क्रोधाद्भवति संमोह: संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम:।स्मृतिभ्रंशाद्बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति॥

Mahabharata is one of the Indian epics. The basic plot is that brothers fight over the right to rule as they belong to clans of kings.
To be honest this epic is considered to be a myth but archeologists in India have found places where this whole battle of Mahabharata happened. Just the thought of it gives me goosebumps.

Meaning of the title:
Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.

Pointing out as to why this epic is considered to be the greatest:

1. This is equivalent to a guide that informs us on how to live one’s life, or in other words imparting us with the guidelines for life.
2. Guidelines such as respecting elders, considering the thoughts of younger people too. It provides us with instances which tells that disrespecting women can lead to the destruction of a whole clan. It talks about how important it is to keep promises made to others and when promises are broken a lot of devastation follows.
3. There is one more important thing that occurs through out this epic; adjusting one’s actions according to the situations especially when you have to do something good. For instance Sri Krishna who is a God has changed his righteous actions into not-so righteous one’s especially when he had to uphold the morality.
4. Only during the ongoing battles, Sri Krishna gave mankind the not so easy version of living one’s life; Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta. Not so easy version basically means in a different language that is Sanskrit and in a twisted and complicated way which definitely needs simplification.
   

The ultimate take from it is that if followed properly one will definitely experience happiness, content and peace.

Either nothing happens at all or everything happens at once

As the name itself suggests this book is about a woman having an extra marital affair. She knows she is committing adultery and still goes on with it and all the revelations she finds herself in. A lot of my questions about love and marriage are answered in this book.

I may have been able to get one reason as to why people commit adultery that is just to get out of their boredom. Boredom is really the culprit here because when one cannot get out of it constructively then it can cause tremendous devastation. Or maybe they just want some thrill through causing some problem in their lives which will given them adrenalin rush and sometimes people crave for such feeling. This can only be achieved if they can go all the way till the end and realise nothing can be changed.
I have heard that adultery for men is just a stupid mistake and for women it can be a spiritual crime and this view is agreed by society also. So women are scared of “what people will think? People will abandon me…” so on. But well with feminism women have become quite courageous in these matters just as men.

“We have to find a middle path, where there is neither joy nor suffering, only profound peace” Paulo Coelho

Maybe adultery should be traced to evolution. Let me simplify it as the author has done and this part is my favorite; in order to increase the human race men used to mate with multiple women and women were always indulged in care taking so they never had the time to mate with multiple men.
Overall the book, when read by someone who might have certain similar problems can have more interesting intakes.

1, 2 Cha cha cha…

Let’s sing and dance

Today let’s just talk about very basic yet very influential thing, music. For me music is like daily dose of supplement. Everyday just 15 minutes of music is equivalent to 15 minutes of sunbathing. It has healing properties, and this is backed by multiple researches.

Music and dance has been an integral part of my life. I guess I take this from my mother as she is really great at singing and she used to dance a lot during her younger days. Ultimately I carry her genes so… I give her the credit of me being a crazy women behind music and dance.

Every human on this planet understands the universal language of music and it really is one. For every emotion, dedicated music is released and majority of the times it becomes a hit. Why… because people are able to relate to it. I remember, during my college days, while travelling I always had earphones with music on and going on with the flow of the melodious sound. Apart from entertainment music also allows us to express ourselves better. Dance too, is a way to express oneself. And when both music and dance are combined, one can get ready to groove away their emotions.

Just imagine, a day without talking at all to anyone. Well it will definitely be a disaster. So my life without music will be an invitation to diseases, both physical and psychological.

The Last Hour

Describe the last difficult “goodbye” you said.

I remember a day when I was travelling in a train. I had a passenger who was very sad. I sat in-front if her thinking what was the reason for that gloom on her face. As being a Psychology enthusiast and student I always try to seek reasons behind situations. It was almost a 7 hour journey. Till the last hour she didn’t even look at me. But during the last hour I saw a tear drop falling on her cheek and then when I approached her asking what was the matter she let her shyness drown down the tears which ran like a tap. During that hour I understood what exactly the matter was. When my destination was near neither of us wanted to leave because just in a matter of time we had developed a bond which was unexplainable. That goodbye was hard for me and I guess same was for her too.

Marriage

“Marriage”, what thought comes to your mind when you read or hear this word first? I completed this book called “Marriage” by Devdutt Pattnaik, and brought new factual evidence for me. My version of marriage was that it is of no use, apart from the reproductive purpose. Reading it has brought a fresh perspective to me. Yet I am still, somehow unconvinced with this whole concept of marriage. Marriage, as said is not just a partnership between two people alone but between families. It is difficult to argue as to why people marry. Well, I got so many reasons. Let me list out a few: a. For reproduction: to ensure that one’s race is carried forward. There are chances that for the sole purpose of having children people marry, not for partnership. b. For companionship: some people who marry genuinely seek partnership and companionship as in seeking solace in someone else. To share emotions and lives. c. For property: yeah, you read it right. For property also people marry. In Hindu culture or many cultures dowry is a hurdle for any marriage to be considered a successful one. If the dowry is given in terms of money, gold, or any land, the sole purpose of marriage collapses. According to Hindu Mythology, there are types of Vivahs (marriages). a. Brahma vivah: along with some ornaments father gives his daughter to a well-versed man with a sound knowledge of Vedas and Upanishads and one with a good character. b. Daiva vivah: father offers his daughter to a priest along with some ornaments. c. Gandharva vivah: happens due to the mutual love and affection between the bride and groom. d. Rakshasa vivah: by abducting forcefully the bride from her parent’s house. e. Asura vivah: groom gets the bride in exchange for some money or ornaments given. This seems like a barter system. This book also focuses on how customs revolving around marriage have been utilized by different cultures in India. For example, the custom of Mehndi and Sangeet are considered, are from North India, but in modern times, this custom can also be seen being inculcated in South India also. In the same way, one can observe several exchanges of custom. This exchange, I feel, brings people together and unites India. What more can I say? I’m short of words for the expression of content by the author. The amount of research he would have done to get the hidden facts out in open is commendable. I would recommend to be ready for the author’s subjective interpretation of the content written. End line, I enjoyed this read and would recommend it to others.

The Forest of Wool and Steel

A narrative about forging one’s own way in life. Some people are fortunate enough to grasp it fast, while others take longer, but it is still worthwhile. And, even when we think we’ve figured things out, one question still lingers: “Do I have what it takes?”

Forests are compared to the task that you are afraid of, despite the fact that you have acquired knowledge and training in that sector. The fear of becoming obsolete in a certain field makes it difficult to stay current. Uncertainty, a sense of being inferior to someone, or simply a lack of confidence while knowing a lot about something.

Being decisive does not imply sticking to your guns; it simply means being strong when the situation demands it. Rest on the path as needed to meet your requirements. You have the option of not walking down that path.

Mysteries, miracles, and magic abound in life. Things that are vital to one person may not be so to another. It could be anything in nature, from the simplest to the most essential. What feels good to me could not feel good to someone else. For example, while I feel at ease in social situations, the same situation could be a nightmare for someone else. Everyone takes their time when it comes to learning. This learning period becomes manageable, even “bearable,” with patience and perseverance. I won’t say it’s easy since we all have days when we feel a little under the weather. Nothing seems to be working, but with patience and hard work, we can get out of it.

There are times when things about which we have done a lot of research or exerted a lot of effort appear to be more tense-inducing. And that’s fine. It’s fine to be terrified. Because being terrified while learning new things demonstrates that you are aware of what could go wrong or what you might do incorrectly. And this is something that comes with experience. Yes, you should be afraid at times, but you should also be prepared to overcome that fear.

Dialogue “just as a newly hatched chick thinks the first creature it sets eyes on is its mother, so I to grew attached to the first performance I heard of each piece.” It’s a modest but all-too-familiar occurrence. It’s like if we’re listening to a song, and each song makes us fall in love with it. And, every now and then, we listen to it on repeat. For me, it’s like I fall in love with almost every song I have in my playlist.

Quotes that made me feel at home and at peace

“bright, quiet, crystal-clear writing that evokes fond memories, that seems a touch sentimental yet is unsparing and deep, writing as lovely as a dream, yet as exact as reality”. 
“It’s a lot more painful to be jealous of someone than to be the object of jealousy”. 
” Who is it who stays on to practice tuning pianos every day after work, hmm? How many do you think you’ve tuned altogether? How many books on tuning do you have piled up on your desk at the office? Read and study to that extent and you’re going to know an awful lot. And you listen to piano music every single night at home, don’t you? You’ll be fine. But don’t be put off if you feel anxious. Now’s the time to be scared, of you’re going to be”. 

Written by Natsu Miyashita, this book has all my heart.

Book bin box

Well, I had ordered a book box few months back. So I thought to upload it. It includes books, straws, stickers, book marks and corners, book review notepad, a book bag, multipurpose drawstring pouch, metal straws with cleaner and a TBR jar. I chose two books; one is ‘Clap when you Land’ and another is ‘Excuse me while I Ugly Cry’.

The reason I’m posting this is not only because I want to share this but also to say something else. A few days back somebody asked me “why books?” The first thing I wanted to say then was “why not?” But I couldn’t say anything. Then just yesterday someone asked me “what keeps you motivated?” The first answer which lashed through my mind that I blurted out was ” the thought that I can go home and read books”.

Then it hit me. Yes, that’s right! Why books, because those books keep me motivated. Those keep me motivated to be on the run, to be active, to be attentive, to be disciplined and ultimately to be happy.

I have this dream to have a corner in my house dedicated only to books which have helped me in my tough times too.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

A biography of a survivor who helped others, even though he was aware that it could have resulted in his death. A tale of courage, bravery and of course the intelligence necessary to survive in a place where even a fraction of a second could decide your last breath.

The overture threw us at the place where Lale was taken, Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp. My first thought, when Lale got there, was that his death was unavoidable. But he made it through that camp. Survival was important, especially when he knew he had to accept the high probability that even a split second would determine his destiny.

Lale was subjected to physical and psychological trauma. Not just because of the lack of habitable conditions, but also because of the guilt he had to endure because he was the tattooist. With his tattoo began the misery of every person.

Lale was helpful on the loose, really helpful. But I felt that the weight of guilt was so much to him that in order to calm his conscience he tried to help others.

In contemporary society, love is the only wonder keeping everyone alive, love in all its forms. However, I cannot imagine how people struggled to make their love a success in the times of the Holocaust. With so much of complications, with the uncertainty knife which hung on their necks, they dreamt of their successful love. Lale struggled with everything and everyone and kept his love in safety.

That brings me to what is very important, and that is war. War is just a three letter word, but when we read about it in bulk, only then it becomes clear that war brings out the most brute form of humans. All impulsivity and basic needs become a menace. It’s not hidden that war brings all kinds of nightmares, even those which one wouldn’t have dreamt of.

Me and my childhood

In the process of growing up majority of us forget the basic version of ourselves, being a child. Here is a letter to myself in which I have tried to revive some childhood memories.

Dear, my childhood It seems like yesterday when you learnt to take your first steps. Didn’t it make you wonder that how you have grown up to be me. It has become a blur now, don’t you think? It is now just the nostalgia, knowing the fact that it won’t ever be the same. I miss how your sole purpose of life was eat, sleep, play and repeat. Well now I do have sleep, eat and repeat but play is not my forte anymore. Tummy! How can I forget that. I remember you being hungry almost all the time. And if your tummy felt content then you used to be happy all day.

Then let me tell about your sleep. You slept in tension, slept in the absence of tension, slept when bored, slept when tired and slept for almost every occasion. Now I do miss that sleep or the liberty to sleep when I want to.

Now that I think about it, I really don’t remember when was the last time I had a hearty laugh. I envy you sometimes because you used to laugh for anything and nothing but still it used to be very genuine one. Laughing is the best medicine, now I understand why you used to be so healthy and now look at me, I seem like a shop of issues.

Everyday, I see my brother for just few hours because now we both are earning and remain out of the house for longer duration and the conversation has become less. I recall that you used to fight with him everyday, at least you had some conversation and on top of that you used to go to same school so you saw him every now and then. It sometimes break my heart to even think that I can’t do the same thing now.

I have issues with my parents but you, you have always tried to love them unconditionally, I also do the same but my middle adulthood sometimes give me reasons to fight with them. You always feared to get a scolding or beating from parents yet you craved for it. I crave for their some understanding. But the bottom line is I love them same as you did.

This new stage I am in right now, is teaching me a lot and I am enjoying it but still you and your age was something which should be in golden letters. I do miss being you.

Yours lovely, adulthood.

Milly – Part 9

A Teacher's Reflections

In Part 8, Milly and the children were guests of honor at the one-year anniversary of the Boston Fisher House.  With a full crowd in attendance, including members of the Fisher family, we presented the God Bless America quilt.  And, a Command (Challenge) Coin was pressed into Milly’s hand.  Shortly thereafter Milly became sick.

Part 9

The following year Milly made many trips to school, playing with children.  Gloria was always thrilled to see her BFF.

Milly taught the children how to sew, using plastic needles and yarn on cardboard punched with holes.  She was the queen of Go Fish and Bingo.  Every Milly visit was a very good day at school.  Often the children made things for Milly.  We were in the middle of learning about kings and queens, and children wanted to make Milly her own crown.

Our director had always wanted a Milly quilt at school. …

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