Tomorrow is not promised!!

We make plans and more plans. We are our own micro Government. We try to manufacture our future by putting our present on the assembly line. We mortgage our present for future equity. Only if that one thing happened, we would be happy forever and that forever never comes because there are more and more milestones to accomplish. All this while, life passes us by. It is essential to plan for future, but we also need to make sure, we don't let the moments slip by unnoticed,  uncared for, uncredited.

Live, breathe, experience, every moment of your present, sun, rain or snow, because tomorrow is not always promised!

The Warp and Weft of a Mother's Love!!

My mother in law is 87 years old. When Tridib visited her last November,  she insisted that he should bring back with him one of her mekhela-sadors for me to wear. When I spoke with her thereafter, she asked me if I liked it and expressed her wish for me to wear it to some gathering.  I obliged with a serene heart. It was definitely peaceful to be enveloped in her pristine love, quite literally! 

A Generous Heart!!

The joy of gifting originates in the generosity of the heart and not in the magnitude of wealth. A roadside vendor we met during a recent trip to Nassau, Bahamas reinforced that thought manifold. 

We were a large group moving from one sight to another in a bus, trying to hit a few places before the scheduled return time of the cruise we were traveling in. Our last stop was the famous Fish Fry area, with a lot of restaurants serving fresh fish like sea bass. By that time we knew we wouldn't have time to stop at a market and shop for souvenirs.  So my friends and I were checking what we could find at a small nearby vendor. I believe none of us bought anything since we couldn't decide. A few minutes later one of my friends came with two stone turtles with Bahamas written on them, she said he gave her one and also sent one for my daughter who was looking at them. I was dumbfounded. I have only heard of tourists being charged extravagant amounts by local vendors in touristy places. This was the first time someone was giving away free souvenirs.  

I was so touched, I went back to the guy with my friend, to give him a token sum. He took it, but wouldn't let me leave without handing me one more thing my daughter was apparently looking at, a pink flamingo key chain. My friend gave him few dollars as well and we bid adieu.

As our bus crossed his store, I managed to get a quick shot of this man. He seemed like he was barely making ends meet, but his generosity was exemplary. If you happen to be in the Fish Fry area in Nassau, do look for him and buy some souvenirs from him.He was located diagonally opposite to Oh Andros restaurant.

I wanted to share this story in the spirit of the season of giving and receiving.Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!!

Oh Mum!!

The chrysanthemum flower has always held a special place in my heart because in Eastern Indian languages like Assamese and Bengali, it is called ChandraMallika, which is an amalgamation of my dad's name and mine. I remember his face breaking into a gentle smile whenever he saw one because of that connotation.

Only very recently, I learned that it is also the official flower for November, my birth month, when a friend gifted me a custom jewelry box with my name and a mums blooms on it.  On checking further, I learned that this flower has ancient history originating in China and regarded as one of the Four Gentlemen of China” — a group of prestigious  plants that each signify a new season with mums signifying autumn. In Japan, they are held in such high regard that the Emperor’s throne is referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne. In Australia,  they signify "Mother's Day" since they bloom there in May. All over the world they signify qualities like purity, perseverance, honesty and the like. 

This autumn, my mum and I (pun intended) witnessed the most beautiful exhibition of mums in Longwood Gardens.

This is a single plant with 1200 blooms

            Jewelry box gifted by a special friend!

Hickory Run Boulder Field, Pennsylvania

Once upon a time, long, long ago, while wondering in the Pocono Mountains, from hill to valley, four friends came across a field of boulders. They were awestruck by the sheer size of the field. They had never seen or even heard of anything like that before. On getting closer, they learned from a sign that the field was created around 20,000 years ago by glacial activity. The friends were Rishi, Ria, Rimi & Tridib, loitering in carefree abandon. Since then a special few have been taken to visit this field. This time it was Ma's turn!!

The Boulder field is a true relic of the past. This area is a National Natural Landmark, and State Park Natural Area. It has remained relatively unchanged for more than 20,000 years. The Boulder Field appears striking because of its flatness and absence vegetation over the large area of 400 feet by 1,800 feet. Some of the boulders measure as much as 26 feet long. It is 10-12 feet deep on average and apparently water still runs under the field forming the Hickory Run stream.

Desiderata

When we lived in Shillong, India a long time back, we received several magazines in our home. Among them, The Readers' Digest and Teenager were subscriptions and the Sun magazine and India Today were regularly purchased from the newsstands by my father and brothers. 

In one such issue of probably the Sun, came a poem the Desiderata. It was translated in 1927 by Max Ehrmann with an unknown author. The yellow page with black cursive font was pulled out by my elder brother and hung on wall. I was about ten years old at that time and very impressionable, especially by my whatever my brothers did. I took it in and it remains a lesson for life.  I wanted to share  today on World Mental Health Day as below. Meanwhile, this year has been a year for hiking activity for me, absorbing the energy of the forest in silence. Thanks to Bank of America for the Columbus Day holiday, we could go on a hike yesterday as well. (pic below 😊)

          Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.
 

--- Translated by Max Ehrmann, 1927

--- Author unknown

Oh My(rtle)!!

My little crepe myrtle saplings from two years back are at my shoulders now. I have eight of them. Three of them are blooming, one has sprouted a few buds and the other three are waiting to hit adulthood to bloom, even though they have grown bigger in size. It seems some trees take about three years to flower, when grown from seed. Maybe next year will be the year for them to blossom!

In our old house, the crepe myrtle we had, would throw a pink velour fury at this time of the year and we would wholeheartly appreciate its beauty. It was the backdrop of many of our beautiful pictures. 

I've managed to spread the seeds of love for that resplendent tree, quite literally. Here's testimony to the fact that when you nurture anything,  it thrives and  blossoms! The pictures are from 2023, 2022 and 2021 in that order. #labordayweekend update!