Hope

 HOPE: The fine line betwixt two ISMS                                             Optimism and Pessimism….

Life is always a serendipitous encounter. Life may not be the same or stagnant. Every day is a new commencement. Optimism towards life at any situation helps to redefine oneself. Be brave enough to admit your flaws and look forward for a change. You are the sole reason for your contentment. Search for it within yourself. Keep up the pace to accept and acknowledge every single moment of your life to pinch you up a blood rush. Some things happen out of the blue to test your time, patience and ability to resolve. Always hope for happiness, hope for surprises, hope for positive responses, and hope for the best. Only hopes are persistent to keep you moving.

Here is an exemplar to prove how hope led a man to survive the odds.

Once, two friends were on the way back to their village wading through a forest. Unfortunately they both fell into a fathomless pit.

One is very optimistic and the other one is very pessimistic in nature. The latter one completely lost his hope that this is the end of his life and can’t survive without thinking further about what could be done he just curled up and slept off. But the former one had hopes and believed himself more than anyone. He started to look around the pit. A mango tree’s branch was facing the yawning of the pit. The branch was full of mangoes.

Few are ripened anytime can expect them to fall down. Could find the surface of the bottom was hard so he started to wait for the mangoes to fall to catch it. He kept himself alert sporadically and could manage to catch one or two mangoes for him to gain some energy.

He found some hard sticks with tat he started to take out the small rocks. He collects few before dusk engulfs and dwindle the visibility. When the dawn breaks in he repeated his routine and could survive for consecutive three days.

The fourth day it rained and the pit became mucky and soggy. At this stage too he never gave up and started to stack the rocks together using this soggy mud. Next day it dried up and looked like steps to climb.

Some roots of the mango tree started to protrude as some of the soil got eroded in the rain water. He kept the stacks of the rocks and managed to reach the roots of it. Somehow he was able to climb through rocks and finally came out of the pit.

The latter one never tried anything still lying down with weakened body. The former then got some help from the village and tried to get him out but in vain as already his pulse was down and he was in the verge of death.

By the time they carried him to the village he was no more. With heavy heart he bid farewell to him and went home. If at all that guy too positively approached this situation he wouldn’t have lost his life.

Always remember Life may not be a smooth sail. May face high tides at times, may pull you in or push you out. Beware of all the hurdles but always remember the rudder is in your control. Sail with utmost care. Being optimistic set your sail a success. Being pessimistic set your sail a failure. Be balanced and grounded. Learn how to face challenges with grace, make meaningful connections. Navigate life with wisdom and confidence. Beat your own drum and keep moving forward. The rhythm and pace is only known to you none can catch it up. It may have hurdles but don’t stumble, step back and quit. Carefully walk through to reach your destination.

Let your hopes shape your future..... 

Jisha S Nambiar (JSN)

First Flight

 

A breezy early morning ,misty roads, piercing rays of sodium lamps adorns a mesmerising beauty to Bengaluru during a February in 2007. Isha, her parents, her in laws and her siblings are at the Kempegowda International Airport to see off her. She was married just few months back now going to join her husband Rajeev who is working at London. It was time to board. After warm hugs and kisses, with teary eyes she entered the boarding lounge. Announcements came, the boarding gate opened and passengers started to move through the Aerobridge. She took her baggages while entering the tunnel she was so excited as that the mere thought of entering the plane for the first time gave her Goosebumps. Hers was a window seat. The plane started to take off, her heart beated faster ,once reached high above the clouds she relaxed and was astonished to see the clouds below her. She felt like floating in a heaven. She settled up and quietly surfed through the seatback screen and selected “Chak de India” to watch. In between she was served with a set of yummy dishes. She relished it along with the movie. Time flew, after about 9 hours journey the flight landed in noon at Heathrow Airport. She took her baggages from the upper compartment, left the cabin and moved to the exit. Passed through the aerobridge to reach the terminal. She was astonished to see the huge Airport , carefully watching the sign boards for immigration she moved forward with her shoulder bag and a trolley bag.  She entered a hall and near a wicket door it was directing immigration. It was an automated opaque wicket door. She was pulling over her trolley in her right hand. As she pushed through the wicket door her hand got stuck so she couldn’t pull her trolley. Slowly she withdrew her hand leaving the trolley the other side. She stood helpless when she realised it is a one – way door and it was not possible to go back through. That wicket door led to a long passage, it was so empty none could be reached for a help. Some cash and gold jewelleries were in that. She was worried about where to inform? Fortunately this was noticed by a security guard and he entered the wicket door holding her trolley bag. She was so much relieved at the sight of this. She thanked him whole heartedly. He smiled and left. She started again to move towards immigration counter. After verification she was in for a shock. She was asked to undergo some medical test, advised for an X-ray and happened to enter the huge lab, so silent and looks haunted. Paced through the corridor reached the room leading to X-ray. A lady with a blonde , a rounded spectacles was sitting in a corner raised her head hearing footsteps. She came near Isha and asked her to stand in front of the X-ray machine baring her upper body. Isha was startled as she hesitates to be bare somewhere in an unknown place. Somehow she made up her mind and removed her shirt and stood in front of the X-ray machine. After the procedure she hurried wearing her shirt and felt relieved to leave that room at once. After the formalities in the immigration counter, she reached the conveyer belt to collect her luggage. One by one she lifted and placed in a trolley and with a hope of seeing Rajeev at the exit. She pushed her trolley and moved forward. As she reached the arrival lobby Rajeev excitedly ran towards, received her with tight hugs. She took a deep breath. He took over the trolley from her and showed the way to the tube train. After an hours journey they reached Barking in Zone 4.  

 

Bread on the crunch 🍞

Bread on the crunch 🍞

An incidence of amusement which took place in my dad's life at Chidambaram, Tamilnadu during 1950s. His elder brother was doing his education at Annamalai University. As his stay at hostel was not affordable by their poor parents their father arranged a paying guest method in one of the poor woman's house along with her grandson who also studied in the same University. His brother had his humble dwelling in a shack.

Once he have been to Chidambaram to stay with his brother for about days of two. In those days my dad was very much fond of eating coconuts and bread, even today. His brother had purchased some edibles and coconuts for their consumption. Among which a bread could shine well. He then took a string tied to the bread and kept hanging from the roof. Simply my dad had to look at it and not to eat, whenever he had a crave for it.

It went on like that for sometime and finally at the time of departure he was allowed to devour it completely and remained satiated. They had a hearty laugh. Both of them reached the railway station for my dad's departure to Chinnasalem. Even after a injury in his leg ,limping he accompanied my dad to the station. Railway ticket obtained after they indulged in a tête a tête, my dad was in the platform. Scared to be in the platform without a valid platform ticket due to poverty of fund his brother exited outside. The train made its last chug to stop at the station. He got into the train and reached the destination Chinnasalem. After he went home, a lonely feeling inside the house put him in a corner and to his dismay he could not stop sobbing his heart out. It continued for sometime till his mother hurried towards him hearing his whining. In the middle of the sob he narrated the incidents which caused his sorrowful moments. Such was their affection in those early days...

A Pantomath to Awe

 

My dad, a medical practitioner with degrees of MBBS, GCIM, DMS started his career in late 1950s. Apart from this he was also into business and own acres of farmlands. Most of the hours in a day he will be on wheels. He own a hospital and used to practice throughout day and in breaks pays visits to the farmland, rice mills and a vehicle service station. Adjacent to the house is the ten bedded hospital of my dad's and whenever on request even at midnight or early morning, anytime he attends to the patients on call. Once after the dusk when Sun got imbibed into the horizon, he was ready to wind up his medical practice for the day and prepared to leave. A man in his late 40s approached him and called 'ayya'. This is how the humble people of Tamilnadu used to call the doctors. 'Ayya, I have been looking for you after most treatments for me were failed. Am coming from a far village after hearing about the incredible recoveries by you from my neighbourhood. Then my dad patiently asked him about his problem what makes him worry. He showed him a wound on his thigh. He said for past three weeks its condition is the same and have been seeing some doctor every alternate days and was under medication even then there was no improvement and been troubling. My dad started to examine the wound. He immediately asked him about his occupation.. He said that he is a Wood heaver. My father asked him whether he uses axe to cut the wood or Hammer and a Chisel. That poor woodcutter was wondering why the hell a doctor wants to know these things and then with tediousness hesitantly he acknowledged the use of Hammer and Chisel. My dad said now he knew what got inside the skin that caused the wound. He then asked him to lie down on the operating table and was gathering his tools. All of a sudden the power went off unfortunately those days they don't have backup powering system. The patient started to murmur thinking about his misfortune. My father was so cool and asked his helper to lighten up the lantern and to place it near the patient. With a scalpel and forceps he moved towards him and carefully made some incisions and started to search for the foreign body. Perplexed when something was found, he slowly made incision little more deeper and stunned to see the thing that shined, pulled it out with the forceps. It was a one rupee coin sized iron foil. Later he cleaned up the wound, stitched it and bandaged. My dad vindicated the wood heaver that his wound will be healed within four days. And was about to prescribe some medicines. The tube lights blinked twice and commenced to bright up. He took the iron foil and showed it to him and informed that this was the cause for his extremely severed wound. Alas! He cried out of joy and fell at his feet inspite of his painful wound. He became very furious about the other doctor who made him walk to and fro for three weeks and was telling my dad how he was going to trouble him for such an execrable treatment provided. My dad laughed and asked him to forget that. He then paid the bill and was about to leave suddenly halted and turned towards my father. He asked him "Doctor u just asked my occupation and about the tools I use and you were sure about what got inside. How was tat possible?" My dad amazed him by saying when he cut wood using the chisel, due to the force when he hit harder the chisel with the heavy hammer repeatedly sharp blades of iron foils will scud away in no time. The presence of mind of him saved the poor wood heaver. After a week he came back to thank him whole heartedly as he was recovered completely.

DIGNIFIED HOMEMAKING............

 

Hardly it makes any sense for a woman, the way she like it or not she have to live. There seems to be an insatiable demand for more fruitful life. in case of producing offspring and bringing them up it happens but why not in developing oneself ?

Woman meant to be a replica of God expressed only in prints. The phase she goes through with immense pleasure deteriorates when the surroundings discourage her to explicate. One fifth of the woman's world are only finding themselves beyond their harness. The thirst for love, self respect, security when not quenched some woman tend to become a Harridan. They are highly emotional, care for others more than they do self. Sometimes men take advantage over this therefore pushing them down effortlessly. Patience is sporadic for men where as women are born to be patient. But when it is triggered to exploit, it will explode in a deadly manner. Their sharpness and uniqueness rarely noticed creating vulnerability of women. Some struggle enormously to attain their desire to become what they want to be and finds success in it.

Recent times have seen more woman of substance as the mindset keeps changing. Most of the women we see or read about have achieved sky-high professionally but when comes to homemaking, we never even bother to think about that. Homemaking is as challenging than any other profession. Usually people feel very silly about this topic. A woman to become a best homemaker she should be very talented and creative. You may wonder what is there to be talented and creative to look after a house? You think merely a house but if so you are wrong.

House is just a place where you stay, to live it should be a home. To make it a home its a challenge. Multitasking thats what a woman have to enrol for. She has to do not only a single work at a time but should be multifarious organizer without scheduling. Dawn to dusk woman have to stand on an imaginary wheel to ride in and around her house to make it a lovely home. Even Sun and Moon have their time limits. She has to be alert round the clock.

Bringing up kids itself is the greatest task for every woman. But men are never bothered about their sufferings. When a woman get marry, she is supposed to be a good wife, good daughter in law and a good mother but people around wont even reciprocate her love and care. Where the good individual stands? Answer is a big question mark. Whatever and however others are she should be remarkable. Its her responsibility to be a good soul amidst worse. Most women don't even have time for preening. If at all they find some, it becomes a sin to do so. Such has been the culture where women are even subjected to become a victim of racial prejudice. There are circumstances where women are totally exploited after marriage. Some are merely treated as a caretaker of the house. She is not allowed or encouraged to enjoy her self interests.

Women should not be self centered, should not think about things for her own even meagre ones too. She should always be the sacrificing factor. Almost all part of the world people think of woman, a sacrificial lamb to the deity. Family should be the priority for women where career stands first to men. But why? In modern days this is why many women have succeeded in proving that both family and career could be railed in the same track. Most of them are not into professions even though they crave for. Due to various reasons many are rope tied that leaves scars permanently in their hearts. Some overcome easily but some goes into deep depression and lead their lives with intense pressure but pleasure. Always remember homemaking is as dignified as any other profession. Homemakers are the only managers with multiple department without assistance.

As most women are altruistic , they have to find their own interests and should have their "ME TIME". At least an hour a day should be only me, myself and mine. Each and every woman should explore their pleasures amidst pressures. Pleasures could even turn into productivity.