Very Inspiring - Team Hoyt

I was so inspired to read this story...made me realize yet another time that there is nothing impossible as long as you set your heart and your mind to it!


The athletic phenomenon that is known as Team Hoyt began one spring day in 1977. Rick was 15 at the time and came home from school asking his dad if they could run a five-mile road race together in their town of Westfield, Massachusetts, to benefit a local college athlete who'd been paralyzed in an auto accident. It was a strange request considering Rick's situation.

Cerebral palsy is a debilitating condition often caused by complications during pregnancy or at birth. In Rick's case, the umbilical cord got tangled around his neck, cutting off the oxygen supply to his brain and causing irreparable damage. His muscles chronically contract, hence the need for muscle relaxants...

At the time Rick asked to run that race, Dick was a 40-year-old nonrunner. When he and Rick got to the event, organizers saw the wheelchair, the disabled son, and the middle-aged dad and gave them a look that said, "You two won't make it past the first corner." They didn't know Dick.

Read the full story at the following link:

http://www.runnersworld.com/events/boston06/Mag_hoyt.html

This is All It Takes

A warm smile
A tight hug
A glance that melts my heart

Moments when your silence speaks a thousand words
Little gestures that say and mean so much

Is this all it takes?
to make me want to live?
make me want to smile my widest smile?
make me want to be my best?
make me feel like I own the world?

Is this all it takes?

It makes me want to tell you that
You mean the world to me

You always did
and you always will - for as long as I breathe

And who are you to me?
of course my baby...

Thank you for being born..

Some Wonderful Thoughts!

Somethings I recently read by Sri Sri. Thought they were a wonderful read. Here goes....

On Being Judgemental

Judgements are so subtle that you are not even aware of their existence. Judging or labeling someone as judgmental is also a judgement. Only in the state of Being when you are full of love and compassion can you ever be free from all judgements!

The More You Know

Purpose of words is to create silence. Does every word you speak create silence in others or does it create turbulence in their minds? Purpose of knowledge is to make you feel that you don’t know! If the knowledge makes you feel that you know it all, then it has not fulfilled its goal. The more you know, the more you become aware of the unknown. Knowing is just pushing the brick a little further towards ignorance.

Love and Surrender

Surrender and love are synonymous. Whomsoever you love, you surrender to them. It's not a doing but a state of being when the mind is free of doubts and troubles.

Words

If you manipulate words, it is a lie; If you play on words, it is a joke; If you rely on words, it is ignorance;If you transcend words, it is wisdom.

Better Late Than Never

This is where I open my heart out to..a blank page that has all the patience to listen to me, my feelings, my outbursts, my anger, my joy and everything else that happens in between. I have no fear of it judging me, of ridiculing me - it simply waits for me to tell to it all that I want to - ever so patiently. I sometimes kid myself that some day soon it will grow hands to cradle my head on it's shoulders :-)

It is on one of these last days of July many many years ago that I lost my little brother to an accident. Life was wonderful, protected and complete up until that point.

It was about 5:30 in the evening - he came home from school and I was in the backyard doing something with the plants. My mom gave him a snack that was his favorite and he was in a rush to run off to play with the other kids nearby. I heard her call after him to come back soon before it got too dark. I peaked in too to shout a bye, but he was off. So, I just kept quiet not making a big deal of it...

I never realized that I'll never ever get a chance again to say that bye...for he never came back home. He was simply gone. That's all.

Life from that point on has never been the same to say the least - and I realize it more and more as my own stress and loneliness in life seems to grow along with me...

I have been told to forget the past, move on, be happy and so many more things - all in good intention I admit. How is it possible when I have never been given a chance to mourn? I haven't even begun to shed my tears in peace - for I always have had to hold onto them just for that one more time and for when I would be done taking care of something or someone who needed me more at that moment...

I have also been accused of trying to fill that void with other people, other relationships - well, what choices does a hungry, homeless, beggar really have? He takes whatever comes his way and lovingly treasures it. Am I any different?

Again who needs sympathy.Expecting a little love from this world was asking way too much for it - so why burden these poor souls is what I learnt. They have nothing to offer in return...but, you know what? The world is still a beautiful place, full of wonderful people - they are like innocent children who take what they want from you with both their hands, not waiting for any formalities. It is the thought that they think that you belong to them that is important and is the beauty of it! That is enough happiness I think..

Among many other emotions that come and go, one related thought is about "Acceptance". It is a simple word that is easy to preach, but extremely difficult to practice. To be able to close your eyes, trust and accept a person, a something and all that comes your way is probably the final truth that goes beyond all religion, all sentiments and everything else that is bigger than life itself.

My litle whisper - love those little moments, those people, honor those sentiments and treasure everything between "now" and "after" - there maybe no tomorrow isn't it?

Each wound has it's own grave and a compartment...one can still be happy. General bliss and happiness can live along with all the pain.
But when it comes to burying it, seems to raise it's head - visible only to the one who wants to go away from it - strange isn't it?

After all these years - a very simple thought crosses my mind. A truth that I should have realized for all these years - When you laugh, you laugh with people who you think are a part of your life in some way...but when you cry, you cry alone....all alone.

This does not belittle those around us, it is also not because there is no one ready to cry with you, but because those tears don't have the same meaning when shed by anyone other than you...the very meaning gets changed...

You and only you can feel it, live it and let it go. It's most dignified thing to do.

This was all there was to it wasn't it? So simple..yet so elusive...took a lifetime to get here and will take another to live it.

Better late than never...

Pari Hoon Mein

Used to be a fav in it's time - a friend posted it recently on FB and I was reminded of it :-)

enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNbnTQS6k4g

Hard To Say Good-Bye

A time comes in everyone's lives to say good bye - to a place, a thing, a person. I'm sure you have said your own at some point...

Saying good-bye has always been very tough for me. Back home I never went to a railway station to drop off friends, relatives or even my parents if they ever went out of town! My cousins who visited me always took offense that I played and had fun with them, but when it came to seeing them off I always went missing :-)

I so clearly remember an occasion when we were living in Delhi. It was about 4:30 AM in the morning. I heard some noises and woke up. We lived on the second floor and had an enclosed balcony that overlooked a busy street - well, every street in a city like Delhi is a busy street :-)

Coming to the balcony, I saw that my neighbour's newly wedded daughter was being seen off to her in-laws'home along with her husband of 2 days...
I sat there and watched the whole 'Bidai' program for the next 45 minutes, sobbing along...

I was the subject of many jokes related to this incident for a long long time!

Selling off a less used car - I wondered that night how my car would be doing in a remote place with strangers as it's new owners.

Such have been my sentiments about saying good-bye even to lifeless objects. It hurts even to think that we will see even those strangers for the last time...
friends you make during a train journey, a short bus ride, a flight to another country always end on a sad note of having to say that good-bye...

And I have been made fun of too -by family and friends for being so, but well this is me!

And now - I've to move! To a newer place. Away from this one that holds a million memories...and it simply tears me to think of moving away from all of those too...

But, well there is no option either - and yes, I have the confidence that a greater force that has watched over for all this while will continue to do so...

A Year Later

A whole year has again gone by - from the last significant day in my life to this one.

Last evening I was reflecting on what a year it has been - incredible was the word that came to me! The events - both good and bad, the people I've met, the opportunities I have been presented with, the tears I've flown - for joy and sorrow and all that I've learnt - incredible! The person I've become and grown up into wouldn't have been possible without all of these...

I'm grateful - and grateful that it has come round a full circle. That's the feeling I'll sleep with tonight and also start the year tomorrow too...

This song when I heard felt very appropriate given where I stand at this very significant juncture of my life - life as it pivots on that single point of strength, happiness and inspiration - so sharing it here for you my reader to listen to!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZNDhPCc2Wo

Ulysses

I happened to chance upon this poem again at the library a few days ago. During my college days, the following excerpt from Ulysses by Lord Tennyson was my favourite.

Sharing this with you my reader - enjoy!

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Turn Around

There's so much to write - but, I'm trying to pick a topic...it's one of those days when I'm trying to overcome my anger, my urge to do so many things.

But no - I have tasted the power of controlling those thoughts and emotions - so I tell myself that I have to try them all out and turn around at this point...

Then I wonder - is it really possible to change one's innate nature totally? The basic instinct totally? I doubt it. It is not about masking those raw emotions with anything, but it maybe about finding an alternative energy to balance them out.

How can you gauge the intensity of those when every time they hit you, they are all new and have never occurred before? What happens to the theory of handling them and balancing them out? Shouldn't everything be negated with an equal and opposite force?

Or maybe one learns to build that intelligence into self to build it better and stronger for the next time it occurs...maybe that's what learning is all about...who knows.

pictures!

Beautiful Song

Listen to this - very catchy tune. The singer has done a great job with it :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJEfRTXOdhQ

A videoless high quality audio only is available below - I had a blast listening to it at high volume surround sound!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ7EArad4pE&NR=1

Buddha's Path To Enlightenment

I recently read a very interesting article/rather question on Buddha's path to enlightenment and about how he left everything and everybody. It tried to reflect on the pain of abandonment that Buddha's beloved must have experienced. What became of them? Isn't it self serving and irresponsible to walk out on one's life partner, spouses or children?

It has evoked very deep thoughts inside me on fundamental responsibilities/ duties towards ourselves, our relationships and towards people who love and depend on us.

What becomes more important and is considered a duty or the purpose of one's existence? Duty to self or to your loved ones?

I will continue to search for my answers...

Till then, continue to fulfill your duties and remember to be in a state of bliss - for that is what you are meant to be in!!!

The Take Away

I went to a Yoga re-retreat over this weekend. The rolling hills, surrounded by a valley on one side and the ocean on the other side with a low fog - just the first sight made me hold my breath for a few seconds. The mere beauty of nature was simply splendid!

We had various panel discussions, insights into the 'Maha Vakyas', yoga, meditation, singing and everything else that appealed to me! It was a home coming in a vague way for me - it seemed like it was custom made just for me!

On one of the evenings as I stood there all by myself, watching the golden Sun set behind the horizon and the Golden Gate bridge in my background - what I experienced at that moment was a feeling of 'Advaita'.

The mere feeling of humility one feels in front of the majestic beauty is something one has to experience!

I simply stood there and prayed - not to any God, or deity. But to Mother nature... I wished for each of my friends, my acquaintances, people I love and am loved by - and all those that have ever touched my life to be blessed! With peace, happiness and health!

My biggest take away from this weekend was simply that it is important "To exist and not to persist". It is this moment and now. There is no right or wrong. There is no good or bad. And, who are we to judge. We simply live that's all!

So live, let live and be happy - that's all matters!


PS: I'll post pictures tomorrow :-)

A Story In Those Eyes

When those eyes smile
When those very eyes cry
When those eyes shower all that love
When those very eyes can haunt
When those eyes can hide a lifetime of secrets in them...

I wish to see nothing but happiness in them - always!

A song for this weekend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZL_dpb_6Lo

A great song!

My mother always sang this song and while I was browsing for something, I stumbled upon this - very thrilled to share this "Purandara Dasa Kriti" with you. This movie clip also has a situation where the two Carnatic Maestros "Annamacharya" and "Purandara Dasa" come face to face, which I found very interesting.

It is in Kannada - but, music has no language. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACaTtl8383U&feature=related