The girl with a burnt face

I happened to see a young girl waiting to cross the road. Her face was so badly scarred from what seemed to be a fire accident. Her skin was almost completely damaged and her features marred beyond recognition.

I wondered what her story might be... I wondered what it would be like to be in her shoes...

Made me rethink my priorities. Made me rethink.

Dear @ina this is Mister God talking . . . You know her name and see much more than a girl with a burnt face. This is a silent plea for her and all around the world who can identify with her. But a stronger plea for me and those who can identify with me.

Time Capsule

Heard of this before? Well it's this pretty neat idea I came across from this a friend of mine! You can write yourself a mail and have it delivered to you after a time gap! It reads something like this:

"Greetings from your past. In the fall of 2005, you agreed to receive this message, which has been preserved for a year in ..."

"Here is the text of your message:" [Your text follows]

I have put extracts from what my friend had to say 'coz well it inspired me! Here goes...

"Hi X,

....This is "me", I mean "yourself" one year before! ...

I sincerely hope by this time, you must have.... [Hopes and dreams follow]

[I liked this bit the best]
This is to let ya know: don't loose that smile in your face and try your best to instill it on all the others you meet...."

Not all of my friend’s hopes and dreams had come true but the conclusion bit is a wonderful message… perhaps all that counts in the end of the day.

Inspired? You could try this out if you'd like....Send a mail to yourself after a given time frame or to anyone else for that matter! :)

Dear @ina this is Mister God talking . . . Greetings from the time of your creation. My thoughts and plans for you are like the grains of sand on the seashore… though the tides may sweep over them, they still remain. You mean so much to me. ;-)

Desperate

I have been using the word *desperate* quite often these days...most of the time playfully or as a figure of speech not really meaning it.

I was singing this song today however that had the word *desperate* in it and the writer of the song I was sure meant the word to it's full extent. It sent me on a word hunt...

Desperate: Oxford dictionary says "Willing to do anything regardless of danger" for that something that you are desperate for (I add).

Hmmm... Nothing in life comes with a tag that says "absolutely nil danger guaranteed". Almost just about anything we do is about taking a step in good faith despite the odds. But this word talks about something deeper - A driving force within one that is daring to risk it all for that one prized longing.

Know what I mean?

I was left with this one question in my mind:
What is that one thing in life that I am *desperate* for? In other words, what would I be *willing to do anything for regardless of the danger*?

The minute I answered that question, this one followed:
What have I done so far about it?

Err … nothing much.

The truth is: I *know* that one thing that I am desperate for and I *know* it is going to cost me in terms of risk and danger, and I stop right there - *Desperation* however goes beyond that.

I guess I should too. : )

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . It takes courage to push yourself to place you have never been before, to test your limits, to break through barriers, But hey! It’s the only way you will discover the wings I have given you…I hear you whisper.

Hey! Look at the moon...

I received this rather unusual message from a friend last eve. It read:

"Hey look at the moon... It is awesome...Hope it is not raining there... :-)"

I ran out to see it and sure enough the moon looked awesome. It was a full moon, so bright and brilliant that it lit up the entire night sky. There was a beautiful radiant circle around it with the diameter of what looked like a thousand kilometers, probably more. It had rose to almost the center of the sky and shone much brighter than any of the stars, set like a solitaire in the sky for all the world to see.

I live on the east coast and this message was from a friend in a different state on the west coast a long distance away and perhaps that made it more special - The fact that we could be so far away and yet admire the same sky, the same moon, and the same stars - a galactic display just for us!

It was a beautiful surprise! :) And I was so glad to be reminded that life’s simplest pleasures are actually quite easy to come by!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . I have never wondered what messages you would send me if you choose to own a mobile phone. . . But am kinda sure this would be one! : )

Celebration

It’s been exactly a year as of today since I began blogging. * Celebration *!

I remember the day it all started. A friend introduced me to the blog world and the idea sort of clicked with me. It wasn’t planned but one Sunday afternoon I logged on, found blogger, clicked on the ‘create a blog’ link and kept going one step at a time & voila! I had a space of my own but was not quite sure of what would come out of it.

Last night I spent a lot of time looking back at the posts I’ve written, the people who inspired me, the situations I’ve been through, the comments I’ve received and the laughs n joys, pain n hurt I’ve shared. Some brought back good memories, some made me laugh at myself, some made me think and rethink, some made me smile and some made my eyes color but most just made me realize I live in a beautiful world surrounded by beautiful people.

I was watching a show on BBC about a traveler’s journey through the Sahara, yesterday. This rather difficult journey was made not only easy but also enjoyable by the people he meets and mingles with. His last line on the show is “Traveling is about continually - learning new things and saying goodbye”

That’s exactly true about life too. I’ve learnt so much through this year & yes, not all the people who were with me when this journey began are with me now. I’ve had to say some sad goodbyes to some very special people who will always be in a warm cozy place called memories where footprints never fade.

To any of you out there who still read this blog, you’ve been part of this journey with me, thank you!
(And hey! Just came across this pretty neat link: www.mayyoubeblessedmovie.com . Do check it out and remember to turn on your speakers when you do!)

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Cheers to the beginning of a new year of blogging! : )

Full – Inside

I was speaking to a friend X over the phone after quite some time. X voice was warm and cheerful. There was an excitement and joy in X’s spirit that was conveyed by the exuberance of X voice. It was nothing obvious but subtle and listening to X I could tell X was *full-inside*!

Know what I mean? That’s my way of conveying an *all is happy* kinda state of being.

Does that mean that there was *nothing not happy* in X’s life? I don’t think so. Instead it’s when we come to terms with the not so happy bit and choose to rather be content (Btw: do you know content = happy! That’s what the dictionary says)

In fact X did go on to narrate some other things that X was not happy about but did not let *it*, steal the joy from X’s voice.

Wonder what’s stealing my Joy today? What’s keeping me from being content? Am I full on the inside?

. . . I can be!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . you designed me full and I don’t wanna let the world steal it from me.

Pause

I was watching this beautiful movie and I caught myself wishing I could *pause* it in a happy moment timelessly.

Ever wished you could just *pause* your life permanently on a happy moment?
: )

If I could, I wonder which moment I would have choosen?

A number of happy moments raced through my mind one after the other...

My hand just refused to press that imaginary pause button cause unless I let it play I won’t be able to recollect the next moment . . .!

I changed my mind and pressed the play button and watched the rest of the movie. There were some tragedies and some joyful moments that followed. But watching it all was definitely more fulfilling.

I’m actually at this point of my life when I wish I could just *pause* it. Everything seems so perfect. But maybe I should stop wishing and just gladly let my life play!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . You, my director knows best! :)

Best of Both

I got to dance in the rain and watch a rainbow across the horizon over this weekend!

:) Just felt like telling the world that!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Reminded me of your most beautiful promise of all ~ A rainbow will always follow the rain.

The four Little Lights

My life was brightened today by four friends. We work together as a team and interact quite a lot on a daily basis. Today however is a local holiday and I had to turn up early in the morn and hang around for a few hours.

One of my friends surprised me by turning up earlier than I did, for no reason at all but to just be there. For me! : ) Then another called up and patiently played along with my teasing and taunting. I enjoyed it! : ) That was followed by a simple sms from yet another friend that made me smileee : ). And then an unexpected long distance call from the last one who’s on vacation! : )

I went this morn expecting to be lonely but instead found my friends made it not so lonely after all. I don't know if they realized it but they are four little lights. Just as they brightened my day today they go out into the world each day brightening many lives!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . India is celebrating a traditional festival of lights. And I personally celebrate The Light, lights in my life. : )

Putting my foot down

An interesting observation:
It's so easy to put my foot down for others,
Yet so difficult to put my foot down for myself!

I found myself advising this friend of mine with so much zest, on putting *her* foot down about something that *I* felt was not so fair. But hey! She reminded me. You are putting your foot down for me! : )

Hmmm… It's true. It was so easy to see into her situation and tell her what she ought not to put up with. But when I am put in the same situation... I'm blind as a bat! I don't even see my foot half the time so really have no chances to put it down! I can stomp around for others while I can’t stand for myself!

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . If only practicing what I preach was easy.

The same ole Love

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . .

You watched me grow
From young to old
With every step I took

As the years have passed by
Your love has made me strong
From dawn to dusk
With every new day

As the years have passed by
Your grace has taught me all
From foolish to wise
With every new experience

But as the years have passed by
I have fallen many times
Both great and small
Sometimes I have hurt you
Sometimes I have failed
& sometimes I have despised you

But you still look at me
With the same ole love
That you had for me
The day I was born.

I’m amazed by your love. : )

Self-Consumed

I was in an absolute mess today. I myself have never seen myself so frenzied!

Back drop: Ah! I think I shall just keep that under the carpet.

The point: I stayed up half the night all the while working out in my head what I could have said, what I could have done and what not to fix the record and make it all straight. I was so consumed in it that I could not even hear the still voice in me. But only if I listened I know this whole day would have been so different for me. There is so much of the *Me* in me that still needs to die.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . We have miles to go before I sleep.

On Par

Over a conversation with my mum I discovered something interesting about myself.

In my mind, all who I am in a relationship with are not on par. Some I look up to and some I felt look up to me. Which is true but the sad thing is I decided this based on age!

In my culture it is very important to respect people who are elder than oneself. From very young we are taught to address anyone elder with respect, look up to them, follow what they say and hold them in high esteem.

So in my mind people friends and family who are elder to me are the people I respect, I look up to and when interacting with them I always expect to be on the receiving end. But when I am with friends and family younger than me, I feel I am looked up to and hence try to be as giving as possible.

However this is not the way it works. I realized I should not be in any relationship hoping to be the giver or the receiver but rather be open to give and take. Like my mum pointed out to me, at times a four year old has a lot teach us!

So regardless of age, experience, background or any such differences I am learning to look at both myself and the person I am interacting with as on par. Friendships and relationships are somehow so much more rewarding when you take that perspective.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . I know it’s not just age but a lot of other such things that put barriers in me while I interact with people... help me break down these barriers within me.

Just Human

A thought:

Sometimes we have so much expectations on ourselves, that we forget we are human.
And sometimes others have so much expectations on us, that they forget we are human.

But Hey! We are human.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Glad to be just human.