HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR  2021!!

We are stepping into a new decade

Let us hope it is nicely made

With years of solid, comfortable days

We will live with cheerful ways.

We are stepping into a New Year too,

With Corona as a  lingering taboo

Pray that the next 365 days

Bring good health and sunny  rays.

Let your family become closely knit

With love, understanding woven around it.

Let laughter and joy, happiness and cheer, 

Give you company throughout the year! 

To my friends and siblings... to each one

Stay blessed!! Happy Twenty Twenty One!  

- © Shanta Ramakrishnan, 

Bhandup, Mumbai

01.01.2021

‘‘DEEP-CLEAN YOUR THOUGHTS”

17.12.2020

‘‘DEEP-CLEAN YOUR THOUGHTS”

Thoughts are an integral part of a human being and no one can remain without thinking.  And all thoughts are not identical in quality, mood or intensity. Some thoughts are happy, hilarious, comical, cheerful, bringing about a smile in your face and in your mind. Some are grim, frustrating, intimidating, stinging,  making you feel low, bringing a scowl to your face.

 

If your thoughts are gnawing, they keep coming back to you, they will disturb you in your routine. They delay the work that is at hand. Some thoughts can even make you forget your bearings.  If you do not work towards lessening this burden, you can fall sick or have some other complicated issues in life.

 

We need to see which of these  thoughts are predominant in our mind. If they are happy thoughts, share them with loved ones, however silly you feel they might be. By sharing, you are making your heart blossom with happiness, and you feel light.

If the thoughts that bother you often are troublesome, they make you lose sleep and are annoying, take a deep breath… step back and analyse them. Are they worth storing within you? Most likely such thoughts turn out to be silly, as they wrongly try to overpower your senses.

 

Once in a while, when you think you are gloomy and wonder why, do a deep cleaning within!! One process of cleaning is lessening your load by sharing your frustration or confusion with a good friend or a confidant. This sharing itself lessens the burden to half! You can communicate with someone you trust and who will think of your well-being. This will relieve you to a great extent. You might also get some advice from your friend which will help you face your life with a different feeling, maybe even with an increased enthusiasm.

One should also look inwards and see/feel with detachment. You can even cast the burden off, bundle them and throw in the mental attic if they cannot be forgotten. In the process of analyzing this, you might just  end up realizing how small these troubles are or, how these do not even pertain to you in any way. Mostly it is our imagination that makes a situation bad or good. With our attitude to remain calm, not to get agitated at any time, knowing that there will be a solution, we can feel comfortable, relaxed and cool.  If we normally do not hurt anyone …manasa, vacha, karmana … ie if we do not hurt anyone even by our thoughts,  by our words or by deeds, getting back to  happy, lighter days are just round the corner! Good Luck!

© Shanta Ramakrishnan,

Bhandup, Mumbai

17.12.2020

SIESHS -1969 Batch.... there is NO Match!

SIESHS -1969 Batch.... there is NO Match!

01.08.2020

We are a bunch of young ones

In our 60s, I say 
Wonder why we are still schoolkids?
I shall tell...it's this way....

We were in the school in Mumbai
We studied for eleven years
We gave our SSC Exam together

Then... put our life in gears

We split, we just lost touch
And there was no big group
A few still got connected
But this was no large troupe.

For 39 long years we were apart
The bonding factor was the school
That got focused, so soon after
We met in our dear School!

February 24, 2008
The very first.... nostalgic one

The day we had our debut  meet

With endless smiles, hugs and fun

Mani, Shekar, Ravi alongwith

Vasantha, Bala n Santhanam

Had painstakingly planned the meet

To harness the energy n momentum

From then on, we all decided

To meet once every year

February  or March, annually

And catch up with happy tears

Deciding  an outing is no joke

Where n when, flight or road?

But we have meticulous planners

Whose mind is on an onward mode!

Every year we are anxious

To enroll, pay and participate

In traveling, singing, spending time

Being together, feeling great!

Now  we all know each other

Our family has grown BIG

With our wives, hubbies included

We meet, eat, dance and gig

These meetings are a great help

To keep our minds young

We have energy, we are peppy

Not stagnant, stinking like any dung.

We know someone will lend a ear

When we feel really low

We just call and pour it out

Our minds take a new flow

We feel lighter, happier too

We have someone there

A good friend, a companion

With whom, our words, we share

Like music there are differences

Different ragas, different moods

But then there is a beautiful tune... AND

We thank God for this fortune.

Happy to be a part of SIES-1969 gang! :-)

- © Shanta Ramakrishnan, Bhandup, Mumbai, INDIA

01-08-2020

Keeping Kids Busy at home during Covid-19 Pandemic!

April 01,2020

With lockdown declared officially by Indian Government in March 2020,  there is a drastic change in whatever we see, do, hear and experience. There is an eerie feeling of unexpectedness all around. We have not come to know more about what is happening around us..... as I write this in the initial stage of Covid-19 pandemic. There is so much confusion of feelings, of happenings.What was normal earlier has become a taboo, 'not-to-be-done' rule.... and new routine is invading each household. Those who used to travel a lot cannot do so. Those who go to work daily, commute, visit clients, have meetings, conduct conferences...have to step back as these are not possible. Those in business are worst affected.... no one to come over and buy, no worker to handle trade or transaction, no stuff being bought without re-thinking, shops n offices are shut down. Sad state of affairs. 

Our kids are at home since they cannot go to school/colleges. Their online classes will soon be the new norm. Parents are at home, working. and delivering their professional time sincerely. It is funny no one imagined that such a situation will be a routine! However, there is no grumbling,  and no mumbling as we look at the situation with a positive magnifying glass! Kids have to be handled subtly, not roughly. They understand the unexpected turn of situation around them very well. They know why safety measures have to be adhered to, at home and out, to keep healthy, to stay away from falling sick, and not to be a victim of COVID-19. And parents can make their days better. 

Here are just a few things that I request parent to do for their kids during this pandemic period :

1. Even if it is lockdown, see that the kids have a set routine time... for getting up - bath - breakfast - lunch - prayer - dinner. These are all unavoidable in normal daily routine. In between they will fill the time with online classes, hobbies, indoor games etc.

2. Please promise yourself that you will watch your child developing keenly on one interest. Identify the same and enjoy the child's happiness. Please discuss this  pleasure with him/her.

3. Make time to play one indoor game with the junior each day....even if it takes few minutes or much  more. Choose a time so you don't look at the watch or make them hurry up. Laugh even if you lose, so the junior learns to laugh at losing a bit. Praise if the junior does well during the game. He/she will learn this too. Teach them new moves, tips to improve. Share the memory of your childhood indoor games with the juniors.

 See the bond building more tight soon! Good luck!

Thanks!

© Shanta Ramakrishnan
Bhandup West, Mumbai INDIA

Positive Thoughts During Traumatic Times!

29.07.2020

We  never imagined that there will be a pandemic.... and the unexpected happened! 

From October 2019, there were rumors about the Corona virus invasion causing ill health to public. This later turned to be a non-stop actual news item. Corona virus affected people, killing countless innocent people throughout the world. It all began in China, and the Covid-19 pandemic caught on like a wildfire. There was a fear in every mind that they will come in contact with this deadly virus.

There are dos and don'ts , government norms that the citizens are supposed to follow, wear masks all the time when one is in public, keep physical distance between two people, wash your hands often with soap water and use sanitizer in almost everything. Keep personal hygiene, don't move in public places, build up your immunity and keep away from falling sick. The list goes on and on. There are 'preachers' who have suddenly cropped up, making use of the situation and seeking attention. There are advisers who suddenly release videos and audios about what is good for keeping yourself strong and healthy, how to be away from contacting the virus! Schools, colleges are closed, workplaces are shut down initially for 3-4 months. India declared the lockdown period from the last week of March 2020! Even in such a gloomy atmosphere one has to search for the silver lining !So.....  here I go!

The day is bright. It is midweek (even if it is lockdown period during Covid-19 pandemic!) and we are all doing a great job as far as safety precautions are concerned during this traumatic times.  Congratulations!

With no maid, household chores have increased at each home. With no one commuting to workplace,  Work From Home (WFH) is here for now. With no physical school/college, online classes are the regular norm!

So let us be patient, this is a trying period for all, young and old! Let us find happiness at home, find out a way to crack a joke and evoke laughter. Let us show everyone that, despite  pandemic in the atmosphere, life is worth living! 

Cook good tasty food and let kids and the seniors eat with your supervision! Be cosy with your spouse and include the kids and seniors  in this comfort. Keep in touch with relatives and friends and be supportive if they need any courageous words. 

Allow kids to talk. LISTEN to their chatter, even if is sometimes meaningless for you. Be patient. Take care of the elders, if they are living with you. Offer help to the seniors and the sick around you, as they require this assistance now. Our life is not everlasting....kids will grow soon, seniors will move on. So thrive on bonding with them...NOW!

Happy Wednesday! :-) 

-Shanta Ramakrishnan, Bhandup West, Mumbai India 

29.07.2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020!!

 Dear friends!

Happy New Year to each of you

Big endearing thoughts, but words, just few

May the new year twenty twenty

Bring to all, in bundles, a-plenty

Good times, smiles and laughter

As if there is no time after

Meeting with friends frequently

Enjoying life very happily

Health and wealth in good amount

Good friends, in our life, do count

Our friendship is a special one

So hold on tight, it's second to none!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TWENTY TWENTY!!

- Shanta

LESSONS FROM A MIRROR !!!

Lessons from a Mirror !!

The old man had a mirror in his hand. He looked at the mirror frequently and then looked away with deep thoughts. Observing this action of the elderly person, the boy next door was very much intrigued. He wondered,” What is so mysterious about that mirror? Why is this person staring at it frequently? Is it a magic mirror?’ He could not control his curiosity. To satisfy his curiosity, he approached the old man.

“Sir”

“Yes, my boy?”

“Is that a mirror in your hand?”

“Yes, very much so!”

“What do you see in it please?”

“If I look, I see my face; if you do, you will see your face”

“So then, it is an ordinary mirror only, no?”

“Yes, very much so”

“ Then why do you look at this mirror all the time. I have watched you frequently gazing at this mirror and looking away. What is the reason sir?”

The old man smiled. He said, “This is an ordinary mirror, but the lesson it teaches are so many!”

“ Lessons? What lessons? What lessons do we learn from a mirror please?”

“ That is a nice question!! Please listen to me.  Each one of you here is like a mirror to the other person”

“ What a deep comparison this is! How can you compare the two? I do not understand it one bit”

“ This small comparison teaches you how one person can point out the drawbacks or faults of another correctly. Also, it teaches you how the other person can correct himself.”

“How does it teach this, pray, tell me please”

“ If we have some stain or dirt on our face, it is shown in the mirror as we look at it. The mirror does not increase or decrease the fault, but depicts what is seen as  is, isn’t it?”

“ Yes, very much so!”

“ Similarly, when you look at your brother or your friend, you should be in a position to point out his faults as it is…. no more, no less…without adding or joining anything. While doing so, you should not make a pillar out of a particle or a mountain out of a mustard! This is the FIRST LESSON the mirror teaches you.”

“ OK! Very interesting.. What is the next lesson?”

“ When you stand in front of the mirror, it shows any faults that it sees, but when you move away, the mirror is silent, isn’t it?

“ Yes, very correct!”

“ Similarly, if you look at a friend’s faults, you should point it out directly to him only…. And not discuss the same with anyone else or in his absence. This is not correct. This is the SECOND LESSON a mirror teaches us”

“ Great! Then….?”

“ Just because it points out our flaws, do we get angry with the mirror?”

“ No! on the other hand we still continue to take care of the mirror understanding its fragility. “

“ Exactly!! Similarly, when someone points out one of our faults as they see it, we should not get angry or upset with them.  On the other hand, we should try and correct ourselves and get rid of the fault. This is the THIRD LESSON a mirror teaches us!”

“ Sir! What a nice comparison this is! The philosophy that you have explained is very noteworthy.”
“ Good, my dear boy that you think so! If you ponder a little more deeply, you might even come across more points of comparison!”

“ Thanks Sir! Now when I stand in front of a mirror, I will always remember your words and the lessons that I did learn from you today! Thanks very much sir!”

The old man smiled and patted the young boy’s back.

--oo00oo--

============================================================ 

Translated from Tamil by Shanta Ramakrishnan, January o1, 2016

============================================================