A Warm Response

This is about a son's response to a birthday post to his father by an old time colleague.

The son wants to make  his father's seventy fifth birthday  a memorable one and goes out of his way to do the best he can.The little boy in him is earnest and genuine in his approach though by looks he is a sturdy young man. 

So  The Universe conspires to make it happen .

Strange we have kids of all generations but the underlying thread through all of them still is filial love whether young or old.

This bond is precious  making it a beautiful world. I also got to see the pure love of a father towards his son.

The excerpt goes like this in full.

""Good Morning Lakshmi Aunty,

1. Really sweet of you to find my number and text me. No one in this world would care to do that. However you took that extra effort. Highly appreciate that Aunty.

2. Speaking of extra effort, it speaks volume of your effort to ponder and draft a message which dictates those memorable times you all had together during initial times. Gratitudes to you to care for making an elaborate note on Achan’s special day. It means a lot to all of us.

3. ⁠Also thanks for sharing those small gifts Achan received in the WhatsApp group. Everyone’s small messages aint small as it seems. It refers to the affection each of you care for one another regardless of how afar you all are. This should go on and all effort should be taken to keep this ball rolling. 

4. ⁠Today after seeing your message aunty, I can proudly say that I achieved what I wanted for Achan’s 75th birthday. I didn’t expect it to go this big as all efforts were remotely done. Thanks to everyone out there for making it happen for us.

Regards

Atul ""

Wonderful it is.Full of gratitude for getting an opportunity like this.

A Platinum Post

Dear Sudha,

So you turned Platinum,sometimes called golden Jubilee also. Very nice.

Many happy returns of the day 18th November 25.

What a pleasant feeling that about forty years ago we had a common workplace.I had just joined on promotion may be sometime in 1986.All in our youth enjoying the the little joys and smiles in the office called home.A home far away from home.

This was at Calicut,you,Ravindran,Anbalagan,Devan,VijayKrishnan,MuraliRaja,Geetha,Kochu Murali,Venu,Jamaal,Sivadas,Surendran,Ashokan,C Viswanathan ,Subramani and Vasantha.

You used to commute daily by train and for emergencies you had  a room on rent.Since you had come from the financial capital of India, Bombay,we all had big respect for you because you have seen more of the world and more well versed in legal matters and your quite nature complimented it.

You spoke less and maintained a face without much expression. 

You were of a soft nature, calm,reserved, soft voice but well versed in your craft.

You and Anbu were almost equal in  height,thin built and I remember I used to think of you both as Ram and Lakshman.

Sometimes at the level crossing waiting to cross on my way home in my Bajaj priya many a time I would see you standing near the compartment door as the bogies used to be jam packed.

Sometimes when I felt you could see me, I used to wave vigorously with happiness much to the amusement of people in their vehicles around me.I used to say he works in my office and travels by train.

I understood the travails of train travel when I too commuted once. Hats off to you.

 I know you had a passion of old hindi songs.your taste was impeccable.You had got some cassettes recorded while at Bombay.I had the privilege of hearing them and even made a copy of the same.But later,with constant playing it started dragging.I am not able to remember the songs perhaps senility has set in.But anyone would love it.

You were well respected,a gentleman and popular among our Vysya and later Ing and later Kotak Community.

 I adore you as a person,a friend,a colleague and like Anbu said the same set of us should work together once again.

The camaraderie,the simple things kept us all bound together for eternity.

Though we all had deep pressing problems of our own we all cared for each other in our own simple unique ways.It is this that is bringing back the fond memories of those days in our lives today.

Thankyou for enabling me to look upto you for calmness and patience.🙏

4th May 25 A birthday conversation

G:

Happy Birthday my Ammachikutty ❤️ what a wonderful world you have made and what a wonderful world it is because of you in it. I love you very much ummmaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

Thank you for giving me life, thank you for all the life that you breathe and breathe into everyone who you cross paths with. 

Happy happpy happy birthday Ammachi 😘

Me:

Dear Gowri

I never imagined a durbar in my house.Eshwar and you completed my day along with others. A day to cherish.No doubt I have you both complementing my days.words cannot express what I feel.

Always there for you both.❤️

G:Ummmmaaaa, so happy that you are happy :) we loveeee you and want to see you like this everyday.

Ummmmma

Ammachiii

Friends have wished you on my Instagram post also :) see when you have time

Me:Thanks to all of them but I am not able to see.

G:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJPXehqyRT0dlYL53ShyCYb1Yqy2H-kKwpbEhY0/?igsh=MThpdWhpbGpnNXlrMA==

See comments section :)

My love for Jeeps

When I was young I used to love watching different types of cars and if I got a chance would hitchhike in one.

However, I was fascinated by jeeps because it could go on any terrain and needed guts and grit to drive it and nice brawny arms.

I used to dream of owning a jeep when I grew up and taking  part in motor rallies.I felt jeeps were mostly costlier than cars then.

One of my father's brother lived in a terrain where jeep or Nataraj service was the only means of transport .I used to enjoy the jampacked ride with no proper roads,  over rocks and pebbles because of the frequent landslides.The sweat of fellow travellers was nauseating,so also the smell of  different varieties of merchandise overloaded. With each turn or bump we rubbed into each other.No complaints at all because there was no choice or an alternate option other than walk up the winding steep hill.

Ofcourse I grew up but didn't own my dream Jeep.I used to love watching The Great Himalayan Rally,car races etc

Even today I like watching ATV or whatever it is called making its way through tough roads or no roads and coming out covered in mud and silt after navigating precariously.

I used to admire the man at the wheels and his codriver guiding.I had read it takes weeks of preparation of charting and planning before taking the plunge.

Today when my husband's nephew posts pictures of his traversing through tough narrow nosedives and coming out successfully I feel happy.

I am sucked into my dream state driving and navigating the steering with great precision with my steely hands ,breaking and accelerating with complete control by having my mind and body in tandem.

I wake up and grin because I was not at the wheels.All the same I enjoyed my ride.Dream is the luxury of going everywhere without moving and inch.

A Thank You Note To Me

  “A thank you note to me”something I had never imagined until Saurabhji told us to do it as a little homework.

Now who is Saurabhji,a guru ,a mentor and yoga practitioner, founder of Habuild Yoga. A dashing and captivating youngster who is transforming lives of a million and more especially the elderly women.He can see through you with piercing eyes, sitting miles away from us.His voice is mesmerizing and captivating .Everyone's moves are in unison in his yoga session whether you follow simple version or difficult versions as per his instructions . He is asking us to look into ourselves and find out who we are as a person, to love ourselves first ,thank ourselves and see the visible changes in our outlook.

I had overlooked myself all along but now I pat myself gently and confidently.I am simple ,honest ,caring & full of love,am giving,can write,can uplift people,am a seamstress,can sing ,can paint ,can cook,can make simple healthy nutritious food and make ends meet in my little budget.

I love talking to people and maintaining  good relationships and above all a spiritual person with abundance of gratitude. I am an upright, trustworthy person with no mal-intentions at all,very patient and have a gimmick for doing things fast.I read and scroll also a lot from where I learn a lot of new things which has helped me to cope with  life.

I am dependable and happy with the little things in life.I am not overambitious nor in competence with anyone.I have believed always each according to his ability and according to his or her need.Always accepting people as they are .I was never concerned about what another has as I knew my limitations and worked happily around it.I love  the dresses I had made with a lot of love and creativity and today feel very happy about it. I realized today I was always calm in times of many a crises .

Oh my God! the list is growing and getting bigger and bigger.First time I am writing down a thankyou note to myself for all these qualities.I thought these were all normal and I was a misfit.I did them all without being aware of my abilities and took it for granted.I know there are many like me.

Today I look at  myself with the same eyes but with a  new perspective.When I look back I feel I was a wonderful person and continue to be and thank myself .Now I know why people love me.

When Bow bow had said her front teeth may be a little outside as if smiling always but  the genuine smile from her heart has a special touch.I had dismissed it at that  point of time because I did not know how to respond I just blushed.

This is rather lengthy thankyou note perhaps the first one in 70 years.

My little thank you note to me has brought me down on my knees looking above and thanking  for all the blessings showered.

I thank myself very much as I sit and fly like the wind and dance like the breeze in my mind and send out a small whisper thanking Saurabh Sir for enabling me to rediscover myself.

A Habuilder’s Habit building diaries - 5

First, thanks to Saurabhji and Habuild team,

Gratefulness to the core.

Agar Saurabhji nahi hothae tho yeh sab NAHI hotha.

Thanks to self and countless others ,

Trisha,Amma, Anshul, Chottu, you all are never forgotten.

Attitude changed, humility took over,

All in a short span of less than an hour each day.

All this, from the comfort of your home ,

With the choice of timings, 

As per convenience ,any one or more.

Tracking your daily progress, 

With a message at your fingertips ,

With answers for your queries,

 By the support team in minutes.

Where else can you get  so much ?

Other than at  Habuild Yoga,

The worlds largest online yoga platform.

A pleasure to be called a Habuilder.

Building and bridging  communities. 

The trend of many healthy mothers, who are, 

Now relieved of pain, ready to bloom once again ,

To spread  health, habit and consistency.

The blessings of these mothers,

Are showered on Saurabhji each day. 

A Habuilder’s Habit building diaries - 4

Plunged headlong in,

Well designed, informative useful workshops ,

at no extra cost for yearly subscription.

A holistic approach to your well being.

Started to think,

We belong to the older bracket,

knowing a lot of things but forgotten about it,

In the daily hustle bustle of life.

It was all about discovering life once again. 

The aches and pains was on account of rust settled in,

Making movements next to impossible,

The accumulated stress over the years,

No oiling or greasing done in a long time,

Stubborn fat accumulated for years, 

Since exercise was never a part of our regime,

Cooking,cleaning, feeding the family, 

Was the only chore which ruled our lives.

We never had me time ,

So awareness was limited,

I comes last in the family of WE,

Adjustments and sacrifices,

Were a part of life to be together.

Constraints was there in every walk of life,

Times  changed,hospital expenses skyrocketed,

We battled them all with grace,

Anger was vented as we were also human,

But don't ever think we were losers.

Agar hum na hothe Kuch aur hotha,

Pur hamari thara jeenae ka mazaa kabhi nahi hotha.

All said and done,

It is never too late to be youthful again,

It is about time we changed whether old or young.

Inculcating new plans and habits,

To pick our lives once again from where we let go.

Whoever would have thought of a youngster

coming as a messiah to spread hope and love,

to the elderly plagued by aches and pains.

Guess what! Kya hua?

Without your knowledge,

Habit building done, 

Consistency conquered,

Hospital trips reduced,

Medicine intake reduced,

Health improved,

Glowing increased,

Pains decreased or vanished,

Number of healthy mother's increased

Tenfold increase in the power of gratitude.