Respect and Love....

Have you ever wondered about the relationships that are special to you. What sets them apart is the presence of both respect and love for the other person. Respect provides the much needed distance while love bridges upon the very same distance. A case of distanced closeness.

The most important of all relationships is the relationship with the self. We could love our own self, forgetting all our faults. But then, respect for our own self would definitely be lacking. It would be our earnest endeavor to respect and love ourselves. And one of the most difficult tasks at hand in this endeavor is forgiveness of the self.

Thus, the presence of both respect and love, makes the relationship all the more special and meaningful. Even if one of them is lacking, the relationship suffers heavily. Respect without love and love without respect doesn't make sense at all. Respect and love - the two complementary positive opposites need to co-exist in harmony.

Associative Nostalgia - IV ... Shoes.

The pristine innocence of childhood makes one derive happiness and joy from the simplest of things. How the world would become an even more wonderful place to be in, all because the child got a new shoe. Be it the "naughty boy/girl" series from Bata (with their ***.95 pricings), a pair of simple canvas shoes, colorful floaters/sandals, the universal hawaii chappals, or the highly sophisticated "Made in South Asia" products of the big brands - Nike, Reebok, Adidas, etc; well, it doesn't really matter.

How often would you have wanted a new shoe, a different kind of shoe, simply by watching what other people wore? At an age, when we often do not want to get into an another person's shoes, the personal desire or craving for the shoe does often get sadly unnoticed by the parents. In some cases, even if it does get noticed by the parents, the proposal is brutally rejected with the quaint excuse, "You are taking very good care of your shoes. They should easily last one more year". This would and should encourage you to not take very good care of your shoes. Why foolishly wait for one more year because you are being well-mannered? It is simply not worth it.

But then, this new dash of recklessness with the shoe does get noticed. You would be reprimanded for not taking proper care of the shoes. This would be followed by a generalization on the present generation of kids, as to how they have no value for money, how the parents were not like that when they were kids, how tough it used to be in those days to even have a pair of dresses, etc. The child is no doubt helplessly bewildered. Either of its ways has no appeal for the parents; and the new shoe being showcased in the shop across the corner, a sacred place of daily visit, would be sadly and painfully lying there unappreciated.

Days of tantrums finally give way to the ultimate purchase of the shoe. The child proudly goes to the "shop" with its parents. Its eyes would proclaim to the world - "Look, I am going to be the emperor of all that I survey. I am going to get the shoe that I have been wanting all along". All those procedures of buying the right size, trying in a varied set of shoes, going for a short walk within the shop on the new shoe, having a tough time deciding between two equally appealing ones, would make the child be supremely happy. Finally, "All is well that ends well", says the child to its parents with that naughty mischievous smile.

One often wonders, where in the long process of "growing up", does this innocence get lost. Life was far less complicated those days. Or rather, do we tend to make life more complicated as we grow up.

PS: The readers are recommended to view this movie by Majid Majidi, "Children of Heaven", which is a wonderful tale woven about a shoe and the brother-sister duo.

The walk of life... Revisited.

May 13, 2006 : A red-letter day for some, including the author. The day arrived. The culmination of a 3 year affair with my alma mater and the transition from a student to alumnus happened on that day. A member of the Aggie family for life.

This being the first convocation in my life, (courtesy my undergrad school that believed in shipping the degree by registered post to be more practical due to whatever practical reasons); it was a fabulous experience. Here, was celebration of life and success in everyone at its pristine best.

Cheered by an audience amounting to 40,000+, inspired by the smiles in many fellow graduates, and awed by the dazzling regalia on display, this occasion would be an occasion to remember for the entire lifetime.

The key note of the convocation speech was "Things do get better eventually. However, they do not happen automatically without any effort from our side". There was a time, when this day was a mere illusion and a mirage. Things did get better with time, and I finally managed to encounter the oasis in this journey across the desert, in my search for water.

Some of my friends were able to make it for my convocation too, and make the event more special. A special thanks to one and all. It would be blasphemous to discriminate between my friends.

The dawn of a new day gives birth to a new hope and a new beginning.

PS: Not so long ago, my experience as an awed spectator can be found here.

Mother's Day Special.

The author was treated to a concert, that could be considered a fitting tribute to all mothers at Houston this Sunday. The artistes for the evening were Dr. N Rajam, her daughter Dr. Sangeetha Shankar and her grand-daughters Ragini and Nandini. We were treated to some soulful music from the bowed violins of these artists in the Hindustani style.

The two children were highly enthusiastic and played Rag Jog for us. Having been brought up on a staple food of Indian Classical Music, their performance would have made both the mothers proud. However, they being the guru's too, their recital would have invoked a few constructive criticisms too, for their improvement.

Does being a member of a musical family help. Needless to say, it was really delightful to see the three generations of artistes playing the violin. The stamp of the guru was unmistakable in the shishyas. Dr. N Rajam must be one of the most successful mothers in her own right in the world. Her legendary legacy would continue with her daughters (in contrast to the usual paternal gharana system).

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world. They are veritably different manifestations of Mother Goddess.

The sense of touch....

Have you ever wondered about the importance of the sense of touch in our lives? How many times would you feel uncomfortable when someone crosses the limits of personal space and gets physically close to you? Your personal space is something that you treasure a lot. And, you allow only a few people in your life to violate the sacred territory.

Be it the mother suckling her baby, the child sleeping with its parents, the man and woman walking hand in hand, a casual handshake between acquaintances, a warm hug between two very good friends, your guru/elder blessing you, the sense of touch plays a very important role.

I happened to gently and affectionately stroke the very same cat in this post, and it responded by stroking my toe. It felt more secure; and to be honest from my side, it felt nice to be trusted by this cat. The sense of touch and the feeling of warmth and security is truly universal.