Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 31 - German driving licence ✅

A project called the German driving license

I had been vying for it for more than a year now, and finally, when it landed in my hands, I felt on top of the world. I feel elated, proud, and independent! What is it that you say has made me so happy today?

It's the license to drive in Germany! It's the much coveted German driving license for which I have spent a lot of time, money, and energy!

I have not celebrated my birthday this year yet. Though it was on October 4th, I refrained from celebrating it around that time. I had promised myself that my birthday gift would be my German driving license, and I have successfully achieved it in this birthday month. Now it's time for a big party, and my parents will be coming in the next week.

The process of getting to this day was not easy.

The first thing that one has to do is do an eye-test, a first aid course, and then go to the local Drivers and Vehicles Licencing Authority (DVLA) office to submit these documents along with a translated copy of their previous driving license. Once these documents are accepted, an invoice is sent to you where you have to pay the fees for the theory and the practical exam well in advance. From the time your documents are accepted by the DLVA agency, you have a time limit of one year to complete the theory and practical driving. Your time starts now :D

The next step is to start preparing for the theory exam. The driving school where you enrol gives you a code to the online app where you can study for it. There are mock tests, explanations, videos, etc. People don't show up for the theory exam unless they practice all 1000 questions and pass every practice test. Out of those 1000 questions, only 30 questions are asked in the exam. I studied for it from January to March this year; gave the exam in March; passed it on the first attempt; and started the driving lessons in April.

I chose a driving school with a one-man show. He was the owner and the instructor himself. He did not discuss with me how he planned to do the driving lessons. On the first day itself, he took me on a highway to see how good or bad I was driving. The reason was that I already had an Indian license and he thought that I was a perfect driver. We all know how we drive in India. Rules and traffic signals are followed on one's whim and fancy. But here it is altogether a different ball game. People drive here with a sense of responsibility towards others and the environment. It's very systematic and within the rules and regulations.

The driving instructor was inflexible and hardly smiled or talked. For the first two or three lessons, he kept on shouting at me, and I couldn't understand what I did wrong. I slowly started ignoring his cold nature and concentrated only on the end goal, which was to get a driving license. I blocked all his tantrums and coldness toward me and kept the driving license as the only target in front of me. I could hardly do three lessons of 90 minutes with him as he was extremely busy and proudly boasted of working 60 hours a week. But he had no empathy or understanding of how to deal with people. Maybe he dealt differently with youngsters who were his regular students. But for me, it was not easy to face him and do the driving lessons. But thanks to my resolve in concentrating only on the final product, I was finally able to have the license in my hands.

I watched a lot of Youtube videos of different driving instructors in Germany, and that helped me a lot to understand things that my driving instructor never told me. Parking, watching the traffic, predicting what other drivers will do, and doing other similar things are all good signs that you are becoming a better driver, and the videos talked about these finer points.

God bless the driving examiner who came to examine my driving skills. I have never seen a person like him. He was very warm, friendly, and very helpful. He gave me chances to make corrections and, in the end, told me that the exam was not perfect but good enough to hand over the license to you. He discussed the improvement areas with me and asked me to be a responsible and vigilant driver on the road. I can't thank him enough for bringing a ray of hope and happiness into my life, which was otherwise marred by the cold attitude of my driving instructor.

Nevertheless, all's well that ends well. I am elated today and won't be able to sleep tonight. I would like to thank everyone who helped me achieve this; my family and friends, especially my husband, who was confident that I would get the license soon. He stayed at home when I had driving lessons at odd hours and took care of our son and the home. I also thank my instructor. He taught me to drive and brought me to this point, though my driving style was not very great. I would never want an instructor like him ever again in my life.

I hope to be an inspiration to other female friends in Germany. Nothing is impossible. If you set your mind and heart to it, you can achieve anything. Managing a job, house, and kid and doing this side-by-side was not short of hiccups, but was also not unattainable. Being able to drive gives you a sense of independence and a lot of mobility. It gives you a sense of achievement and fulfillment.

If you have any questions about the driving license in Germany, I would be able to help you with it. I've completed a thesis on it by now. ;)

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 30 - Do what you love

It's almost the end of October. It's also the second-last day of the Blog Marathon challenge that I started on 01.10. Many people had shown interest to join me in this challenge, but sadly no one completed the challenge, due to festivals, and personal goals. I started the challenge and I am proud to have completed it successfully. Tomorrow is the last day and then I will be relieved and will have completed the word given to me. Commitment is commitment, come what may, isn't it?

Today the time in Europe is set back by one hour and people can sleep one hour longer till the end of March. But the evenings will be shorter and by 5:30 pm it will be almost dark. That's something I don't like about wintertime. There is a change in weather, the days become shorter, and a feeling of sadness creeps in somehow. I don't know if it's in my head, but shorter days mean the shorter presence of the sun and if there is no sun, there seem to be no signs of life. But life has to move on, we have to look ahead. We have to utilize the time in winter for causes that give happiness. 

I see to it that I go out in nature, no matter how cold it gets in winter. Nature brings me peace, and helps to connect with myself. I do a lot of self-reflection when I go for walk. I also do a lot of meditation and chanting and listen to songs that lift my mood. Having a hobby, and being passionate about something in life helps to attain peace, balance, and happiness. It could be a small thing, a small ritual of doing something with a whole heart. It could be half an hour of walking, jogging, writing, singing, running, painting, or praying. Anything that connects you to that supreme power and your inner energy channel, anything that helps you be hopeful and look forward to tomorrow should be taken up in life. Dedication and perseverance go hand in hand and it brings the best qualities out. It helps us to be on the right path and gives us the energy to move ahead in life. 

Things that we like don't let us be lonely and they fill our hearts with gratitude, empathy, and love for others. 

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 29 - Forgive and forget?

Yesterday my son came with his German friend for dinner. I had prepared Upma for dinner because we had noodles late for lunch and no one was feeling very hungry. They both were talking about a third friend with whom they fought. That friend cursed them and said bad words to them it seems. I have no idea what exactly transpired between them. But they both came home leaving that third friend alone. That German friend had bread and butter for dinner at our place, they played for some time, and then my son and my husband accompanied him home as it got dark.

Today morning that German friend who came yesterday went to that third friend in the morning and they both called my son out to play. My son very happily, forgetting everything that happened last evening went to play with both of them as if nothing had happened. I am now kind of used to this behavior of kids. One time they fight and the next moment they forget it and come together. Can we as adults ever do that? Are we able to forgive and forget so easily? I know many families who have stopped talking to each other just because there was a misunderstanding and they were not able to forget and move ahead and the relationship has been spoiled forever. They have not met or seen each other for festivals or any other important things in each other's lives. How much time do people lose in taking unnecessary ego trips and spoiling their lives by hating their family members? We just have one life, then why not spend it loving each other, and being there for each other? Why have grudges against each other? Why spend time having negative feelings for people when we just take birth on this earth only once? Life is too short to fight over trivial things. 

Seeing my son and his friends fight and come back again as if nothing has happened fills my heart with hope. I want them to be happy and always together. With time, they will become mature and have a better understanding of people and things. And I am looking forward to this journey with him. 

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 28 - Beauty Sleep

I am a very light sleeper. I wake up to the slightest sound and light disturbances and have a hard time getting back to sleep again. I have to sleep in my bed on my cushion on the same side of the bed every night. I can't tolerate any change in that, but otherwise I am quite flexible. When I visit my parents in Mumbai or visit my in-laws in Pune, I take at least a week to get used to the surroundings there, though it is not completely new to me. Count the stars the first few nights. I count the dogs barking outside or the insects making noise outside. I also count the different wavelengths at which my husband and the other people in our family snore. All my family members can sleep at the drop of a hat, and I am the only odd woman out who is a night owl. My mother-in-law says that I think too much and that is the reason I can't fall asleep soon, but I have stopped wasteful thinking long ago and have become calmer and more mature and patient, at least I think ;)

Today, the circadian clock in my body woke me up at around 5 am. I realized that it's still time to get up to make my son's tiffin box. I just lay in bed and next to me was my son, who also got up at 5 am today. He usually gets up just 15 minutes before he leaves for school, does everything fast, and dashes off. But today it was different. We both got up unusually early and just whiled away the time till it was 6:15 am.

A good night's sleep can't be bought even if you have a million rupees, and sometimes even if you have nothing, you can go to sleep fast. It is such a paradox, isn't it? Sleep is one factor that is very conveniently ignored or mistreated by many people and is not taken very seriously. Sleep is very important for rejuvenation, for back-end activities of the body to do cleaning, to restore the balance of the body, to repair dead cells and to help in the creation of new cells. I know many people who sleep late at night, around 11:30 or 12 on a daily basis. And get up again by 5 or 6 am the next morning. Many people watch back-to-back movies on Friday and Saturday nights and sleep through the day. And that fatigue carries on to the next week also. In the long run, it takes a toll on the body and the signs of aging and fatigue set in quickly. Lack of sleep or less sleep could also lead to many diseases. It's definitely not something that should be taken for granted, is what I feel.

When I faced problems with falling asleep, someone suggested that I listen to Lalitha Sahasranaam while sleeping, and it really worked wonders. I also took up a book called Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, and it helped me understand the intricacies of sleep patterns and dreams, etc. I found the book quite informative and it cleared many of my doubts. I also started exercising regularly, either a short or a long walk, and that helped me too to fall asleep quickly at night. But there are a few nights which are not like others, and it's hard for me to stay awake when the people around me are sleeping soundly.

What do you do to fall asleep quickly? Do you have a self-care routine or a pattern that you can share with others?

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 27 - Extraordinary Attorney Woo

 After getting bored of watching the Marathi serials on Zee Marathi, I completely stopped watching them. The stories have no logic and no effect to hold on to the viewer's attention. Even if I watch it after two months, the story hasn't really moved ahead, and I completely lost interest and stopped watching it. I get updates from my son and husband sometimes, when they watch that 20-minute episode in 3 minutes by fast-forwarding it!

Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a Korean series on Netflix, was a welcome change. The series was released a few months ago. I had watched the teaser, but didn't delve deep into it. It has 16 episodes, and currently it's just one season. We watched one episode daily after dinner. It was quite a long time, about one hour. It's a story about a brilliant junior attorney who has an autism spectrum disorder, which is a developmental disability, and that hinders social communication and interaction with people around her. She joins a firm and finds her way among her peers and bosses, sometimes awkwardly, sometimes in a funny way. She also fights cases in the courts with the help of her photographic memory. She is a genius and can ingest loads of information about the law, rules, and regulations in a single reading. There's a parallel story about her birth mother and her father that also makes up an important part of the story-telling.

Woo Young Woo has an obsession with whales, and every time a brilliant idea hits her, it's usually the whales that she sees floating and dancing around. Her colleagues adapt to her being different and help her in every possible way. They learn to accept her for her character, and she tries to understand normal human beings in her own sweet way. The love story between her and the assistant, Lee Jun-Ho, is brought out very delicately and beautifully. All the supporting characters have done good justice to their roles, and they all seem very relatable and real.

All the episodes are done well, and it definitely brings a smile to your face after one episode ends. The Korean community, people, and circumstances are so Asian, so very much like us Indians!

The character of Woo Young Woo is acted so well by the Korean actress, Park Eun-bin, that you almost fall in love with Attorney Woo Young Woo. Her awkward body language, her eye movements, the way she responds with short syllables, irritation at loud noises, and sudden changes in the environment around her that lead to outrage have all been brilliantly portrayed on screen. Kudos to her and everyone else who worked on this refreshing K-drama, which was different but still fun to watch.

I strongly recommend you watch it!

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 26 - Mad over Fridge magnets

When you go on a vacation to a foreign country or a different city or state, what do you bring back home as a souvenir from there? Do you have the habit of bringing some or the other thing from that place, or do you prefer to just go, visit, eat, click photos, have a good time and come back?

I don't remember the exact moment when it all started, my love for fridge magnets and its collection, perhaps from the first trip to Germany in 2002. And then I kept going back there in the coming years.

My trips outside Germany to Croatia, Turkey, Russia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy helped my love for fridge magnets grow exponentially. I told all my friends who traveled to different destinations than these to get magnets for me. So even though I haven't really travelled to Brazil, Spain, Bulgaria, the United States, China, Japan, Scotland, and Ireland, my friends and family got me fridge magnets which adorn the new refrigerator here. I have a heap of magnets in Bangalore, which I left there and couldn't bring to Germany. Those magnets are carefully packed and stowed away in boxes. I wonder if they will ever see the light again!

I've tried to stop buying magnets many times, but I can't! If I don't utter a word about buying the magnets, my son or my husband make sure to buy one! I don't know what attracts me to these magnets. Those are the snippets of the wonderful time I spent in those places, I think, and I like to relive those moments by looking at the magnets. It's like taking a world tour from the confines of your home!

I don't know when the next trip will be. But there is surely a fridge magnet waiting for me somewhere to become a part of my collection.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 25 - पत्र लिहिण्यास कारण की

प्रिय आबा,

कसे आहात? आज तारखेने जरी तुमचा वाढदिवस असला तरी तिथीने तो दसऱ्याला असतो आणि मला तुमची त्या दिवशीही आठवण येते आणि आजही.

तुम्हाला सगळे अण्णाजी म्हणत, पण माझ्यासाठी तुम्ही आबा होतात. मी तुम्हाला आजोबा कधीच म्हटलं नाही, पहिल्यापासून आबा अशीच हाक मारली. दीपा हे नाव देखील तुम्हीच मला दिलंत, नाही का? दिवाळी च्या दरम्यान माझा जन्म झाल्यामुळे ते नाव तुम्ही मलाच बहाल केलंत. आणि मला तुम्ही त्याच नावाने हाक मारत होतात. शाळेत जरी मी मृणालिनी असले, तरी घरी आणि आजूबाजूला मी दीपा वेलणकर होते. 

तुमची स्वच्छतेची आवड, वक्तशीरपणा, सदा ज्ञानार्जन करत राहणे हे गुण मी आजही विसरले नाहीये. जर्मनी मध्ये लोकं खूप वक्तशीर आहेत. आणि मीही जेव्हा वेळ पाळते तेव्हा लोकं माझे कौतुक करतात. तेव्हा मी त्यांना नेहमी तुमच्याबद्दल सांगते. तुमच्यामुळेच हा गुण माझ्यामध्ये उतरला आहे असे मला वाटतं. माझा मुलगा, म्हणजे तुमचा पणतू हा इकडेच शाळेत जातो. मस्त जर्मन बोलतो, त्याला सुद्धा वेळेचे भान असते आणि तो दिलेली वेळ नेहमीच पाळतो. त्याला तुमचा अजिबातच सहवास मिळाला नाही . पण आजी ने त्याला पाहिलं आहे, आणि त्याच्याबरोबर खेळली सुद्धा आहे. तो कधी कधी जेव्हा डोळे मोट्ठे करतो ना, तेव्हा आबा तुम्हीच आहात असा भास होतो. 

इकडे आता पानगळ सुरु झाली आहे. सगळीकडे पानांचा नुसता सडा पडलेला असतो. पिवळी, केशरी, हिरवी पानं असतात चहूबाजूला. तापमान आता हळू हळू कमी होत आहे आणि लवकरच सगळी झाड निष्पर्ण होतील. मी जेव्हा इकडे बाहेर चालायला जाते तेव्हा मला बरीच वृद्ध मंडळी दिसतात. कुठला हि ऋतू असला तरी ते फिरायला जातात. तुम्ही सुद्धा रोज पाच मैल चालायला जात होतात, तेव्हा मला तुमचा खूप कौतुक वाटायचं. एखादा माणूस एवढा कसा काय शिस्तबद्ध असू शकतो हे मला तेव्हा कळत नव्हतं. रोज व्यायाम करणे, योग करणे, चालायला जाणे, न चुकता वाचन आणि लिखाण करणे, रोजचा पेपर वाचणे, दिवसातून दोनदाच जेवणे, अबर चबर कधीच न खाणे, रात्री लवकर झोपून पहाटे लवकर उठणे, हे कसे काय वर्षानुवर्षे कोणाला जमू शकते, असं मला तेव्हा वाटायचं. पण आता जेव्हा हीच जीवनशैली मी आत्मसाद केली आहे, तेव्हा वाटतं, तुम्हीच मला ह्यासाठी प्रोत्साहित केलं होतं आणि नकळत मी हे सगळं तुमच्याकडूनच शिकले आहे.

तुम्हाला आठवतंय आपल्याला जेव्हा महाड ला जायचं होतं तेव्हा आपण पत्राने कळवलं होतं कि आम्ही अमुक अमुक तारखेला येणार आहोत असं? आता तर ते सगळं खूपच सोप्पं झाले आहे. आपल्याकडे जो काळा फोन होता ना घरी ज्यावर गोल अशी एक डायल होती आणि मग नंबर फिरवावा लागत होता, त्या फोनची अगदी आधुनिक आवृत्ती सध्या बाजारात आहे. तंत्रज्ञान खूपच विकसित झालं आहे. एका छोट्याश्या फोन च्या माध्यमाने घरबसल्या तुम्ही कोणालाही कॉल करून, त्या व्यक्तीशी बोलू शकता आणि तिला पाहू शकता. पत्रव्यवहार आता जवळ जवळ बंदच झाले आहेत. हल्ली ई-मेल लिहितात एकमेकांना. ते पण स्वलिखित स्वतःच्या हस्ताक्षरात नव्हे, तर कॉम्पुटर च्या मदतीने. तुम्हाला पत्र लिहायला देखील खूप आवडत असे, नाही? तुमच्याकडे त्या दोन फौंटन पेन होत्या, एक लाल शाई असलेले आणि दुसरे निळी. त्या पेन वर माझा कायम डोळा असायचा. तुम्ही मला नेहमी सांगत असत, माझ्यासारखं सुंदर हस्ताक्षर काढलंस तर देईन तुला मी ते पेन. आणि नंतर मी ते पेन मिळवलं तुमच्या कडून. 

त्यावेळेस फोटो काढणे एवढे सोप्पे नव्हते. आता भरपूर फोटो काढता येतात, त्यांना छापायची ही गरज नसते, सगळं कॉम्पुटर वर डिजिटल स्वरूपात फोटोचा संचय करून ठेवता येतो. माझ्या मुलाचे आणि त्याच्या आजी आबांचे भरपूर फोटो आहेत, पण माझा आणि तुमचा किंवा आपल्या तिघांचा (तुम्ही, आजी आणि मी) असा एकही फोटो आता माझ्याकडे उरला नाही . तुमचे चेहरे आता फक्त माझ्या मनात आणि आठवणीत!

मला तुमचा सहवास अगदी कमीच लाभला, माझ्या आयुष्यातली फक्त जेमतेम १७ वर्ष. जेमतेम मी बारावीत गेले होते आणि जून महिन्यात अचानक आजारी पडून एका आठवड्याच्याआत तुम्हाला देवाज्ञा झाली आणि तुम्ही आम्हाला सोडून गेलात. तुमच्या नेहमीच्या खुर्चीत आता तुम्ही कधीच दिसणार नाही ही कल्पना मला बरीच वर्ष सतावत राहिली. माझी प्रगती बघायला तुम्ही प्रत्यक्षात नाही, पण कुठूनतरी माझ्यावर प्रेम करत असाल, मला आशीर्वाद देत असाल. तुमची दीपा आता चाळीशीच्या पुढचा टप्पा गाठताना स्वतःचा संसार, मुलं, नोकरी सांभाळताना, कितीही मोठी झाली तरी तुम्हाला आणि आजीला कधीच विसरणार नाही हे मात्र नक्की. तुमच्यामुळे आज मी इथवर पोचले आहे आणि ह्यापुढे देखील तुम्ही कायम माझ्या स्मरणात असाल.

आजी आजोबा आणि नातवंडं हे नातं सर्वात सुंदर आणि प्रेमळ असतं असं मला वाटतं, मी नात होते, आता आई आहे आणि पुढे कदाचित आजी होईन, तेव्हा तुमच्या गोष्टी नक्कीच माझ्या नातवंडांना सांगेन! 

असे होते माझे आबा!

  

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 24 - Happy Diwali

It often gets lonely here in Germany when, back in India, everyone is enjoying the feasts and festivals. It's Diwali today, and it is a normal working and school day for us. We have a small Maharashtrian community here, and we will celebrate the Diwali festival next week together. But the fun, frolic, camederie, and festive vibes are all missing for today, at least, when it is the actual festival day. I remember my childhood days in Dombivli, where my grandmother made every snack item at home, and I often helped her. Visiting the temple, wearing new clothes, especially stitched for Diwali, and meeting and inviting friends and families to have the Diwali faral (snacks) was the typical routine at that time. Bursting crackers with my other three besties, Deepali, Vishal, and Rohit, was a ritual. Eating together, tasting snacks made at each other's houses, and exchanging them was also a regular. All that doesn't happen here. No one invites us home during festivals, and I don't do it either, owing to a lack of space for entertaining a bigger crowd. All of the fun I had as a child and in Bangalore appears to be a different reality and world. I miss those close social ties with my friends and I miss my family the most during festivals.

I don't want to sound gloomy and sad on such an important day. I know that this feeling of loneliness is temporary and that it will go away soon. Moreover, we must find ways to keep ourselves happy here, now that we have chosen to be away from home, isn't it?

In the morning, I did the oil massage for the Dabke boys, lit lamps at home, and prayed to God for happiness, prosperity, and longevity for all my family and friends. My son was hesitant to get the ritual done, but I kind of forced him to do it, and he didn't resist much later.

In the evening, we, as a family of three, will do the Laxmi Pujan, wear nice clothes, click photos for making memories and talk to our folks in India on a video call while relishing the Diwali Faral that has come from India. We couldn't find any crackers this year, so we won't be able to burst them this year.

Let me know how you celebrated today! What all was done? What snacks were made and eaten? Did you make Rangoli outside the house? Did you decorate it with flowers?

I wish all my readers, friends, and family a very happy Diwali.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 23 - Article in a Diwali magazine in Germany

I was introduced to Rasika through a singer friend, Ketaki Vaze. Ketaki and Rasika knew each other from the time Ketaki was in Munich, and Ketaki introduced Rasika to our channel, Vaachan Ranjan. Rasika is an artist. She paints, she sketches, and she makes many things out of craft. She is also a brilliant reader. She emotes so well that one gets involved while listening to all her stories. I got to know later that Ketaki and Rasika are a part of the Natyavaachan group, and they meet online on weekends to do readings of famous Marathi plays. It's no wonder both Ketaki and Rasika are such brilliant narrators, and it shows in every story that they both narrate on our channel, Vaachan Ranjan!

When Rasika approached me to write something for the Diwali magazine of Maharashtra Mandal Munich, I was thrilled. She very specifically told me to write on a topic that is very close to my heart. She didn't give me any chance to while away time thinking about the topics to write about. She asked me to write about how Vaachan Ranjan came into existence and how it has been running for the past two and a half years, with the help and support of all my reader and writer friends, who do it for free, without expecting anything in return.

When I sat down to write about it, I realized that it is indeed not easy to put all those emotions into words. Sometimes, I get frustrated and tired and want to discontinue uploading Marathi stories on the channel. Our subscriber base is just 304. I wonder if anyone really takes the time to visit our channel and listen to the wonderful stories there. My son often jokes about the fan base. He watches some stupid videos on YouTube and that person has a million subscribers. We do put a lot of time and effort into the channel, but there has been no growth in the recent past. Who has time nowadays? The thought of closing this channel has crossed my mind many times. In the recent past, my life has been quite busy with a new job and other household responsibilities; doing most of the things single-handedly; doing follow-up with the writers and the narrators; converting the mp3 audio file into a video file; uploading it on the channel; scheduling its release; and queuing the stories for at least the next two months. Phew! It's not easy. It's hard work, and I'm not even sure if this effort is reaching people or appealing to people. But then if I don't do it, who else will do it? I love my mother-tongue, Marathi and am proud of it. At least for that love, I should continue to make stories and upload on the channel.

All these emotions about my channel are brought to life in the Diwali magazine of Maharashtra Mandal Munich, and I can't thank the entire team behind this for their brilliant efforts.

Please have a look at the creativity of people here and do read the different articles published in the magazine. It feels so proud!

https://mmmunich.com/mmm-diwali-ank/

Thank you, MMM, for giving us writers a platform to express our thoughts and feelings. I wish you many more of these wonderful years of Diwali magazines and wish you all a very happy Diwali!

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 22 - Do your best and forget the rest

On this journey through life, we meet a lot of people. We go out of our way to help a few of them. And then forget about it. And the surprising part is that the people whom we have helped forget it too. I am sure you must have come across many such people in life who came to you in times of crisis, but once their work got done, they conveniently forgot about it. What do you do in such cases? Do you stop helping people? Or do you continue doing the selfless work of helping known and unknown people? Human nature doesn't let us sit still, isn't it? Even if our hearts are broken by someone or our confidence has been shaken by someone, we still want to believe in the goodness of people. We still want to be hopeful and look ahead to the future. We still want to trust people and carry on with our duty of helping people. Because man is a social being, he needs to be with and around other people, and as experience has shown, not all humans are the same. Everyone comes here with his or her own agenda and just plays their part, depending on their understanding and maturity. So how do you approach the fact that the person whom you helped doesn't even regard you or thank you?

I stopped thinking about such instances long ago where I helped people to get a job or an assignment and then they never came back to me to even inform me about it. There is a wonderful philosophy in which I believe. One has to just play their part and forget the rest. One must simply carry out one's karma and refuse to accept any benefits from it. And I have had so many experiences in life where acts of kindness have come back to me from unknown sources and people. And that boosts my morale and confidence to do more and helps me keep going. That's an indication to me that whatever part I am playing in this world is leading towards good, and I try to do my best to forget what experiences I have had with people in the past.

This Diwali, I wish myself more grace and acceptance of people as they are. I want to illuminate the lives of people who come into contact with me with laughter, positivity, and hope.

I wish you all a happy Diwali.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 21 - Get moving, get fit

Yesterday was a busy day. I had a whole day of training from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with breaks in between. Usually I do my walking after work at around 4 pm, but yesterday it was not possible. It was also rainy, and I had to cook dinner after the training to be ready in time for the Hindi class at 7 pm. I have taken part in a challenge on Fitbit with my friends where the person who walks the most steps in a week wins. It is a great tool to get motivated and do your daily routine of some walking and kicking some steps towards your goal. Yesterday, I had hardly walked 1000 steps and I felt very bad about it. Sitting is the new smoking, they say! All my other friends were done with their parts of the walk, and I didn't want to be the spoilsport. I decided to make time and squeezed in a walking workout of 30 minutes before having dinner and heading for the Hindi class. I felt extremely happy after the workout. As we all know, after a workout, the brain releases a hormone called endorphines that reduces the perception of pain, and we are more likely to feel positive after a workout. The body also makes chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that make you feel good. These chemicals can stay in your brain for a couple of hours after you exercise. I was in a good mood after working out . It added to my step goal, and I was able to close in at 5000 steps yesterday, which was just half of the daily target. But I tried and did whatever I could to get closer to the goal.

My grandmothers were as fit as fiddles till they breathed their last. They were physically and mentally active for the most part of their lives. My paternal grandmother did not have any problems with diabetes, blood pressure, or heart problems. She ate just once a day and slept for four hours, but she did all the chores at home without being tired. My maternal grandmother had diabetes and heart problems, but she regularly did her exercise routine and was able to solve the daily crossword puzzle in the Marathi newspaper till the last few days. My husband's grandmother was equally fit till the end. My mother is a traveler, and my mother-in-law always keeps herself busy with many things. Taking inspiration from these five great women in my life, I sincerely do my work-outs. I don't have to slog physically like they did. I have a dishwasher, a washing machine, and a vacuum cleaner at my disposal. So the only way to keep moving is to do a physical sport for our generation.

 Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, etc. are on the rise in the world and we need to take care of our food habits too. Exercising regularly could help combat obesity and other lifestyle diseases. Women, especially over 40, start losing their bone density, and in order to keep the bones strong, it is recommended to do weight training at least three to four times a week. It's not rocket science or it won't bulk women like men. Weight training has numerous advantages. Please read this article to understand the benefits of lifting weights.

14 Benefits of Strength Training

Lifting weights increases lean mass, improves cardiovascular health and has a good effect on the calories that are burned during the day. I lift weights (3 kg dumbbells in each hand) thrice a week and want to gradually go to 5 kg and then more. Getting leaner and stronger is my goal. Weight loss is not as important to me as fat loss is. Exercising also helps in getting a good night's sleep, and when you sleep well, the body is able to detox well.

I have collated a list of workout videos for people who might want to start their journey. It has a mix of aerobic (walking workout videos) and strength training (lifting weights) videos. Do try them out. It will definitely boost your mood, improve your health and sleep, and you will also be able to age gracefully. 

Indoor workout playlist

It's not important how long you live; it's more important how fit you live!

Do get in touch with me if you need motivation or guidance to start exercising. It's never too late. Start today. Start now.

 

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 20 - एकला चलो रे

जोदि तोर डाक शुने केउ ना आसे

तोबे एकला चलो रे।

If no one answers your call,

Then walk alone,

(be not afraid) walk alone my friend.

एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो रे!

जोदि केउ कोथा ना कोय, ओरे, ओरे, ओ भागा,

यदि सबाई थाके मुख फिराय, सबाई करे भय-

तबे परान खुले

ओ, तुई मुख फूटे तोर मनेर कथा एकला बोलो रे!

If no one talks to you,

O my unlucky friend, if no one speaks to you,

If everyone looks the other way and everyone is afraid,

Then bare your soul and let out what is in your mind,

(be not afraid) Speak alone my friend.

यदि सबाई फिरे जाय, ओरे, ओरे, ओ अभागा,

यदि गहन पथे जाबार काले केउ फिरे न जाय-

तबे पथेर काँटा

ओ, तुई रक्तमाला चरण तले एकला दलो रे!

If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,

O thou unlucky one,

trample the thorns under thy tread,

and along the blood-lined track travel alone.

यदि आलो ना घरे, ओरे, ओरे, ओ अभागा-

यदि झड़ बादले आधार राते दुयार देय धरे-

तबे वज्रानले

आपन बुकेर पांजर ज्वालिये निये एकला ज्वलो रे!

If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,

O thou unlucky one,

with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart

and let it burn alone.

I quote from Wikipedia:

"Ekla Chalo Re" was written in Giridih town in modern-day Jharkhand, India. It was one of the 22 protest songs written during the Swadeshi period of the Indian freedom movement, and along with "Amar Sonar Bangla", it became one of the key songs for the Anti-Partition Movement in the Bengal Presidency in 1905.

How poignant is this poem even in today's time?

There are times when we feel lonely and lost and don't know if the path on which we are walking is good enough or right enough. People, even friends, abandon us over time as their priorities shift. We start on a journey together, we commit to people around us to being there till the end, but somehow it doesn't always materialise. We take up a project or a challenge together with friends and are very excited about it, but slowly and steadily, the excitement and commitment of the people around us wears off and we realize we are all alone in this project or challenge that we initiated. What do you do in such cases when you see no support, company, or help from others? Do you give up or persevere to the end, bringing the project or challenge to a successful conclusion? When we have 100 percent conviction in what we undertake and believe in ourselves completely, I think it doesn't really matter if someone accompanies you on the challenge or not. It's important to move ahead, look ahead, and finish things we have started in our lives. It's OK to feel dejected sometimes for lack of motivation or a friendly chat, but it is the way of life. Everyone comes here with their own agenda and own plans. We should then carry on with our own plans. We should be proud of the fact that we took up something and finished it finally. 

 

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 19 - It's OK

It's OK to give up.

It's OK to be overwhelmed by circumstances.

It's OK to admit that things are not in your control.

It's OK to get tired and sad.

It's OK to admit that not everything is going right.

It's OK to take a break from things and then prioritize.

It's OK to ask for help and move ahead in life.

It's OK to show your weaknesses to people you really love.

It's OK to sometimes say "sorry" and admit that you are wrong.

It's OK to be lazy and avoid doing household chores.

It's OK to just be with nature and not utter a single word.

It's OK to feel anxious about the rapidly changing circumstances.

It's OK to feel defeated and lost.

Because not all days are the same, and there are bound to be highs and lows.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 18 - माझा सांगीतिक प्रवास

मला एकंदरीतच संगीत, गाणं खूप आवडत असल्यामुळे शाळेत असताना मी गाणं शिकू लागले. आवड का कशी निर्माण झाली ठाऊक नाही. आमच्या घरी कोणीच एवढं संगीत ऐकत नाही. पण मला मात्र ते खूप आवडतं. पाचवी सहावीत असेन तेव्हा. डोंबिवली पश्चिम इथे फुले रोड वर एक संगीत शाळा होती. त्याचे नाव होतं गुरुदत्त संगीत शाळा. मी माझ्या पहिल्या गुरूंचे नाव मात्र विसरले, क्षमस्व! ते बऱ्यापैकी म्हातारे होते आणि खूप वर्ष गायन, वादन शिकवत होते. आम्ही तेव्हा लहान असल्यामुळे ते किती ग्रेट आहेत ह्या गोष्टींकडे दुर्लक्ष करत असू आणि आमच्याच जगात असू. एकाच वयाची चार पाच मुलं एकत्र आली कि काय गोंधळ घालतात हे तुम्हाला चांगलंच ठाऊक असेल. गुरुवारी एक तास क्लास असायचा, संद्याकाळी ५ ते ६ असा. त्यात अर्धा तास आमचे सर त्यांनी किती करून आणि गाऊन ठेवले हे हेच आम्हाला सांगत, पुढे गाणं जेमतेम अर्धा तास होई आणि पुढच्या तासाला नवीन मुलं आली कि आमची घरी रवानगी. दोन एक वर्ष गेले असेन मी तिकडे. आमचे कार्यक्रम होत असत, ज्यात आम्ही मुली, मुलं गायचो, तेवढेच थोडे कौतुक होयचे. मग आला मला कंटाळा. सरांकडून स्वतःबद्दल तेच तेच ऐकून, संगीतामध्ये पुढे माझी काही प्रगती होईना. मी मग दुसरीकडे चौकशी करून ठाकूरवाडी मध्ये एका काकूंकडे क्लास लावला. शाळेतून आलं कि खाऊन लगेच क्लास ला जायचे. तिकडे खूप काही शिकायला मिळाला. तंबोरा वाजवत आलाप ताना शिकायला मज्जा आली. काकू एकदम शांत, धीर गंभीर असायच्या. जास्ती बोलत नव्हत्या. आपण बरं, आपलं शिकवणं बरं, असा त्यांचा स्वभाव होता.

मग मात्र शाळेचा अभ्यास वाढला, दहावी, बारावी, आर्टस् मध्ये ग्रॅड्युएशन करत करत संगीत शिकण्याकडे दुर्लक्ष झालं. मग माझ्या आयुष्यात आल्या माझ्या तिसऱ्या संगीत गुरु, थत्ते काकू. त्या गोपी टॉल्किएस जवळ राहत असत आणि त्या नियमितपणे संगीताचे क्लास घेत असत. त्यांच्याकडे मला जायला खूप आवडायचे. त्यांचा प्रसन्न आणि हसरा चेहरा बघून कंटाळा पळून जायचा. काकूंकडे हि नेहमी आमचे कार्यक्रम होत असत. त्या आमची छान तयारी करून घेत. अगदी खेळीमेळीचं वातावरण असे आणि गाणं शिकणं हि आपसूक होऊन जाई. लक्षणगीत, तराणा, राग, ताल, आलाप, ताना, किती सुमधुर असायचे ते जग! मी हिंदुस्थानी शास्त्रीय संगीताची तिसरी परीक्षा दिली आणि मग मात्र नोकरी निम्मित बंगलोर ला जावं लागल्यामुळं सगळंच सुटलं.

नंतर योग आला तो २०१७ मध्ये जेव्हा मी जर्मनी ला परत आले तेव्हा. इकडे हिंदुस्थानी शास्त्रीय संगीताचे क्लास सापडणे शक्यच नव्हतं. मग मी काहीतरी गायचे म्हणून एका क्वायर मध्ये नाव नोंदवले. इकडे पाश्चात्य संगीत गातात. पट्टी, लय, ताल जरा वेगळे असतात. पण शेवटी संगीताचाच एक प्रकार. त्या सगळ्या जर्मन बायकांनी मला लगेच त्यांच्यामध्ये सामावून घेतलं. आम्ही जर्मन आणि इंग्रजी मध्ये गात असू. मी एकदम मोकळेपणाने हलत डुलत गाताना पाहून आमची Chorleiter (शिक्षिका) खूप खुश होत असे. बाकीच्या बायका एकदम स्तब्ध उभ्या राहत असत, जे मला कधीच जमलं नाही. गाणं म्हणायला लागले कि मी आपोआप त्यावर तरंगत्ये असं मला नेहमीच वाटते. त्या गाण्याची चाल, ठेका तुम्हाला शांत राहूच देऊ शकत नाही. त्यात एकरस होयलाच होतं. तिकडे मी जवळ जवळ डीड वर्ष गेले. रात्री ८ चा क्लास असायचा, ट्रेन बस करत जावं लागायचं पण मी गेले. कारण त्या वेळेस ती एकाच गोष्ट होती जी मला निर्मळ आनंद देत होती. 

घर बदल्यामुले तिकडे जाणे हि बंद झाले. २०२० ते २०२२ हि दोन वर्ष कोरोना ने गिळंकृत केल्यामुळे मला पुढे काहीच करता आलं नाही. सप्टेंबर २०२२ पासून परत मी संगीत शिकणं सुरु केले. लास्य प्रिया फाईन आर्टस् ह्या संस्थे अंतर्गत मी आता दाक्षिणात्य संगीत आणि भजन शिकते आहे. आपल्याकडे इतकी सुंदर भजनं आहेत जी मी आतापर्यंत कधीच गायली नाहीयेत. तो एक तास परत मंत्रमुग्ध होऊन मी अगदी पहिल्यापासून शिकते आहे! तसेच मला इकडे घराजवळच एक क्वायर हि सापडलं आहे. तिकडे सगळ्या आज्या आणि आजोबा गातात. आमची चोरलेतर (शिक्षिका) इटालियन आहे आणि ती खूपच सुंदररित्या आम्हाला सगळं समजावून सांगते. मला त्यांची लय काही कळत नाही, पण शब्द आणि चाल कळत असल्यामुळे मी त्यांच्याबरोबर गाते. आम्ही खूप हसतो, वेगवेगळ्या लकबी शिकत, वेगवेगळे आवाज करत सराव सुरु करतो आणि मग एक डीड तास कसा जातो, ते कळत नाही. इकडेही आम्ही इंग्रजी आणि जागतिक भाषांमध्ये गातो. मी त्यांना एकदा हिंदी गाणं म्हणायला शिकवणार आहे!

एकीकडे मी नारायणम भजे नारायणम हे सुंदर भजन गाते आणि दुसरीकडे मी एल्टन जॉन चे आय एम स्टील स्टँडिंग हे पॉप गाणं सुद्धा गाते. तो वेळ म्हणजे माझा वेळ असतो. माझं जग, माझं संगीत आणि मी. ज्ञानार्जन जिथे करायला मिळेल, तिथे मी करत असते. माझी संगीत साधना अशीच पुढे चालू राहो हीच ईश्वर चरणी प्रार्थना.

जगातील सर्वात प्रसिद्ध आणि लोकप्रिय भाषा म्हणजे संगीत, बरोबर ना?

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 17 - Beyond the boundaries

Recently, I came across a video of a brother-sister pair from Zanzibar, Tanzania, who lip sync to Bollywood songs, and I was quite amazed at their love for the Hindi language. I read about this duo online. Kili Paul and Neema Paul, who are siblings, have learned the Hindi language and live in a remote village in Tanzania, where there is no proper electricity. I am not sure about the authenticity of the article, but it seems Kili had to travel a few kilometres to get his phone charged. He is a content creator on social media and is a Tiktoker.

Kili was invited to India, and he met up with many Bollywood personalities and social media influencers. He loved every bit of his trip to India, and he enjoyed Indian food. He has a great fan following and apparently has over two million subscribers. My son already knew about him and I was the last one perhaps to get on the bus of his fans. I find the videos very cute and I respect the duo for learning an Indian language, which many Indians shy away from learning or talking in that language, though they have learned it. Kili puts a lot of effort into learning the lyrics, understanding the meaning behind them, and then emoting them on the screen. Simply amazing! Have a look and I am sure it will also bring a smile to your face.

Check out his YouTube channel here.

Kili Paul

And here's his Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/kili_paul/

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 16 - Garba

I grew up in Dombivli as a kid, and I remember the excitement during the Navratri festival. There was a hotel called the Samrat hotel near my house, and there used to be a big Garba event there. I went there every year with my neighbors, the Wankhede sisters, who stayed on the ground floor. They were just like older sisters to me from a different mother. I went to see Neetu Tai, the youngest of the three, to get my drawing assignment done. She was a great artist, and she painted so well. I always got good grades on drawing assignments, thanks to her. She was in a different school, but I knew all her friends and was often at their place for some other pretext.

Those three sisters always took good care of us kids, and we (I and a few kids of my age) were their responsibility. They introduced me to the dance steps and helped me get a grip on them. At about 9:30–10, there used to be aarti of the goddess, and the first beat of the drums used to start immediately after that. And that was a signal that the Garba would be starting soon. There was a band that was called in to play live, and the music that they played was just fantastic. There used to be a person playing the banjo, a team of drummers, and a crowd of people who just thronged there to play Garba. First, it was traditional Garba, and then, after an hour or so, Dandiya began. It was always a big task to find a partner for Dandiya, and sometimes the partner would vanish, get lost in the crowd, or decide to dance with someone else at the last moment. I sometimes played with Neetu Tai or her sister and then went home after some time. It was nice fun for nine days, and we usually went on Friday and Saturday nights and then on the night before Dasera, as it used to be a holiday at Dasera. People came in bright costumes, all decked up, and we went there dressed up in a very simple manner. There were often games, fancy dress competitions, singing competitions, and bhajan singing, and there were always enthusiastic people taking part in these competitions.

 

My favorite Garba and Dandiya song is Sabse Bada Tera Naam o Sherowali, and the beats are so great that one who understands the beats and has a sense of rhythm will start dancing to them.

 

We often went to different places nearby that had Garba events, but usually returned to our favorite, the Samrat Hotel, as it was the biggest in Dombivli West at that time. It was so much fun, and I often remember those good old days when we roamed without any fear at night.

 

After school, college happened and that tradition of going to Garba with my neighbor sisters stopped completely. They started their own lives, and we all went our different ways. After many many years, I got a chance to dance at an event in Germany, and all those memories came back to me.

I will always remember my neighbor sisters and thank them from the bottom of my heart for introducing me to Garba and taking me to that event every year.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 15 - इंद्रधनू २०२२

महाराष्ट्र मंडळ कार्लसरूहे मध्ये वर्षात तीन सण साजरे होतात. 

जानेवारी मध्ये हळदी कुंकू असते ज्यात बायका आणि मुले उत्साहाने भाग घेतात. खेळ, गप्पा गोष्टी, उखाणे, खाऊ, चहा असा मस्त बेत असतो.

मार्च एप्रिल च्या दरम्यान गुढी पाडवा कार्यक्रम असतो. त्यात दार वर्षी जवळ जवळ १०० ते १५० मंडळी कार्लसरूहे मधून आणि आजू बाजूच्या गावांमधून येतात. दर वर्षी आम्ही एक थिम ठरवतो आणि मग सगळा कार्यक्रम ह्या थिम च्या अवती भवती फिरतो. त्या कार्यक्रमात लहान, मोट्ठे सगळेच भाग घेतात. मुलांना एक व्यासपीठ मिळते, ज्यावर ते आपले विविध गुण आणि कला सादर करू शकतात. एप्रिल २०२२ मध्ये मी मुलांकडून गणेश स्तोत्र करून घेतले होते. मुलांनी खूप मेहनत घेऊन अतिशय सुंदररित्या ते स्तोत्र म्हटले होते. इकडे तुम्ही मुलांनी म्हटलेले स्तोत्र पाहू शकता.

Ganesh Vandana

आणि ऑक्टोबर/नोव्हेंबर मध्ये दिवाळी कार्यक्रम असतो. त्यात फराळाचा एक बॉक्स आणि दोन तास छान रंगतदार कार्यक्रम असतो. जेवायला दोन तीन फूड स्टॉल्स असतात आणि गप्पा, गोष्टी, मस्त चहा आणि फराळ अशी संध्याकाळ रंगते.

ह्या वर्षी हा कार्यक्रम ०५.११.२०२२ रोजी दुपारी ३ ते संध्याकाळी ८ पर्यंत करायचे ठरवले आहे. ह्या कार्यक्रमाच्या तयारीला आम्ही जून पासून लागतो आहोत, वेगवेगळ्या टीम्स बनवल्या गेल्या आहेत, सांस्कृतिक टीम, communication टीम, फूड व्हेंडर टीम, technical टीम इत्यादी. सगळ्यांचा हाच प्रयत्न आहे कि नेहमी प्रमाणे प्रेक्षकांचे मनोरंजन करायचे आणि निर्मळ आनंद प्रदान करायचा.

ह्या वर्षी दिवाळी कार्यक्रमाची थिम आहे इंद्रधनू - विविधतेत एकता. भारतातील विविध राज्यांचे प्रतिनिधित्व करणारे विविध नाच, गाणी, कला इकडे ह्या कार्यक्रमात सादर करायचा विचार आहे. मंडळी सगळी आपलीच, पण गाणी इतर राज्यांची. मला एक सुचलेले म्हणजे मुलांकडून कार्यक्रमाच्या सुरवातीलाच मनाचे श्लोक म्हणून घ्यायचे. आणि दिवाळी निम्मित श्री रामाचें वंदन आणि स्मरण नाही केले, तर कसे चालायचे? म्हणून मग माझ्या सासूबाईंना ही कल्पना ऐकून दाखवल्या बरोबर त्यांनी मनाचे श्लोक मधील रामाचे श्लोक मला लगेच शोधून दिले. आमच्या WhatsApp ग्रुप वर ही कल्पना मांडल्यावर पहिल्यांदा काहीच प्रतिसाद आला नाही कोणाचाच. मग मी मागच्या वेळेस ज्या मुलांनी भाग घेतला होता त्यांच्या पालकांना मेसेज करून विचारणा केली. मग पटापट मुलांची जमवाजमव झाली आणि सराव जोरात सुरु झाला. 

यंदा ८ मुली आणि २ मुलं मनाचे श्लोक म्हणणार आहेत. घरी पालक रोज त्यांच्याकडून श्लोक म्हणून घेतात आणि ह्या श्लोकांचे संस्कार मुलांवर आणि घरावर हि नक्कीच होत असणार. आपल्या मायभूमी पासून दूर असून, इकडेच ज्यांचा जन्म झाला आणि आता पुढे शिक्षण होईल, ती छोटी छोटी मुलं मनाचे श्लोक एवढ्या आवडीने म्हणतात ह्याचे मला खूप कौतुक आहे. त्यांच्या पालकांचे हि तेवढेच कौतुक कि ते मुलांना प्रोत्साहन देऊन, समजावून श्लोक म्हणायला लावतात. आपली संस्कृती, भाषा जपण्याचा प्रत्येकाने असाच प्रयत्न करावा!

आमचा कार्यक्रम पार पडला कि सविस्तर लिहीनच. आणि मुलांचा विडिओ हि ब्लॉग पोस्ट वर टाकेन.

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 14 - The inner light

I found this beautiful quote on Facebook a few days back, and I saved it to my favourites. Sometimes there are nice little positive things that people post, and that makes my day. Usually, I end up scrolling mindlessly, losing my valuable time. But there are some surprises, too, sometimes! I loved the colour scheme and combinations that the artist (painter) used to depict this beautiful quote. The author is Maya Angelou.

I quote from Wikipedia.

She was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. Many of Angelou's most celebrated works have been labelled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books centre on themes including racism, identity, family, and travel. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Those who have read her work can very well relate to the difficult circumstances in which she grew up and the struggles she had to undergo to carve a name for herself. The quote coming from her is very poignant.

What does the quote mean to me? What are my takeaways from it?

There is nothing that can stop you if you believe in yourself. No storms or rain can extinguish the thirst for knowledge or the thirst to carry on. No matter what, one should carry on with a belief in their own capacities and no one should be given the power to judge or put you down.

No matter what others think about you, your inner strength will help you achieve the impossible. The light within is enough to conquer all the darkness in the world and gives strength in fighting adversities.

How can one keep the inner voice alive, the inner light always shining? How can one keep sane? Is there a way? Are there a few ways to be happy, content, and motivated from within? Do you have any practices, habits, or rituals that you do to keep going? Would you like to share them here? I will write about them in another post.

 

Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 13 - Urgent Requirement

My mother-in-law is a sweetheart. She is a voracious reader and has a strong presence on the social media site Facebook. She is a member of many groups where stories are written and shared by the authors in those groups. She reads a lot and then forwards the stories to me. I usually contact the authors, seek their permission, and then ask my team of readers to read it for our channel, Vaachan Ranjan. She helps me immensely by curating stories for the YouTube channel. Today she sent me this small poem that she got as a forward on WhatsApp and told me that it would be a good topic to write about on my blog for the Blog Marathon that is currently underway.

It is in my mother tongue, Marathi, but I will try to describe it here in English for a wider audience.

 *अर्जंट पाहिजेत.*

इच्छुक व्यक्तींनी संपर्क साधावा

*एक शिंपी पाहिजे,*

*जो एकमेकांची तुटलेली नाती शिवु शकेल*

*एक इलेक्ट्रिशियन पाहिजे,*

जो एकमेकांशी न*

     *बोलणाऱ्या दोन व्यक्तीमध्ये पुन्हा*

     *एकदा कनेक्शन जोडून देईल,

*एक ऑप्टिशियन पाहिजे,*

जो लोकांची दृष्टी आणि*

     *दृष्टीकोन नीट करून देईल,

*एक कलाकार पाहिजे,*

जो प्रत्येकाच्या चेहऱ्यावर स्मित*

     *हास्याच्या रेषा रेखाटू शकेल,

*एक बांधकाम कामगार पाहिजे,*

*जो दोन शेजाऱ्यांमध्ये*

     *उत्तम सेतू उभारू शकेल,*

*एक माळी काका पाहजे,*

*जो चांगल्या विचारांच*

      *रोपण करू शकेल,

*एक प्लंम्बर पाहिजे,*

 *जो तुंबलेल्या मनांना*

     *मोकळं करू शकेल,

*एक शास्त्रज्ञ पाहिजे,*

*जो एकमेकांबद्दलची*

     *ओढ शोधू शकेल,

*आणि सर्वात महत्वाचे म्हणजे,*

*एक शिक्षक पाहिजे,*

*जो एकमेकांशी संवाद कसा*

     *साधायचा ते शिकवू शकेल,

*आज तुम्हा-आम्हा, सर्वांना*

*याचीच नितांत गरज आहे..!!*

It talks about requirements on an urgent basis for the following posts:

1. A seamstress who mends broken friendships, relationships, or families.

2. a skilled electrician who can help restore the lost connection between two people

3. an optician who would help people to see better and also consider other people's points of view.

4. A skilled artist who would bring a smile and happiness into people's lives.

5. a skilled worker who can help build a bridge of friendship, understanding, and love between two neighbours

6. a landscaper to help plant positive thoughts in both young and old minds.

7.a plumber to assist in the release of pent-up thoughts and emotions.

8. a scientist capable of recreating love and longing for each other.

And most importantly of all, there is a requirement for

A teacher who assists in teaching people how to converse and have a harmonious dialogue.

What a beautiful message!

We desperately need all of these people in our lives right now. Our lives are being consumed by social media, a flood of fake news, negativity, greed, and self-centeredness. We have lost touch with the humane aspect of ourselves. We are so lost in the screens around us that we have become prisoners and don't know how to do anything else than just surf mindlessly. The sensitivity, the warmth, the love are eroded somehow, and keeping sane and being positive is one of the most challenging things in today's world!

Please let me know if you know someone who is a perfect match for the above-mentioned requirements. I would love to meet such a person right now!