InVolVe ME!

Teach me, and I will forget.
Show me, and I will remember.
Involve me, and I will understand.

Involve me, and I will understand - this probably would include all of the senses possible - seeing, feeling, touching, sensing, smelling, hearing, taste, skin etc.. every sensory communicating, the eyes do not see what the heart does not feel. This also means in most cases experiential learning, which means now i really know - it indeed means, involve me, i'll understand.

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.