

A change triggered from outside creates ripples within and leaves you disturbed, like how my brother experienced!! On the other hand, when you bring about the change from within, in your life, you can leave indelible marks in the life's of others.

I would like to thank IndiBlogger and Stayfree for providing this opportunity to share my experience!! It's a true experience of a young girl, fresh out of college, who believed she could change the state of the Indian Society - a story of my rendezvous with erasing illiteracy from its roots!

Courtesy:Google

Yes, i believed it is 'Time to Change' the pathetic state of our Indian Society! I am true patriot, who loves my country dearly. I spent countless hours after graduating, wondering how i could change the state of affairs in our country! There was a long list of social evils that i had listed out - Corruption, Poverty, Illiteracy, Poor Sanitation, Poor Civic Sense, Lack of Infrastructure, Malnutrition, Illness and many others. I spent considerable time understanding each of the problems that is plaguing our country and wanted to make some contribution in one of those areas that would lead to betterment.

I finally concluded all problems were interlinked and most problems stem out of one key issue - Illiteracy!

I decided to 'Be the change' ! I hunted down for Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) that work towards upliftment of less-privileged children, unfortunately i found many NGOs but wasn't satisfied with their level of commitment.

My intense search ended with a phone call to a founder of a NGO called 'Dream India' in Mumbai. I was happy with their intention and knew there only purpose was 'To Serve' unlike others. Dream India was a small NGO, with hardly 20 members - a group of working professionals working tirelessly to provide education to every child. You can read about Dream India here. I joined them and opened the Chennai chapter of Dream India.

I have been associated with Dream India for 7 years now, the joy that i get out of teaching under-privileged children cannot be equated to anything on earth!

To be the change is not easy!! There were many NGOs that were providing education to orphans and homeless children. We wanted to focus on school dropouts in urban slums. It wasn't an easy task to approach children in our slum dwellings and start teaching them, but we did it. We had many obstacles on our way. In August 2005, i conducted my first class for a group of 25 children in a temple. The maid, who worked at our home helped me established the link! My experience with these children has taught me that, the only difference between our children and them is - Exposure! If only they had someone to guide them a little and some financial help, they would all be studying well!

My students :)

I am proud to tell you that one of my students is now a first year engineering student :-)

I have loads of experience to share pertaining to my association with Dream India, but through this post for the contest and Stayfree for kindling my thoughts on 'Voice to Change', i would like to say that 'Change is possible'. We can all bring about a change in things around us. It is time - to stop complaining and start acting! In fact, i hate littering and it used to bother me a lot when someone drops something. One fine day i decided to be the Change myself, i observed even i do litter a bit and completely stopped littering. I was in class 8 then and i made it a point my friends took notice of it. I was instrumental in making many of my friends follow my footsteps.

If something irritates you so much....Change it! -- It only needs a beginning!

Courtesy:Stayfree

Visit Stayfree Facebook page here! - http://facebook.com/sftimetochange

I am sure one day, i will be able to see the 'India' that i had envisioned - free of most social evils and for that, the ONE CHANGE that has to occur is 'RIGHT TO GOOD EDUCATION'

Education can remove the weeds from our society. An educated citizen will not only be able to take care of his own family but also the society by voting responsibly! All other social issues can be combated successfully with educated citizens!

Our work won't stop today or tomorrow. I, as a part of Dream India have seen so many challenges that has bogged us down at times, but every time we see a child smile, a child read, a child dream - we know, we have made a change!

The journey is long, but the experience is countless! In our journey, we have given education to so many children and changed the fortune of their family and we strongly believe that one day we will change the fortune of the country!

You can 'Be the change', you want to be - Take the first step!

Dream India's tagline says - "Together we can!! Together we should!!" - It sums it up well :-)

Interested to be a part of Dream India's activities - Our Facebook Page
Would you like to Volunteer? - Our Facebook Group

Learning my lessons

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:58:00 +0000

I have not been keeping too well. I was admitted to the hospital and now back home. Diagnosis is still on and early reports say Renal Infection. Cause still not known.

I am just believing i will come out stronger out of this phase. Having to deal with this in a foreign land has made it difficult - the love and re-assurance from many has helped me stay strong!

Requesting for all your love & prayers.

Hope to see you all soon at a much better frame of mind :-)

Look at what the next door man has...

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:15:00 +0000

At some point in our lives, we would have felt upset/disturbed/uneasy about the progress others have made in their lives. If you haven't, then you either belong to the evolved souls or lying ;-)

Being 'Jealous' is defined as, "A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck."

Is it a virtue or vice?

Courtesy:Google

It is not a virtue to be proud of, neither it is a vice, as long as your resentment doesn't get expressed as a harmful deed or word.

Jealousy can be experienced at various degrees and it is the intensity that does harm. All characteristics in a human being affects oneself more than it affects the other. If you are short-tempered, it affects your health more than how much your words in anger evokes disturbances in others. So, if you want to change anything about you, it should be for yourself rather than for claiming the tag of 'I did it for them'.

The mild disturbance that one experiences on hearing the progress made by an acquaintance cannot be labeled as Jealousy, yet they need attention so that the complex isn't given more impetus and groomed. Most times the disturbance occurs not because others have progressed but at the fact that we haven't achieved as much as we wanted to!! The ability to understand this, would put things in better perspective.

On one hand, a little amount of comparison does keep you motivated to achieve more, but the perception really matters. A small change in the way you compare yourself could lead to complex of inferiority. Hence, if you believe comparison helps you stay motivated; use it till it motivates, the moment it brings in disturbances, you should shun it. If i had to compare myself for motivation, it would always be with myself - to better my previous performance. I believe in absolute scale of measurement over relative.

Now, to the not motivating comparisons that are made and the disturbances it creates in the mind. Well, when does one really feel disturbed?

One's belief that

Ones own achievement has been lesser in comparison to another
Two are equals (Same educational background, Same Industry Etc)
One possess greater potential than the other, yet hasn't been successful due to Luck

What we fail to realize is

No two individuals are the same & our journeys are different.

Our goals in life may be completely different, yet we would be looking at someone and wonder why we weren't in their place! It's a natural human tendency, many would say. Is it really, is my question!

One who is able to scrutinize why they feel the disturbance or unease, will surely be able to surpass the discomfort for the current instance. One who is strong about his life's vision would never be bothered by the fruitful journey others have. A strong, unwavering purpose in life will make you belong to the group of evolved souls!

I have always believed that every soul on physical earth comes with a definite purpose masked from our own consciousness and have always wondered what would be the purpose of a soul trapped in animals. My recent trysts with animals had an eureka moment when realized each animal has a distinct quality/character that it tries to surpass. You can read my experiences on a horse trail here.

It was the first time i was ever so close to Horse - emotionally! I have seen horses as a child and may be taken a ride too but this one was different. I learnt that horses are very jealous of other horses. On hearing this and observing their nature during the trail, i got the answer to my question; maybe the soul of the animals are trying to harness one good virtue - like the horse being trapped as a jealous animal, its lesson would be to free itself from 'Jealousy'. Similarly, a Proud peacock takes its form to evolve above the sense of being 'Proud'.

May be, if we are suffering from jealousy syndrome, our next birth would be as a horse ;-) who knows, it is better to better ourselves now when we have some conscious thinking capability!

Are you depressed?

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:13:00 +0000

How do you stay positive when everything around is sinking? Th answers i hear from people around are, 'Stay Positive', 'Tomorrow will be a better day', 'Things don't look so bad' and so on. Though all of these are true but, at that moment when you feel like screaming out loud, none of these is a consolation!

Clinical depression is a totally a different ball game. I am just talking about how lightly we use the word, "Depression" in our everyday life - 'Such a depressing day', 'i am feeling so depressed', 'life is depressing'. Slip offs here and there turns the day into a depressing one. For some, even a boring day translates into a depressing day.

It doesn't really matter what the really cause for the mood swing is, it is inevitable! Everyone wants to get back to the best of their moods but fail. If a series of events in life doesn't go your way, then it gets even more difficult to find solace. One-off incidents are easier to adjust and major life changing events may need professional help, but what do you do with these miniscule bits of sporadic issues that creates disturbance to ripple your mind? They aren't too big to cry over and they aren't too small to ignore. Have you been in a situation like that? How do you pick yourself up?

The best things to do that can help you see the lighter side, while you are pushed to the corner.

Eat, Eat, and Eat - Food can change moods, try eating your favorite food or fulfill the urge of your taste buds at that moment; it pays off. I remember hogging on a chocolate truffle cake and a blueberry mousse for lunch at work, when i actually didn't feel like eating, cause i was so troubled. It made my day! A friend chided, "And you didn't want to eat!"
Music - Do i even have to mention this? But, yeah when you are down, you need someone to remind you! Play some music and get involved! Don't let the music haunt you; never play music that gets you thinking. Shake your legs, minds and hands to the music.
Movies - Some movies can really lift your spirits up! Try tuning in to a movie that has a good uplifting message.The brilliance of movie making can also brighten your day.
Walk - Get out of your concrete building and take a walk in the park/garden. If you are someone who admires nature - this is for you.
Talk to a friend - Now, this is something we all attempt but doesn't always give you the high. Choose your friend correctly; someone who can listen without an opinion. Advices at that point of time can infuriate more and those 'too good to be true' statements can bog you down further. Universal truths can be bitter too; when you are battling a down swing, you will never have ears for these. So, just be wise with your choice.
Write - Writing/blogging can be a wonderful let out. Transfer everything from your mind to paper - it's just feels so light. Blogging can inhibit your feelings, cause no matter how much we deny it, we are humans and very conscious of others around. Blogs do help depending on the intensity of the issue.
Others - Indulge in any activity that switches you off from the world. Photography/Cooking/Gardening/Painting - Nurture your interest, it helps during a difficult phase. A person with no hobby cultivated endures hard during a low phase of life.

Any of these will only help lighten your mood and let go of that 'bad' lurking emotion, yet it is important to indulge in any one of these before you get to handling the issue. A disturbed mind can't seek a solution and when you are down in the dumps, it's no use trying. You still have to deal with the issue.

Courtesy:Google

Once you feel better, you can look at the larger picture. Issues that can be sorted and for which you have devised a solution, never makes you feel broody; identifying a solution turns the problem into a challenge. It's those things that are out of control that annoy, aggravate and agitate. And sometimes the weird mind can feel low for no apparent reason too.

If circumstances are not in your favor and you are waiting for a response from the environment, then to just keep yourself going and not be let down; indulge in these simple pleasures of life. Brace yourself - waiting can be excruciating!

Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Divya) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Karan walked out of his home. He was truly shattered. He didn't see a purpose to his life. He believed in improving the quality of his life and the life of others around him but each day he slept with a heavy heart, believing tomorrow would be a better day!

He saw abject poverty in the society; it troubled him. He couldn't live like the man next door, focusing on his career and building a better future for himself and the generation to come next by amassing wealth. He believed in a harmonious co-existence while all he saw everyday was - Men & women in a race nudging, trampling and shoving others. He questioned life; is procreation the essence of this journey?

Deceit;Hatred;Revenge;Greed;Selfishness;Prejudice;Jealousy;Wrath;Distrust;Arrogance clouded the minds of individuals in pursuit of happiness.

He couldn’t convince himself to play in a society plagued with evil. He walked out.
He left everything behind, denouncing life in search of peace. It didn’t take him long to understand; no matter where he went, he had a journey to pursue – his own journey of life and he couldn’t abandon it.

He decided to seek wisdom. He chanced upon a saint in his tireless journey through the jungles and wild landscapes adorned just by nature devoid of human vices.

“What brings you here, my son?”
“I want to understand life. What is my purpose in life? Why should I struggle my way up through human vices? Why can’t we co-exist in harmony? Why this tough fight for nothing? If death is the final destination why live this journey of anguish?”
“And you thought you would find the answers here in the mountains?”
“Not really! I wanted to leave that world behind me. I didn’t want to corrupt my soul by living among them.”
“So, you left everything behind?”
“Yes! Everything”
“Look at that in the distance and tell me what you see”
Karan shaded his vision with his hands to get a clearer look of what the saint was pointing at.
“It is cruel. I see a man piercing through the skin of the animal’s leg.”
The saint signals and his disciple walks in. “What do you see at the distance?”
“Guru, mitran is nursing the injured animal”
“I didn’t know the animal was hurt; I am sorry” karan bows down.
The saint pats Karan's back and asks again, “My son, have you left everything behind when you came?”
“Yes!” Karan emphasizes throwing open his free hands.
“You brought yourself along my son”

“The world may not be an ideal place but it definitely is not a cruel place either. You saw what you chose to see my son. You were so focused on improving your life through imbibing good nature that you chose to see only the vices and you failed to see other side. The others in the world chose to make a fortune and that’s why they see only ways to make money. You only see what you wish to see my son.”

“But, then…I saw apathy everywhere..even in those people who focused on their own fortunes. There is a struggle for everything out there…”

“Now, go back and see the world with the different eye. The world is a projection of your senses and where ever you go, you will only see your projections; you cannot run away from your own self my son. The change you wish to see is within you”

He continues saying, “Focus on the solution and not the problem. Yes, you can see poverty but when you open up, you will also see the other side of poverty. You will see men who erase their own poverty through the relentless efforts.”

“And the struggle?”

“It will continue, my son as the world is also the projection of other’s around you. Until a time comes when everyone understands the world is a projection of their own self and everyone crystallizes their thought, you will have to lead a life in the projection of a confused world.”

“But why? I don’t want to struggle..”

“You can’t leave yourself behind and before you are ready to do that you have some lessons to learn in the confused world…Focus on the solution and you can help the world with your clear projection that will lessen the burden”

The world isn't a cruel place. It just reflects us. I once put this up one as my Facebook status, "The entire Universe reflects, it is quite unfortunate that we look only at the mirror." Yes, we can see ourselves in things that surround us from the inanimate book on our shelves to the animate companion at our home.

It is our interpretation of the events unfolding that decides the consequence. One who chooses to see the good, only sees the good; one chooses to see the apathy;only sees the apathy.

In a study that was conducted, it was observed that people who considered themselves lucky were the ones who spotted Ads on a newspaper that gave away freebies while those who considered themselves unlucky never spotted or took longer time to spot the Ad. It was the same ad, in same print that was circulated to a group of people. Luck isn't an outside opportunity, it is an inside hope.

There is no solution in questioning, 'why the world is this way', instead raise the question, 'why am i this way' - The change you wish to see will come by!

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are" - Anais Nin