குழந்தையும் குடையும்

நிற்பது உன் ஸ்டைல்

நடப்பது உன் ஸ்டைல்

குடை பிடிப்பது உன் ஸ்டைல்

'வளர்ந்த பெரியவர்' யார் என்று குடை பிடிக்கும் ஸ்டைலே காட்டுகிறதல்லவா?

Get Rain washed

It is raining in Bangalore;

I went to Cochin...it rained there;

and then I went to Chennai...

yes, you got it, it was raining there too...

...and in my mail, I got this wonderful message from Jeff Keller...about getting rainwashed!

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated, "Mom, let's run through the rain."

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly.

Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories... So, don't forget to make time and take opportunities to make memories everyday.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I hope you still take the time to run through the rain.

An interesting pic

Got this from a friend...

Why do these birds look into the tap when there is a vast body of water available across the wall?

Any connections to one's attitude?

A Tag with a name!

I was tagged by Priya.

Thank you Priya, for this wonderful tag which made me pause and look at myself as if looking at a third person.

Rules of the tag.. .

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2. You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name.
If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle
name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

This tag basically talks about name words and its description on what you like to say.

I take this tag with my name. Of course there is no middle name and I prefer it this way...

K- Keen; this word kind of describes my approach to almost anything. Well, as an adjective it means enthusiastic, eager. I like doing a thorough job of anything and cannot stand casual approach or half hearted efforts. By the way, the word keen also means 'intellectually acute' - thambattam adikka chance kidaichirukkilla, vittuduvoma? :)

U-Unassuming; which should mean the opposite of pretentious and more close to modest - thambattam ellam chumma thamaasukku thaan :)

M- Measured; yes, this is what most of my friends tell about me...careful in what I speak or do, always weighing before speaking out...I could get boring at times ...would like to become more spontaneous...

A - Affable; though at times I become a bit selective with this quality...

R - Reasonable - in expectations, in relationships, in ambition, in almost everything in life I have a reasonable outlook & demand

Now, I don't know so many people so as to tag one each for the alphabets in my name... so I pass the tag over to you, Sowmya.

Non violence

This ad from Union Bank of India in today's Times of India set me thinking...I too touch MG Road(of a different pin code, of coure) twice daily while commuting for work!

Creative reminders like these and also the fact that the UN has declared 2nd October as International Day for non-violence will develop a renewed interest in Bapuji's principles.And of course there is Lage Raho Munnabhai which packaged MKG in a non-intrusive yet pervasive & modern avatar which generated huge interest in his concepts among all sections of film goers.

What a courageous life! It definitely needs courage to stick to one's philosophy against all odds. We keep telling ourselves about what is correct and what is wrong but in the crunch situation, do we have the courage to stick to our own belief's? Or do we let the pressure carry us along? Do we get influenced by the people or situation around us?

Well, to a common man violence need not mean hitting someone or causing physical harm. Non-violence should be exhibited in simpler ways in life too.

We can see violence in the way some drivers barge their way through a decently moving line of vehicles. The way these people squeeze their vehicles in gaps, where there aren't any, is nothing short of an act of violence. Sometimes I get to catch a glimpse of the expression of the person who had to allow such vehicles to pass...and we can clearly make out that his sensibilities are offended.

People who rev up their engines and drive off before the signal turns green too display an act of violence. And so do the people who honk continuously from behind and psychologically force the guy before them to jump the signal and also the people who drive right into a group of pedestrians crossing the road.

Last week, just after the Brigade road signal there was this auto right in the middle of the road. It had crossed half way but the stream of cars just veered to the left side and kept going not allowing him to move on. I saw that there was quite a distance between my car and the white Omni behind me so I braked to allow the auto to cross. Just when I was about to move, the Omni from behind banged right into me. Obviously his focus wasn't on the red tail lights that were glowing in his face. May be a distraction on the road.

I slowly took the car slightly off the road, and got out to examine the damage when the omni guy, who had stopped after hitting me, suddenly accelerated with all his might and took off almost hitting the other car to his right. And I could clearly see the wide smirk on his face and that of the other passengers in the car with him. What do we call this act as?

Even at work place, sometimes, we tend to offend someone even in a subtle way. Can non-violence be practiced in such situations? I think yes.

Here is a toast to non-violence on the senses of our fellow humans.