Saturday, December 31, 2011

Goodbye 2011 and Hello 2012



I wish you all the most awesome 2012 - may all your hopes and dreams come true - I know mine will.

Thank you all for visiting and reading my blog and for all the lovely comments that all of you take the time to write.

And then most of all I thank my Heavenly Father and Mother for their Grace and Blessings.




Warm Regards
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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Haiku - Christmas

Haiku Heights - Christmas
Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Spirit
Poetry Picnic - December, Snow, Winter, Wildness




    
Christmas in the snow
Reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh;
Jingle Bells I hear.





A time to reflect
Connect with love to Spirit;
Christmas Joy and Peace.









  
     
Blessed time of year
December heralds Christmas;
Give thanks and rejoice.






Winter Wonderland
Snowflakes falling fast softly;
Wild, free and pretty.











Also linking to Thursday Poet's Rally Week 58




Warm Regards
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ABC Wednesday and GBE2 - W is for Wonder

and for "The Way" as shown by Winnie the Pooh in the  "Tao of Pooh"

       "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing
         you say to yourself?"
       "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
       "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
       Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.


And I wondered what I should write for the W prompt at ABC Wednesday and the Wonder prompt at GBE2.

Combining the two for this post, seemed to be the wise thing to do.

Then as I frantically wildly searched for something, Winnie the Pooh from the "Tao of Pooh" kept jumping out at me.

The "Tao of Pooh" written by Benjamin Hoffman is an introduction to the eastern belief of Taoism or "The Way" (Tao of Pooh Wikipedia)

Winnie the Pooh was well-selected to describe "The Way", as the essence of it, (as I understand it) is the simplicity of it all, wonderfully summed up in the book with ...

         While Eeyore frets
         .... and Piglet hesitates
         .... and Rabbit calculates
         .... and Owl pontificates
         Pooh just is

Winnie the Pooh's ability to see things calmly and simplistically, and stay in the present is the essence of "The Way". And that in turn allows us to discover and witness the wonders of life. Life was not meant to be wearisome and wasted but enjoyable, wieldy and effortless.

      "Just How do you do it, Pooh?"
      "Do What?" asked Pooh.
      "Become so Effortless."
      "I don't do much of anything," he said.
      "But all those things of yours get done."
      "They just sort of happen," he said.

And as I worried and wildly searched for something to write about, I also wished and hoped that this post too would just sort of happen. Perhaps I should pick up the book again and read the words in it, learn the wisdom of "The Way".

It would be a welcome break to simplify life like Winnie the Pooh and live in the Wonder of it all.

And to wrap up this post, I wish you all the most Wonderful Christmas and a white one if it's Winter where you are.

And as we are now on the topic of Christmas ... enjoy "Walking in a Winter Wonderland"



(from youtube)

Warm Regards
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Monday, December 19, 2011

Music Monday - Christmas


 Christmas is my favourite time of year so this week my Music Monday is all about Christmas.

I thought I would share some of my favourite Christmas Carols





Mary Did You Know - by Donny Osmond
There is something that stirs in me when I hear this one. It also summarises the life of Jesus.
I love this.




O Holy Night by Josh Groban
Another beautiful song. This one makes me all emotional.




O Come All Ye Faithful - King's College Cambridge Choir
This is one of my favourites - I love the tune and I think it's very joyful.




And as it sounds good in any language, here it is Adeste Fideles by Andrea Bocelli.



Wish you all  Peace, Love and Joy and happy Christmas singing.

Warm Regards
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Linking to:



 BFF 149

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Thankful Thursday - 18 December



There are so many times our lives when we feel that life is so unfair - everyone you know has everything and you have so little. And then things come along that make you sit up and see all the wonderful things that you have in your life.

This is the first Christmas I will spend when I am unemployed. It depresses me a little. Then I read so many blogs where people are struggling with life, TV interviews or events to help those in need of a handout and then I thank God and realise that I am truly blessed. I have so much.

But the thing that truly drove it home for me was the story of  Rhema Marvanne a young gospel singer who lost her mother to cancer at the tender age of 6. Read her story here.

I share her version of "The Prayer".




Thank God for his Divine Grace and Blessings. Thank God for Christmas. Thank God for constantly reminding me that I have plenty and with faith and trust all will be well.

I wish you all Peace, Love and Joy

Warm Regards
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Linking to



Saturday, December 17, 2011

Favourite Holiday Traditions

Favourite Holiday Traditions is the topic for this week's Thursday Writer's Post

Christmas is one of the major holidays that I enjoy but there are others too, so I will take the liberty of writing about those as well.

Christmas
Each year the kids select an ornament that they like for the tree. It's fun to look at them over the years. And each year we choose a colour theme for the tree. We chose Red and Gold this year but ran short of a few so added the purple ones from some years ago. And then there are 6 little teddies and no matter what the colour scheme, these teddies must be on the tree. 
The night before, the kids leave a glass of milk and cookies for Santa.  When they were little they made lists now they just ask for a surprise. (I'm sure Santa breathes a sigh of relief). We open the gifts first thing on Christmas morning and I love watching the kids as they pull each gift out of the sack. Santa never fails to please!
And then there is the Christmas lunch. We usually have some ham and roast lamb or chicken and vegetables. We often invite friends who are alone at Christmas so that they have a place to go to and celebrate.
And then we watch a biblical movie on TV together - there is always a movie on the life of Jesus. A nice reminder of what Christmas is really about. 
For me the giving of gifts is more than a Santa thing - it's about showing the love you feel for another at an auspicious time of year.
And then zooming back to the school days,  I just loved the Christmas Carols.  My favourites are "Silent Night", "Mary's Boy Child",  "Oh Holy Night / Night Divine",  "Oh Come All Ye Faithful".


Diwali
Diwali is also another festival that we celebrate with great joy. For us it signifies the end of a year and the beginning of a new one that is filled with hope and peace.
When I was little we were given new clothes on our birthday, to celebrate an occasion (like a wedding) or a festival like Diwali. Our Diwali clothes were traditional Indian clothes and this was the time when we could select some nice piece of jewellery out of my mother's jewellery box to wear on the day. 
On Diwali day, one member of our very extended family would host a Diwali gathering - often this was at my place or at my grand aunt's place as my grandmother and her (sisters) were the oldest surviving members of the family at the time. It was a grand occasion - beautiful clothes, lots of food and sweets to eat - and family bonding.
I miss those days now. All of us have moved to different parts of the world. Our "families" are now our friends and these festivals are usually celebrated quietly. We usually make Diwali traditional sweets and savouries and exchange these with our friends.
This year however I had a party for my mother's birthday a couple of days before Diwali so I combined the birthday and Diwali celebrations.


 Raksha Bandhan
This is another Indian festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day sisters tie a Rakhi (a sacred thread) on their brother's wrist. It symbolises a sister's love and prayers for the well-being off her brother and her brother's lifelong vow to protect her. Hence Raksha - to protect   Bandhan - to tie.
In our family this is symbolised by the tying of the Rakhi and by the sister giving her brother his favourite sweets (my brother loves chocolates and chocolate cake) and the brother giving his sister a gift.
With my kids however we changed the tradition a little with both kids receiving gifts from each other. 
I think this is a beautiful tradition that brings brothers and sisters closer and reinforces the loving bond that siblings have. 
I think the tradition originated sometime in the 1500s when soldiers went to war, their families tied a sacred thread to bless them for success and thereby protect the families and villages.

Enjoy your holidays.

Warm Regards
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Also linking to:



Friday, December 16, 2011

GBE2 - Curiosity





"Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice.




So here's what I am curious about ....

What would it have been like to have lived in the time of Jesus? 
I think it must've been so amazing to have met him in the flesh and blood. For all those who met him and heard him and sat with him, ate with him, it must have been a moment of pure bliss. Those were truly blessed people to have experienced Divinity first hand.
What would it be like to have an Angel (as in the Divine being) visit?
There are many people who have claimed to have had Angel visits, or seen Angels. Only one person I know has claimed to have been visited by an Angel. Has anyone has this experience? I don't know how I would react.
Did he like me? I think he did but did he really?
An absolutely gorgeous guy I knew and liked heaps in my teenage years. I'll never know if he really liked me 'cos he passed away so young. But I hope he did. He was so nice, so kind and so sweet and ever so cute. Oh I wish I knew.
 What is my life's work and who is my gorgeous Soulmate?
I think about these questions a lot and I am curious to know the answers. But then if I knew, the journey to discovery would be no fun. But I would like to know where my next job lies (C'mon Universe, tell me).
And I think it's great to be curious because I believe that curiosity paves the way for dreams and dreams lead us to our Destiny.

Warm Regards
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Linking to

Monday, December 12, 2011

Music Monday - Imagine

Last week was John Lennon's 31st death anniversary. So I thought I would share a John Lennon song. A song of peace which is very appropriate for this time of year.

"Imagine" was written and sung by John Lennon himself and released in 1971.

In 2004 "Rolling Stone" (US music magazine) ranked "Imagine" 3rd in it's list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

The main theme of the song was Lennon's message of giving peace a chance - imagining a world that lives in peace.

Information taken from Wikipedia - Imagine

Here are some quotes from John Lennon that are quite thought provoking:
"Everybody's talking about peace, but nobody does anything about it in a peaceful way." 
"Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are great examples of fantastic nonviolents who died violently. I can never work that out. We're pacifists, but I'm not sure what it means when you're such a pacifist that you get shot. I can never understand that."
"You are all geniuses, and you are all beautiful. You don't need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, live peace, and breathe peace, and you'll get it as soon as you like."

So here is John Lennon singing "Imagine" at the 1972 Charity Concert at the Madison Square Garden




Here's wishing you all peace this season.

Warm Regards
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Linking to:














Lyrics
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say 
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say 
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Celebration

Celebration is the topic for this week's Thursday Writer's Post

I thought I would post some of the celebrations that I've enjoyed this year.

First off the rank is my school class re-union. I do keep in touch with some of my classmates but was thrilled to meet so many others 35 years later. We had many re-union celebrations. I met some of them at a restaurant get-together and others at the main event - a weekend at a beautiful resort at Alibaug a "beachy" place near Mumbai. But the biggest thrill for me was going back to visit my school again. Just went zooming back in time. I even got to see my year 9 classroom - such a thrill.

Alibaug

my classroom


And as I was away for Christmas celebrating my re-union, we celebrated Christmas early in the year after I came back home. We celebrated at my daughter's place. We had a really nice evening and she cooked us a lovely meal.


In April my big project at work was successfully completed and implemented after 17 months and our managers gave us a big party. It was a relief the project went off so well and my team did an awesome job. The party was well deserved and it was great fun. 


Early this year my brother won two engineering excellence awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies. He received this award on my father's first death anniversary. My dad would've been so proud of him as we were.

This year, New Zealand hosted the Rugby World Cup and NZ won - world champions. And all of us celebrated all through the games. We had so much fun - I watched every game. 

at the Fan Zone


Later in the year we celebrated birthdays - mum's, the kids, and of course mine. My mother celebrated her 75th birthday so I threw a party for her. (Wish dad had been around to celebrate with us). My daughter's birthday is just a few days before mum's so we celebrated together - it was a surprise for her. My son unfortunately had exams on his birthday, but as birthday cakes are a must on birthdays, we did celebrate with a cake. And just like a boy he hacked it into 2! And I had the most awesome surprise on my birthday. Check out my song.



We also celebrated Diwali - the festival of lights. Diwali signifies the end of a year and the beginning of a new one, the end of any darkness in our lives and the hope of bright and happy days. Hence the lighting of lamps or diyas.


And now I look forward to celebrating Christmas this year. 

Wishing you all Happy Days.

Warm Regards
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Friday, December 9, 2011

ABC Wednesday - U is for ....


This week's letter at ABC Wednesday is the letter U.

This is a tough letter to write about and I couldn't think of anything so I will be most unoriginal and post some quotes instead that begin with the letter U and ones that I think are ultra thought provoking ...




Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity  ~ R. I. Fitzhenry


Understand a man by his deeds and words; the impressions of others lead to false judgement ~ The Talmud


Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility ~ Oprah Winfrey


Use missteps as stepping stones to deeper understanding and greater achievement ~ Susan S.Taylor


Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
~

Wishing you a useful, unique, unbelievable and unreal day when unimaginable and unexpected dreams come true and where understanding and unending joy prevail.

Also check out my U post on my other blog Photos are Fun.


Ultra Warm Regards
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Also linking to:



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Thankful Thursday - 8 December

                                                                       stuff.co.nz
  
On December 03 2011, a 5.7 earthquake shook Wellington New Zealand. 

It was scary. This was the first time stuff fell off my shelves and my son and I ran under the doorway.

So Thankful that we are all safe and that the damage in Wellington was minimal and no one was hurt.

The suburb I live in is probably the safest place to be in Wellington. So Thankful I was at home with my son.

So Thankful that my daughter is safe.

My mother was on her way home from the temple, so Thankful she got home safe.

And then this morning we had another shake 4.2. So Thankful that again we are all safe.

Be safe this holiday season wherever you are.

Warm Regards
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Linking to:




Haiku - Space, Malice, My Life in Verse

Haiku Heights   -   Space



Vast, Invisible
Secret mystical frontier
Space, barren quiet? 



















Poetry Picnic #16  -  My Life in free verse

Adventure and fun
Easy, sometimes difficult
Silent and noisy


Lonely heart yet smiles
Lives in this moment of time
Awaits The soulmate


Give love and be loved
Understand relationships
Happy Memories


Laughter and sadness
Carving my own destiny
Fulfilling soul's quest


Spiritual love
Abundance of Divine Grace
Peace and contentment



Sensational Haiku Wednesday  -  Malice



Goodwill trusted friend
Often felled by spitefulness;
Oh Malice, begone.


















Thanks for this award
To those who host and select
Keep us encouraged


Thank you Thursday Poets Rally for
The Perfect Poets Award

I nominate Mohana for the next award








Warm Regards
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