High Praise

Ram and I were having a casual conversation in the car and I shared with him the story of a good samaritan, who went and above and beyond to help someone out.  It was a very touching story of someone putting their own hardships behind and helping another in distress. I was in goosebumps when I was narrating the incident to him in detail. No sooner did I finish than Ram said, “Mom you would have done exactly the same thing if you were in the position of your friend.”  

That was the highest praise someone could have ever given me. I tried very hard not to burst into tears. I don’t think I deserved that compliment nor do I think I was resourceful enough to have been of service in that situation. I confessed that to him and told him that that’s why it’s so important to learn as many skills as possible not only to be self-reliant but to be of help to others.  

Deserving or not, it meant the world to me that Ram thinks of me as someone kind. Much gratitude!

Start Over

I don’t have a daily meditation practice but the times that I meditate, I am grateful for the reminder  to let go and to simply start over. Again, again and again. Without judgement, and with ease. Can there be any act more compassionate than that?!

Seasons of Life

Today, I feel inspired by people in my life who are grounded in their present and give their all to the season of life they are in. Grateful for their presence in my life. 

Happy Deepavali to those of you who celebrate the festival. May your inner light shine and bring warmth and peace to you and those around you.

Neuroplasticity

I am not a neuroscientist but I listen to a lot of podcasts and I hear the concept of neuroplasticity so much. Google throws a ton of search results when you type in the term. The way I understand it, your brain is capable of being trained. The more you do something, new neural networks are built and with time they become second nature. Isn’t that wonderful? Attention can be trained. Mindfulness comes with practice. Gratitude for this blessing.

Celebrations

The social media post from Hari’s college shows students – desi and non-desi – lighting candles for Diwali. This morning my colleague was asking me if I would be lighting lamps for Diwali. I told him how it was more about sweets, waking up at dawn, and sparkles where I grew up. My town centre has Diwali celebrations. Not just Diwali, have you noticed the trend of Holi becoming more mainstream. I am thankful that our kids are growing up with their culture being celebrated, not just in their own household, but at some level with the broader community.

Town Center

Our town centre has a nice running track that we have seldom used until recently. For the past two months, Ram and I have been going to the track a couple of times a week at the crack of dawn for some running. The people who come to the track have grown on us. Oddly, we have become familiar with their routines even when we have barely exchanged glances with each other. As we arrive, we normally see a group of adult soccer players playing. Then there is a group of three upper elementary kids with their dad who trickle in to kick some ball around. Then there is a pair of senior citizens chatting along the path as they do their rounds. There are others that I quietly admire at a distance as I jog around the tracks. A guy who takes a corner of the field and does surya namaskar meticulously and with a sense of purpose. There is an elderly woman who jogs briskly. She must have been physically active in her youth to be so fit, I think to myself. 

There is a certain intimacy to this experience. I have only had a peripheral view of them. I have no clue who these people are and they are oblivious to my existence. Yet for that 15 mins, our paths cross, two to three mornings every week, each of us present at the same place for our own reasons.

Grateful for all the new experiences that life brings into my life.