Pathway to Inner Peace

Forget Not

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair."
~Kahlil Gibran

Make My Wish Come True

Searching for answers
that evaded me for so long,
I got lost in a maze of treachery
hidden under a mask of innocence;

It’s been so long
words kept me awake
all night long, making
me restless and confused;

Drowning in the wishes
of a long lost past,
I let my life down,
I let myself down;

In the midst of the night
under the velvet skies
I surrendered to life
I whisper for forgiveness;

So with a smile on my lips
and a wish on my heart
I give faith (hope) one more reason
I give life another chance
to make my wish come true;

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What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner – Sidonie Gabrielle

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. – Anatole France

We are told never to cross a bridge until we come to it, but this world is owned by men who have ‘crossed bridges’ in their imagination far ahead of the crowd. – Unknown

Sometimes you just got to give yourself what you wish someone else would give you. – Dr Phil

Essence of Touch

Laughter, stress, guilt, fear are all emotions that produce chemical reactions in the body. The loving touch of a mother/guardian can produce comfort and joy. Some times I am filled with concern when I think of the young people of today; some may never receive touch in the way I did when I was growing up. Some may only experience the touch of an abuser, which will produce feelings of fear and anxiety. The touch of parents and their children are key to the nurturing and development of a child because the child comes into the world not being able to do anything for themselves and needs the security of a parent.

In today’s fearful society the importance of touch seems to have been lost. Teachers can no longer give a pupil a hug if they fall over in the playground. Professionals working in young people’s care home can no longer hug the children there, who very often only need a cuddle to lift them up and make them feel supported.

So what will happen to these young people? I’m not sure that they will understand the benefits of platonic touch, the reassurance of someone showing they care. Statistics show that 1 in 3 girls will get pregnant within their first year of leaving care. For me it seems like this may have a lot to do with a lack of touch, and a misguided truth around physical affection.

Early research from Maslow’s hierarchy shows the importance of security in the well being and development of humans. It can also be seen from the instances of neglected children, the terrible affects of not being touched and nurtured as a youngster. The same is also shown with doctor and patient; during sickness or illness, the doctor is like a surrogate parent. The belief and trust we have in the doctor is transmitted and received by touch. One knows this from the sugar pill and medicine experiments. Some people are healed by the sugar pill just like the medicine. It was the belief in the power of the pill that actually healed. Just by the doctor touching us and telling us we will be fine goes a long way in the healing process.

So before we are all lost in the land of no contact and the madness, as common sense slips out the door … give someone a hug today!

The Credit Belongs To The Man

“The Credit Belongs To The Man
who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at best, if he wins, knows the thrill of high achievement,
and if he fails, at least fails daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.”

LIFE'S JOURNEY

Life should not be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well-preserved body.
But rather to skid in sideways,
champagne in one hand,
strawberries in the other,
body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out and screaming -
”Woohoo - What a ride!”

The Window Of my Chamber

The window of my chamber- the chamber where I have spent most of my life for the last one decade opens into a small lane across which are old trees. These trees are special because they are the few trees left in the concrete jungle. One of these trees is very special to me because a monkey resides on it. I wonder what he is doing here alone in the concrete jungle. He doesn’t belong here.

Today is a very special day. God is pouring. It’s the second day of the rains in Mumbai. Today outdoor patients are less and the indoor patients are settled in my hospital. It’s the perfect time when I can spend a few moments with myself. The sky line is so attractive with the heavy rains. It seems like night-time because the clouds are dense and the lane besides my window is full of water thanks to the corporation for their delayed cleaning of the drainage system. I even see small children playing in it.

On the opposite side of the lane from my window I can see a small shop where an old man named Anna sells tea and coffee. I see he is very busy handling the crowd of customers. Most of them unprotected from the rain are doing their best not to get wet.

This window is a portal to another world. A world I keep myself aloof from due to my busy work schedule. A world I miss the most. But today I have some time for myself and I am going to relish my senses with this world. I really want to go out there. I really want to get wet in this rain. I want to feel the natures love on every drop of rain that falls on my body. I want to get completely drenched and soaked in the rain. That’s what my heart says. But my mind denies it. Soon there will be patients in the OPD, I need to be dry. Work comes first.

The rain has still not stopped. My eyes are looking out for my friend the monkey. There he is on his special branch. Today he is different; today he is quite, unlike other times when his only business is to make his presence felt by jumping all over the tree and shaking the branches. But I guess the tree loves it too. It makes the tree so alive. But today he is quite; he is wet in the rain. He is feeling all that I want to feel in that rain. Today he is calm. May be he is just enjoying the rain, he is one with the rain, he is the rain. I envy him. I feel sorry for myself for the price I have to pay to listen to my brain and mind- my mind that is corrupted by the society and has made me a machine. There he is a perfect example of living in the present. He is not worried of the past or the future. He is answerable to no one. He is happy, he is in bliss. I so much want to be that monkey.

Today the monkey has taught me some thing. All my achievements mean nothing to me. At this very moment what will give me happiness is just getting wet in the rains. It is important to enjoy this very moment and happiness can’t be postponed. What is the point in achieving for the future when you can’t be happy in the present? The future will never come. In the future we will be achieving for the future of the future and it never ends. We need to live in the present.

So I am not going to listen to my mind one more time- I will follow my heart. That gives me real happiness that gives me bliss. I am going to get wet cause the rain has not yet stopped and it won’t till it blesses me.

Enjoy the rains my friends

Do write your story and experience of the rain in the comment section.