Embracing Patience

As a child, I remember that I was quite impatient. Now, when I look at my son, I wonder that he is pretty much like I was when I was a child. My attention span was low, and I often found it challenging to wait for things. Waiting for my turn, whether in games or daily activities, seemed like an eternity. I wanted instant gratification and had little tolerance for delays. That was probably the reason I wasn't great at creative arts like painting, stitching, knitting, etc. I preferred short stories to read, novels was a big no, because I can't read it in one go. We used to get the monthly subscription based story books. One of the stories in those books would come in series. I always skipped the story that had "to be continued in next edition" written at the end. Because I didn't have the patience to wait for next month. To my frustration, my friends used to discuss about only that one story which I used to skip. 

With passage of time, things seem to have changed automatically. Fast forward to my life as a parent,  parenthood served as a crash course on patience. One of the earliest lessons came during those sleepless nights when my son would cry, and it felt like time stood still. Learning to comfort him without succumbing to frustration became a skill I never knew I needed. As my son transitioned from infancy to toddlerhood and now as a pre-teen, I encounter new challenges that demand a patient approach. His boundless energy and curiosity, often pushes boundaries of my patience levels that I hadn't known before—explaining things repeatedly, redirecting behavior, and allowing him to explore within safe limits.

Reflecting on my own childhood impatience, I now appreciate the seeds of patience that were planted in my early teenage lovingly by my parents in the form of art of meditation, self reflection and self improvement. And now,  as I guide my son through the trials and triumphs of childhood, I am continually reminded that Parenthood, with all its tests and tribulations, serves as a profound teacher, imparting lessons that extend far beyond the realm of parenting.

Musing on the shift from avoiding "to be continued" stories to reading the novels and books and navigating the challenges of life in general with calm and composed approach (while there still is a lot of scope of improvement), I feel grateful to the family influence and parenthood that taught me numerous lessons. 

Painted this today with patience. 😇

Love❤

Networking - Human interactions

One of my co-workers opined that meetings and townhalls are waste of time and how returning to offices is equivalent to loss of productive hours. Bombarded with statuses on how return to office will make life hell from many colleagues, it triggered my need to put across my views. 

I too have enjoyed and discovered the benefits of remote work such as reduced commute times and increased flexibility, but in-person interactions provide much more value in terms of building relationships, fostering creativity, and addressing complex issues collaboratively.

Networking  and human connections are indispensable part of work life. Sadly, covid 19 has had a profound impact on human interactions. Networking is often misunderstood as a race to rack up contacts. It's not that. We should think of networking as a practice to cultivate authentic relationships over time. 

Amid the sounds of click-clack of keyboards and chitchat of friends in the office, we could identify the furrowed brow of our colleagues-  a frustrated fresher, a tempered manager, an exhausted team leader. 

 "Not right time to talk to the manager, he seems not in a good mood right now", a colleague to another who wanted to talk about promotion. 

"You seem a bit stuck there. Need any help?", said a team lead noticing the struggle of the new joiner. 

" Hey, you look tired, let's grab a cup of tea". 

We discover shared interests and passions beyond work, from hiking to a love of classic literature. Conversations flow effortlessly, forging a bond that transcends the office walls. During lunch breaks, colleagues gather in the cafeteria, sharing stories, laughter, and homemade dishes from their diverse backgrounds. This friendship extends to helping each other in times of need, whether it is covering for a colleague during a family emergency or offering a listening ear during personal challenges. 

The office should be a tight-knit community where colleagues genuinely care about each other's well-being and success. 

The pandemic forced us to adopt remote work arrangements. This shift reduced in-person interactions at the office and relied heavily on virtual communication tools, which we use only for "required" interactions. The hesitation to reach out for help has increased multifolds. The isolation brought on by remote work and reduced social interactions has taken a toll on mental health. The amount of time spent at work every day is roughly half a day, so you need to have heartful connections with your colleagues without which you cannot remain productive in the long run. There's no escape from the walls you create with isolation. 

So, while some exceptions will always be there, most of the widespread resistance in returning to offices is just because people don't want to leave the "comfort" that they have discovered during the pandemic. This "comfort" believe me is not beneficial in the long run. 

A Tryst with Nature

After a long time, we planned to go on a proper vacation. In the last few years tours and travels have been on halt for us. May be something to do with subconscious hesitation after covid19. This break was much needed after almost 3 years.. 

Day1 - Our first halt was Nainital. It's called the city of lakes. But we had our stay planned on a hill top away from the hustle bustle of the city life. 

We decided to take rest for the rest of the day after close to 8 hours drive. The area had poor network giving some rest to our smart phones too. My 10 year old son was feeling a little disappointed- no friends here.. But soon came a cute stray pup for his rescue. My son is generally quite timid when it comes to animals, but there was something sweet in this stray dog. We didn't hear it bark during our stay. It was a cool, calm and composed puppy - Shera. Look at the way they are having some silent conversations . 

Sipping the  tea blended with the aroma of mountain air, we spent the evening savouring each moment; the subconscious worries in the mind felt like melting away. Looking at the stray puppy, the German Shepherd that came along with other family, the birds, I wondered how all the species are calm and composed replicating the nature of the majestic mountains. 

Day2 began with visit to Kainchi Dham Temple. Crowdy temples are usually a big NO for me because I feel that the purpose of visiting a temple is defeated when it is crowdy. But here, the crowd was very well managed. People maintained the queue peacefully, some singing hymns of the Lord in low sound. There was a pile of books neatly placed in a basket. Interested visitors were reading them in silence sitting within the premises. After reading, they were placing the books back in that basket. 

We then visited Bhimtal lake followed by Naukuchiya tal. Boat ride in the soothing green lakes surrounded by lush green mountains dotted with houses at frequent intervals was a surreal experience. 

There are some mythological stories attached to all these lakes. With the help of google guru, I got to know about these stories which I told to my son who listened to them with absolute amazement. 

Day3 - It was time for fun and adventure. We went to Eco Cave Garden.  It's a garden park with shade trees and multiple caves. We came  in the scorching heat to this park which felt like a natural AC; exploring caves was something we had to put some effort. Super easy tasks for my boy were equally difficult tasks for us. 

My son also showed his bravery by doing sky cycling. 

We came back after roaming in the mall road for some time. While returning to hotel, our driver told that there is a temple on hill top right next to our hotel and that we can explore it if we want. That was a good idea. My son was already thrilled. He wanted to go right away to the hill top. 

It was shivering cold mid way with cool breeze hitting our bodies. We ran towards the hotel to get some woolen clothes before proceeding. 

It started raining the moment we were on the top. We waited in the temple for over 10-15 minutes before returning. 

It was our last day at Nainital. The majestic mountains.. the green water lakes.. The coexistence of human species with other species.. All problems and worries felt small. There are so many creatures in the universe facing much bigger problems with grit. We just need to recognize the plethora of blessings that have been offered to us. 

Day4 started with visit to zoo. Walking up the slopes is exhausting. For the sake of my son, we walked, walked and walked. Most animals were hidden in their caves except for deers and a Beer.  Look at the beer trying to roll the drum above it to get some peanuts to eat out of it. In the process it was one of few creatures entertaining us. 

Humans are cruel beings. For the sake of our pleasure, we do harm the nature at various levels. 

We reached our hotel at the next stop Jim Corbett sometime in the noon and enjoyed in the premises of the hotel for rest of the day. 

Day5 We were excited about this day from Day 1 for Jungle Safari. We were almost sure that we will not get to see the Royal Bengal Tiger. But the thrill of seeing uncaged wild life is different. 

We started at 5:30 am. The Jeep arrived a little late. And then he had to refill the fuel. I was annoyed. He could have filled it earlier. As we started safari no animal could be seen afar. Just got a glimpse of a few spotted deers. I cursed the driver for delaying. 

But then, some divine forces of nature conspired to make us meet not one, two or three but 4 tigers. A tigress with three of its cubs. 

We also saw a dancing peacock. Can you spot it in the picture below? 

Jungle safari was a super success. We couldn't have asked for more. We returned with a sense of achievement. 

After lunch, we went to a nearby art gallery to see some pictures taken by renowned wild life photographer Deepak Rajwar. We feasted our eyes with some stunning pictures of wild life. Each picture depicting a story. 

And then there was a river nearby our hotel. Walked to it to find that three quarters of the river is dry. "Global warming is so real", I said to my son. 

Rest of the day was spent in some more adventure activities which my brave boy did with a lot of fascination. 

Returning back to the daily humdrum of city life, I wondered how each bit of nature inspires us to live our lives and felt that this trip had breathed new spirit into us before we go for the next tryst with Nature. 

The Banyan Tree

I always wondered why do people pray a tree and specially a banyan tree. The Banyan tree has got some special significance. They offer so much prasad before the tree making it look clumsy. After I got married into a different culture, I followed it anyway. The yearly Vat Savitri Vrata is a ritual I follow along with my in-laws. Nothing wrong in following something you may not completely believe, but if it makes others happy - was my idea. 

Over the years, I got used to this ritual, and in fact, I now look forward to it. It gives us a reason to go to the Banyan tree. In the busy busy life, when was the last time you moved out just to meet an old friend? Beautiful, Huge, and Peaceful. It gives us a reason to Hug one of our least remembered friends - the nature. The Prasad we offer goes to ants, birds and the monkeys eagerly waiting to fill up their tummies.

Dear Banyan tree, 

Thank you for the shade you give in the scorching heat. Thank you for being home to multiple species on the earth. You represent Longevity and eternal life. Your ever expanding branches represents the wisdom you have gained over the ages. And perhaps this is the reason that women pray beneath you for long life of their husbands. No wonder many great saints used to meditate beneath you. Lord Buddha attained Gnana beneath you. You give a breath of fresh air and peace. May your divinity inspire the humans to seek for the divinity within. 💓💓💓

Love and Peace! 

Gaban by Munshi Premchand

Never thought I can read a hindi novel that too almost a century old classic novel. Last I read something must have been champak Or nandan (story books) during my childhood days.  Thanks to #kindleUnlimited. Its been there in my library for a couple of months now. I assumed that it will not engage me... After all it is published in 1931. How would I even relate to pre-independence era story, that too in Hindi!! 

But I was so very wrong! I am pleasantly surprised to note that this century old novel still is very relevant to this era. 

The story is about Ramanath whose life is swayed by people of authority as well as his wrong notions about the people he knew. He didn't have a mind of his own, got easily scared about the consequences of his actions but who didn't have the courage to fight for them when things actually went wrong. Because of his irresponsible actions, he didn't know how he was actually causing harm to his family and got himself caught up in situations none could get him out of. He is a morally weak character.

The story discusses gender equality, abolishment of cruel traditions against women, education, casteism. It portrays beautifully female friendships, the concept of acceptance and universal family, how innocent lives get manipulated by the people in authority.

The female characters in the story come out so beautifully with a lot strength. 

Ramanath's wife Jalpa - whose character starts as a childish girl who is attracted to jewelry and turns out as a strong woman with nothing but a pure soul. 

Ratan - the wife of an old barrister. This parallel story gives room to narrate age gap in marriages, laws which were against women in general, true friendship between Jalpa and Ratan. 

Jogeshwari - The old woman who seems heartless and materialistic in the beginning but as the story unfolds, it shows the unconditional motherly nature beneath the surface. 

Johra - A prostitute by profession and how she gets transformed and accepted by Jalpa and her family. 

I found the ending a little abrupt but overall it was a wonderful read. This is interestingly my first book review.. May be because most of the books I read so far were as I expected them to be. This one was beyond my expectations. 

Some beautiful lines

मानव-जीवन की सबसे महान घटना कितनी शांति के साथ घटित हो जाती है। वह विश्व का एक महान अंग, वह महत्त्वाकांक्षाओं का प्रचंड सागर, वह उद्योग का अनंत भंडार, वह प्रेम और द्वेष, सुख और दुःख का लीला-क्षेत्र, वह बुद्ध और बल की रंगभूमि न जाने कब और कहाँ लीन हो जाती है, किसी को ख़बर नहीं होती। एक हिचकी भी नहीं, एक उच्छवास भी नहीं, एक आह भी नहीं निकलती! सागर की हिलोरों का कहाँ अंत होता है, कौन बता सकता है? ध्वनि कहाँ वायु-मग्न हो जाती है, कौन जानता है? मानवीय जीवन उस हिलोर के सिवा, उस ध्वनि के सिवा और क्या है? उसका अवसान भी उतना ही शांत, उतना ही अदृश्य हो तो क्या आश्चर्य है!

विजय बहिर्मुखी होती है, पराजय अन्तर्मुखी।

रुदन में कितना उल्लास, कितनी शांति, कितना बल है। जो कभी एकांत में बैठकर, किसी की स्मृति में, किसी के वियोग में, सिसक-सिसक और बिलख-बिलख नहीं रोया, वह जीवन के ऐसे सुख से वंचित है, जिस पर सैकड़ों हँसियाँ न्योछावर हैं। उस मीठी वेदना का आनंद उन्हीं से पूछो, जिन्होंने यह सौभाग्य प्राप्त किया है। हँसी के बाद मन खिन्न हो जाता है, आत्मा क्षुब्ध हो जाती है, मानो हम थक गए हों, पराभूत हो गए हों। रुदन के पश्चात एक नवीन स्फूर्ति, एक नवीन जीवन, एक नवीन उत्साह का अनुभव होता है।

Welcome 2023

It's a lazy winter morning and I was feeling super lazy. I wanted to stay in bed tugged in the warmth of the blanket for some more time.. And continue with the movie that was playing on screen in the theatre called dream.. 

But.. This tummy... It is never in the control of your heart... Neither when it is empty nor when it needs to get emptied. Tummy makes sure that it gets the priority... 

By the way, hasn't tummy these days become the focal point of our lives? Whatever be it's size, people have to comment about it😄. 

Anyway, I woke up reluctantly, got fresh up to medidate. First day of the year.. I wanted to be good girl... But these days, I just can't sit for long with no thoughts. Mind is always in multi-tasking mode. Thoughts jumbled up. Unlike Tummy, mind takes its own sweet time to have the thoughts settled. 

Wish there was a pause button which we could press to mute the thoughts for a while.. 

I got distracted and couldn't stop myself from swiping the mobile screen left right and center. I had so many things to do... So many new year messages to forward and reply.. Whether or not you are at work, it becomes obsessive compulsive responsibility to swipe the office emails and chats and respond wherever you can. And these reels in social media--- I don't know why I watch them.. And I don't know why I can't stop after watching one reel.. I sometimes sincerely thank God that social media was not prevalent during my student life. I could have flunked my exams!! 

Coming back to the pause button, I know that it's quite possible and is not as fancy as it sounds. It ONLY takes PRACTICE and WILL to get there, to take a moment to step back and reflect deeply before we spring forward.. Expressing these words of wisdom to yourself helps in soul searching.

May this new year bring a lot of wisdom in our lives to be at our best. Happy New Year.