Sharing...

Nature's gifts of...


                                                                       tranquility...

peace...

A little pep-up....

for those of us in the golden age,

here is a must-visit site - advancedstyle.blogspot.com

and this is a must-conquer...

Strange...

how we choose to allow discontentment to creep into our lives. The good Lord has taught us to be content in all situations in life, be thankful in all situations, for that is the only way we can get the most out of life, and the most out of ourselves too.

Words of wisdom, 'In acceptance lies peace,' is something we cannot seem to comprehend - accept? never - how will life change for us if we just accept.......little realizing that it is only after accepting that we are in a position to change our situation. And change can be as much a change in our attitude as bringing about a tangible change in our situation (May God help us discern the difference)

but no....contented?....accept?......we just cannot be or do......

It's like a space. We want a garden - then a rose plant. When the rose blooms, then we want it to have been another color, or a double one, or a creeper, or in that spot not this one, or.....or.....or.....

We just are not happy with the rose that bloomed in a place that was once barren.

Another ship...

has come to rest with the ships of Indu, Dolly, Malt and me - Madhusree's...happy comradeship after weathering our journeys on the high seas of life...

Chinese bamboo...

When I first started experimenting with Chinese bamboo, I bought a bunch, opened the thread that tied them together, and tried to leave them free. They refused to stand straight, and kept falling over. So, I made smaller bundles - again it was no go. They just refused to survive.

This second attempt, is proving more successful, at least till now - I'd got them on my DD's birthday, 20th January. I've learnt that it is only when they remain tied to each other that they grow. Now there are sprouts from lower down on the stems, and in themselves too, the plants are growing. They need a spot of TLC (tender loving care), but they seem to be alive and well.

Something very sweet...

One of my students has a dog that is very much an integral part of his life. Recently, I started following Maiya on Twitter. This is what Maiya says:

Throw me a bone and maybe I'll do a double shake for you. Take me for a ride, and I'll love you forever. Ignore me, and I'll just do my own thing.

I particularly love the 'I'll do my own thing bit....' There's no double shake or anything else then, to grab your attention.....No whimpering, no growls, no trying to please, no nothing....Just takes off and does her own thing.....

Wise dog!!!!!!!!!

Something that I've learnt...

very, very recently is about shackles...

How many times do we feel weighed down? or caught in a web? or entangled? or limited? or hemmed in?

If we look carefully, we're sure to see - as I did - that what started off as threads binding us very lightly in something, or with someone, have started changing into chains, or have started getting woven into a web, or have started tightening like a noose. But, we've allowed this to happen....and therein lies the tragedy.

Once though, we realize this, we have to perforce, if necessary, break these shackles - for the release of our souls and hearts, to clear the mind and brain, and to open out a little more space around the emotional and psychological part of our being.

Unless we forcibly remove these shackles, they'll just take us down.

However, it would also be good to remember that there are other threads - loving threads that we turn into shackles, thereby bringing down our loved ones as well as ourselves. These too have to be released...

Remember, even something as ordinary as forming opinions can start off the first part of the thread that we bind ourselves in, for an opinion has a for and an against built into it - and we must need take sides...

Give freely, so that at least no binding thread will start from you...