Be the Best of Whatever You Are!

In life we usually compare ourselves to other people. It is pretty natural that there needs to be competition to surviveJ

But when you compare yourself with others always make sure that you are just a spectator of their success to benchmark your life but you do not know what kind of journey they had to reach where you see them today!

The competition is difficult when you have to compete with yourself. It is rightly said, you cannot create an army against yourselfJ

It is not important to be what others are but very vital to be what you can be. Body is made up of atoms that make a molecule and then a compound. If you cannot be a compound then do not hesitate to be an atom. What matters is that be the best of whatever you are!

Two days from now, I will complete a year of blogging and we will celebrate the First Anniversary of this blog. This poem is a contribution to the concept – ‘So You Think You Are Living’. I loved this poem ‘Be the best of whatever you are’ by ‘Douglas Malloch’

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley--but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway some happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail--
Be the best of whatever you are!

CheerioJ

Back to School or Back to Corporate: From Colours to Rasam!!

Aadaab, Salaam, Namaste!

I missed my painting class yesterday and today was just not my day(:. After a very hectic day, blogging really helps me. I love to share with my family of readers my each activity:)...There were days when had just time and now there are days when I crave for time....human mind can never be satisfied. But I am happy to be busy!

Before I head for an hour’s meditation as it is Thursday, I thought to blog how is it to do something you have never done before – sketching. I am really bad at it.

My days are over occupied and I have no clue when sun rises and when it sets. From workouts to classes and then meditation, time really flies and when I hit the bed, I have no clue where am I J. Not to forget I am still a homemaker so my home needs me like always. I enjoy cooking, it destresses meJ

I think kickboxing sessions a week were less tiring than painting classes. This is now basic course which is around sketching and in next level I will opt for one kind of fine art at each level.

I feel as if I am back to school with my 2B to 6B pencils and poster colours. My teacher complimented me for two things today – the way I use the frame to sketch shows I am highly confident and that my focus is appropriate. I am a quick learner. She said something that I completely agree, one activity supports another activity.

Like swimming, the basic of sketching is not to stiff yourself. Be at ease when you draw any object. I carry my A4 size book and a big bag of colours munching my lunch while walking a kilometre for my classes. I prefer evening classes as my husband can pick me on the way.

BTW, days are so busy that it has been more of eating at office cafeteria of my friends. I see people tagged with their id cards and I walking in my silly jeans and white shirt with a gym bag and painting stuff. I feel out of place but sitting and having food with decked corporate guys and galsJ is a great feeling in itself. They give me ideas to write my blog and stories. For a while, I feel I am one of themJ

Yes, today I have knee pain. It is like someone is putting a needle from end to another and then rotating it. It is tough to bear and this cafeteria food has aggravated my GERD. So I think meditation will help me. I am painting a vase these days and few other pieces. I will post the picture of one of them soon. Today, I have spent 2 hours painting one of my best pieces of art that I picked from my friend. Got to go for meditation.

Good Night!

Guided Meditation!!

I have planned to go for Art of Living Course (Part 2) and the only difference here is that you have to reside at Ashram as the course has a clause for one to be in ‘silence’. I have two options either to be part of the course at Gandhipet ashram or Bangalore. I want to go to Bangalore and attend the course. Just keeping my fingers crossedJ.

Meditation definitely helps one!

It is a source of inner peace and transition of soul from one stage to another stage. People often ask a very usual question – Can we learn to meditate?

I have been practicing for 4 months and trust me you automatically indulge into meditative mode. It is something we cannot learn but we develop. Practice and situations, negative and positive thoughts are all that come to our mind when we meditate and it is human that we will have thoughts while meditating.

To learn and practice meditation, what we really need is guidance. I practice – Om Namah Shivaya meditation with Guruji’s CD daily at night. It is like meditating by chanting the maha mantra – Om Namah Shivaya.

My morning starts with any of the following links depending on the duration I want to meditateJ

I am posting all these links here for my readers-

7 Min Power De Stress Meditation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLstCiKNjG8&feature=related

Meditation with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmppIta06Co&feature=related

Online Guided Meditation with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4C9MyDMb2A&feature=relmfu

Meditate for your inner peace!

Good Night!

I Hug, I Kiss, I Embrace JUST YOU...:)

Q)

Why is tomorrow so special?

Today, it was my last kickboxing session. I have stopped it for a month for my knee to recover.

Tomorrow will be my first class for ‘Fine Arts’ with my teacher. I have hired a personal art teacher to meliorate my painting skills. She specializes in different forms of fine arts.

I want to learn oil painting, ceramic art, charcoal painting, glass painting and much more in next few months. These days I am painting ceramic stuff and I am collecting all of them to make my gallery for my friends. I have got metallic acrylic colours to paint some diyas and idols. Colours give us energy and positivityJ

I have learned one thing by now. After completing 9 years of most committed relationship of my life (even if I want to leave but it will not leave me...will live and die with me...just like Jack tells Kate in the movie Titanic ....’Rose’- you jump...’I’ jump)...I am talking about my knee pain...lol...I have become friends with it. I hug, I kiss and I embrace my realityJ

Q)

After watching Amy’s video, I sat for a while asked a question to myself– ‘If life would have been a book and I was the author, what would have been my story?’

‘I imagined myself around 70 kgs at this age and 3 children (1 boy and 2 girls), playing around with me and I am working in one of the best companies with a travel plan to cover one destination each year with my husband and family. Weekends would be taking kids to play and participate into different activities and then munching all kinds of junk food. Yes, a very big no to exercise. A complete family with sisters, brothers, cousins and inlawsJ’

I opened my eyes and I was aloneJ...lol

I looked around and there was nothing but ‘silence’. In deep silence you can listen to your inner voice. It emphasises only one fact that I have to let go off my dreams that do not belong to this Archana. Those were of someone who was not me and was not suffering like me. The problem is that I am still holding that Archana though my condition is changing and I am not changing myself.

I decided, I will put all my certificates, my credentials and my dancing stuff into a bag and just dump it away from my eyes. Well said, ‘Out of sight, out of mind’.

I have understood that I can only dance for a wedding or maybe just a party that too for few minutes. My certificates will not get me a job as my medical reports are more powerful than my grades, so why am I investing time on something that is not mine anymoreJ. Family and relations will not understand as they are not going through it so it is not their fault, it is my destiny.

I have done all this today as before I start afresh, Miss Archana Kapoor has to be shown the doorJ

So no more dancing and no more job hunt!

Q)

If God asks me to change my condition now, what would be my answer?

‘Nopes’, God you are late nowJ

I love this relationship of 9 years with pain. I cannot live without it. You have taken the best moments of my life that you cannot give me now. But I thank God and my medical condition as they helped me to identify what all I could do. A content editor giving swimming sessions was a surprise to me as well. One who never felt to fill her job application writes for many people is a miracle in itself. One who was always above 75 kgs weighs just 50 kgs for last 3 years. God took the best from me because he wanted me to understand how to better myself without the best. I am not sure where will life go from tomorrow but it would be for this Archana who is aware of her flaws that are now her ONLY ASSESTS!

If someone, somewhere is broken as you could not achieve your dreams or desires then let me make you feel better by just one thing – ‘Look at those who have nothing to dream but still they live with happiness and courage because at the end of the day no matter what – LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!’. I want to live my quality time beautifully as time and tide waits for none!

Never know – Kal Ho Na Ho!!

Good Night!

Anniversary Poem - A Perfect Couple!

Happy Married Life is the Happiest Thing That Can Happen To a Person!

Marriage is a relationship around love, trust, respect, commitment and forgiveness. There is no perfect couple in this world but there are perfect people who make it to be a perfect couple.

I was reading poems and came across this anniversary poem. I loved it and felt to post it for my readers. If you want to wish your loved ones on their anniversaries you can share this.

Love's Blessing

Life bestows love’s blessing,
On a very special few.
And I believe it happened,
When life encountered you.

You are a perfect couple,
In a marriage that is blessed;
May your love shine like a beacon,
A guide for all the rest.

World Aids Day 2011!

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

I could not write around this as I am little overwhelmed to share my thoughts around AIDS. Why??

An emotional factor involved behind my resistance is that my sponsored daughter lost both her parents due to AIDS.

She was checked last year as she was not keeping well and by grace of God she is negative. I know how hard it was for me to convince my people that I want to be associated with her as they all had questions -“you do not know??...maybe??..ifs?? and so many buts.......”.

But today my people and my friends stand with me and appreciate all that little I do for her. Indeed, they all are more involved than me. I see my husband and friends hugging and loving her more than I do.

She lost her parents and many have lost their lives or families. AIDS is dreadful. Spreading knowledge and awareness is not enough. What really requires is our participation in taking this knowledge to those areas where is yet to be received. Dedicate a day of a year to do something for those who are caught by the monster called ‘AIDS’. You can do a lot just by wishing people around you – “World Aids Day”, trust me it will spread like a fire...........

I appreciate all such forums that are making people aware about AIDS.

Amy Purdy Inspires Archana!!

Every Thursday is my day to meditate. Before I logoff for the day and head for meditation, I would share a very inspiring video with all my readers. A friend of mine has shared this video with me to inspire me. The story of Amy is more struggling than mine but I could relate to it very well.

The way she has presented her life through this video is learning for me and many others as well. She has given me a chance to write how I relate to her video in my next post. I will write for my inner voice and that is the best thing I could do on the anniversary of my blog. Yes, I am completing a year of this blog next week. I will post my inputs and how I relate to Amy’s video.

Thanks to Amy for sharing her life with all of us. I salute her spirit. Please click the link below to know about AmyJ

http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_purdy_living_beyond_limits.html#.TtdkQSDH97p.facebook

God has created all of us with a reason and we all need to identify that reason.

Buona Notte!