MAYA aka iLlUsIoN - beware!

I landed into Mumbai airport at 7:20am today and I was at the exit door trying to book for uber cab to GenNext office. One lady (I guess, she was in the same flight as I did), walks up to me and starts saying, 'can I pls say something?'. I was like thinking, maybe she wants to share a cab or something and nodded my head. She continues, 'I have never seen anyone so gorgeous like u, you are very beautiful' and walks away. I am not sure if she even heard me saying, 'oh! Thank you!'. I stood there blank...thinking, 'what just happened' - if Aishwarya rai probably heard this, she would cry. This lady must be one of those individuals who gets up in the morning and decides 'ok, I am going to compliment 3people today ...no matter what'. Grrrrr!!!..... 

If she had given me another moment, probably I would have shared her my secret prescription as well - a bad dating week, dead appetite for 3meals, 2hours of sleep, wake up at 3am, no makeup, get on a really early flight and have a grumpy head - that was it. Ugh! all my anger - this is my life, MAYA aka 'illusion' playing its games.

This travel to Mumbai was a good distraction for me....*MAYA talking* - sitting in India's power house - one of reliance's boardrooms, along with all their leaders, listening to them talk about how GenNext's strategy will change the face of Indian startup ecosystem was amazingly encouraging. For a moment, I played along with the MAYA.... thinking how fortunate etc, well! this was not what I want. So, I quietly got up ...met one senior member  (Raghunath Mashelkar - a humble n down to earth gentleman, senior research professor, padmabusan), picked up his personally autographed book and walked out from there as networking sessions continued. For the remaining afternoon, met up with a friend, visited my cousin and spent most time in Mumbai traffic. 

So what happened to MAYA (illusion)?...it ended as soon as I was walking towards the Mumbai airport security gate on my return...my left shoe ripped it's sole open and I was dragging my foot to keep the shoe on ... 

Well! reality, we cannot miss that..I am gonna just stay close to it ... 

I aM mOrE sPiRiTuAl!

"I am more spiritual" ...says Deeksha, while answering to my question on yoga experience. I was then thinking to myself, when did I realize that I was -'spiritual' huh? ..maybe i didn't till recent years.

The drive was exactly an hour from home to yoga-shala in Jayanagar. Deeksha was visiting this school for the first time and I was introducing her to yoga teacher training course. Our conversation was full of life, Deeksha was full of life (i could talk about any topic and she would converse with me like a pro). She is larger than life, a young independent Deeksha, 17 yr old, Sunitha's (friend from work) older daughter - such good upbringing in today's times. I was amazed to know that Deeksha has time for everything - from parents, friends, school, activities, dance, yoga, stage, reading, french, swimming, making friends on the bus, attending seminars of her interest ..so many and she wants to explore more - the best part about this kid was her simplicity - no air about anything, yet very knowledgeable.

Deeksha is an example I would show to anyone of her generation and say this is how we groom our young gurls to become more independently strong inside/out. Some key points to focus - help make their own decisions from very young age, create that eco-system for them to build larger perspectives of life, variety on education to help broaden their knowledge in as many fields as possible, groom them for healthy competition, respecting/valuing older generation, recognizing human race vs religion/blind beliefs. If we focus on grooming our Gen-z (-1) well, reassured we will have a stronger, brighter community. 

Entire credit goes to the most inspiring friend of mine - Sunita - the belief behind Deeksha. If Sunita wouldn't dream big and broaden her thinking for Deeksha - Gen-z (-1) will not be able to dream big or broaden their thinking. Its in our hands to groom our younger generation to be better human beings.

WoMeN's DaY!!!!

Disturbed thoughts since the BBC documentary and another news abt similar incident. What are we celebrating? Sales, offers…discounts….

Not everyone might agree with this..but these are my thoughts.. 

There is more to women’s day...and womanhood, isn't it? ...BigB posted asking this thought provoking question "Woman's Day..?? A single day dedicated to women? But a woman dedicates every day of her life !!!.....”. True, why is one day dedicated to women?. This day, is needed very much for some people atleast who need to know that there’s more to womanhood than their perverted thoughts, low level thinking or being silly. There was one silly status FB update msg today from a well-educated man, says "To all the girls and women. When u leave him free he comes back to you and love u more than ever. Men act tough but deep down they need a stable companion who love them. Happy women's day. Go for it girls and BE the one you want to be." ,.... what is he trying to convey?... is this about him and his own convenience?. We are talking about being the change and if an educated person’s thinking is this level then imagine the others?. To the contrary / contrast, Desmond Tutu says, “Girls and women, you are precious and we ought to do everything in our power to ensure you can be all you can be.” and this is the level of support women need. Not just saying ‘be the one you want to be”… how are you as a fellow human being helping her to ‘be the one she can be’?. 

Never to forget - We are also fortunate to be surrounded by some really really great men around us (respect!).. who constantly help “her” be the one she wants to be - the Mr.Mom’s, great mentors, well-wishers, colleagues, friends, family... – they support/celebrate every woman in their life each day. THANK YOU! to all those men. 

WOMEN’S DAY! Is not about sales, discounts, offers … its not about giving her a day off… it’s that one day to remind, review your level of thinking to recognize and respect (at the least) womanhood.

Happy Love ❤️. ....

Happy Love ❤️ = just not love....its HAPPY love. You are ready to face any thing in this world, if this one relationship is going well.

It is said that all of us are on a look out for that one PERFECT relationship. A Man on look out for that one 'Happy Woman' in his life and a Woman on look out for that 'one Man with whom she feels secured and protected'. - that one relationship can be anyone - mom,dad, daughter, son, wife, husband, inlaws, grandparents.

A lovely, couples story excerpts from Mahatria reading -

Lets call it as Rama/Sita's story and here how it goes:

Rama was from a not so well to do family, he grew up having just one shirt which he used to wash it every night and wear it in the morning. His dad and brother did the same. As they grew up, they just knew how to live with less. For Diwali, Rama's dad would ask him how much money he wants and Rama would ask for Rs.100 but would get only Rs50. This is the kind of love Rama grew up on, independent thinking, do your own stuff, less is more... etc.

Sita was from a well to do family. She grew up in a family where mom, dad and she would coordinate what to wear for a wedding - to either contrast or to match the life styles. Sita's dad made sure he was there for Sita in smallest of smallest decisions. For Diwali, her dad used to take her for shopping and get her what she wanted. This is the kind of love Sita grew up on, dependent, caring for small things, togetherness, consensus, etc.

Now Rama and Sita get married. The second day of their marriage Sita asks Rama to take her to her parents house. Rama agrees and asks her to get ready. She displays 3 set of clothes and is waiting for Rama to come inside the bedroom to help her select one. But Rama without knowing the expectations, just walks into the bed room changes his clothes and walks out. Sita is annoyed, chooses one dress to wear, gets dressed and leaves. Its Diwali time again, first Diwali after marriage for them, Rama comes home after work with some shopping bags. Sita excited to see this, asks him what was it. Rama says its his Diwali shopping. There goes her mood again, Rama unknowing of her expectations, thinks of it and he asks her how much money she needs for shopping. Well, Sita was never asked like this, her dad used to accompany for her shopping and she never worried about the cost. She slams the door and Rama is waiting outside requesting her to allow him inside, begging, apologizing etc. There were many such small instances that disturbed Rama and Sita's married life. small fights, small misunderstanding leading to bigger issues, there was purely compatibility issue, leading to divorce discussions later in the first year. But, they survived 23yrs of married life... amazing isn't it?.. 

The secret shared was that, they understood the different backgrounds they (Rama and Sita) came from, i.e., their understanding of love was different from each of their perspective and the expectations were different. 

Also, Rama started loving Sita as he would love his daughter (its unconditional and you wouldn't get upset with you daughter for such small things) and Sita started loving Rama as she would love her son (she wouldn't hate her son or want to get separated if he did something silly). 

Finding that balanced compatibility in a relationship is so key and this is what Rama /Sita did which lead to finding their Happy Love ❤️ .......

Experience Most and More ....