Explaining the name of my blog

Today I have the honour and pleasure of hosting the Thursday Writer's Post Blog Hop #4 and I'm also sharing this post for the letter E at ABC Wednesday.

Initially I thought I would ask you all to write your thoughts on love, but everywhere I turn and every prompt this week seems to be related to Love.

Instead I will ask you all to write about something you love ... your blog.

Share with us why and how you chose the name of your blog and what it means to you.

When I started blogging publicly in 2011, I found it really hard to choose a name for my blog. So many names bounced around in my head, Suzy's blog, Suzy's thoughts, Suzy's ramblings, Suzy's notes - most uncreative and very dull. But nothing really came to mind that resonated with me.

And the more I racked my brains to think of something, the more elusive and hard it got.

Whenever I blog, I listen to music as it always relaxes me and helps the thoughts form in my head and so as I listened, the song "Someday Somewhere" floated by.

Someday Somewhere

You said hello

And walked into my life

"That's it" was the thought that came into my head. And that's how I named my blog.

It's the perfect name as each one of you who drops by my blog says hello and walks into my life. Some for just that moment in time, some now and then and some for much longer with whom a lovely friendship starts to form.

This song also has a special place in my heart as it reminds me of a time long gone when love was young and sweet.

As always I am convinced the Universe sends the answers our way and for me more often than not it comes through a song.

So write your post, link up here with the linky below and share with us the beginnings of your blog. I look forward to reading your post.

And while you're writing and sharing, enjoy the song ... Someday Somewhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OclgRkNQXs

Have a joyful and love filled day.

Drop by my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.

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The Linky:

An InLinkz Link-up

Warm Regards

UBC Day 20 - Compassion

Day 20 Ultimate Blogging Challenge

Written for the Thursday Writer's Post prompt  Compassion  hosted by Darla

Oxford definition of Compassion

sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others:

Dictionary.com definition of Compassion

a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for someone struck by misfortune, accompanied by a desire to alleviate the suffering; mercy

But compassion for me is much more than that.

It is reaching out to another from that divine place in your heart that drives you to alleviate the suffering with kindness, understanding, caring and love.

 It's essence lies in the soul and it is from the soul that you connect with another asking nothing in return.

True compassion goes beyond empathy and sympathy, it is not just heart centric but soul centric.

So how do you show compassion? I don't think there is any clear answer to that for each circumstance will be different. Sometimes it may be a kind word, or just a smile, or a little help, or a hug, or perhaps even fighting for some rights.  Sometimes it might just be a universal reaching out and caring.  But at all times it comes from one's heart and makes a selfless soul connection.

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete ~ Gautama Buddha

The above quote is often interpreted as compassion for oneself. I read it quite differently. Showing compassion that is not heart and soul centric (does not include yourself), is incomplete.

So how do we teach our children compassion?  That comes when we ourselves show it to them and others near and far.

Wishing you a day filled with kindness and love.

Check out these awesome bloggers who are also taking part in the UBC challenge:
  Shilpa  Kajal  Richa  Jairam  Sheethal  Kathy  Swati  Michelle  Nabanita

My previous UBC Jan 2014 posts here


Like my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.

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Warm Regards

UBC Day 15 - The Alchemist

Written for:
Day 15 Ultimate Blog Challenge
The Writer's Post Blog Hop hosted by Kajal Kapur
The Letter A at ABC Wednesday

The prompt:
Write about one such movie that you watched in 2013, that touched your heart. It can be a movie of any genre- drama, musical, thriller, action, spy, anything. The only condition being that you must highlight at least one such point in your post that shows how the movie made a connect with you. How it spoke to you!
In case you are not a ‘movie’ person, never mind at all! Write about a book you read this last year, which you think, if turned into a movie would be a blockbuster. 

In 2006 when in a state of "what shall I read now", a friend handed me her copy of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. I couldn't put the book down and soon after went out and got my own copy. And last year I got the kindle version of the book.

The book takes you on Santiago's personal journey to find his treasure, to fulfil his personal legend. His journey starts when he has a recurrent dream. The boy has many strange adventures and learns to read the signs of the Universe. A beautifully written book that can be read as an interesting story or if you dig deep you find many hidden gems of wisdom, and spiritual lessons.

I've lost count of how many times I've read this book. And there are many treasures in this book. But each time I read it, the one jewel that consistently jumps out for me is that the Universe gives us clues all through the journey of life. We don't always listen but when we do and learn to decipher its clues, we uncover great treasures.

"And when you want something, 

all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

I would love to see a movie made from this book. It's a very easy book to read and it had everything - interesting characters, adventure, mystery, a wee bit of romance as well.

from my kindle

Check out these awesome bloggers who are also taking part in the UBC challenge:
  Shilpa  Kajal  Richa  Jairam  Sheethal  Kathy  Swati  Michelle  Nabanita

My previous UBC Jan 2014 posts here

Drop by my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.

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Warm Regards

   

Why I Write

"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy" ~ Rumi

I write to share the insights of my soul and hope that someday somewhere someone will feel that river of joy move in them.

I write because I can connect to other worlds and live my dreams through my words.

I write so that I can chronicle my life and perhaps someday I will come back to my posts and live some moments again.

But most of all I write because when I do, I feel that river of joy moving in me.

~x~

Written for the Thursday Writers Post  This week's prompt is hosted by Corinne Rodrigues at the Write Tribe.

Warm Regards

UBC 13 - AtoZ - My Sweet Lord

Day 13  of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge
The letter L  for the  AtoZ Blogging Challenge
"My greatest hits" for the Writers' Post Blog Hop hosted this week by Cairn Rodrigues


L is for .... My Sweet LORD


22 years ago one afternoon while we driving down to do our grocery shopping, the song "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison was playing on the radio and I was singing along.

This has always been one of my favourite songs, and the words always meant a lot to me but until recently I never really understood how much they meant to me.

My sweet Lord

I really want to see you

Really want to be with you

Really want to see you Lord

But it takes so long, my Lord

My sweet Lord

I really want to know you ...

So back to that afternoon ...

My daughter was quite little then. (This was before my son was born). Little miss independent and mischievous had removed her seatbelt. Something kept nagging at me to turn around and check. So glad I did.  btw I wasn't driving in case you're wondering how I turned around!

That must've been less than half a minute before the song ended and the car had a complete mechanical meltdown. The steering wheel locked, the accelerator jammed, the brakes failed and we were on a curve on the motorway. There was nothing we could do but to let the car go. It kept veering fast, crossed 2 lanes, crashed into a high bank and flipped over 3 times.

As we were racing towards that bank, I heard this voice, loud and clear, that we should relax and roll with the car not resist the roll, and that all will be well. I remember saying calmly to my daughter "We're having an accident, roll with the car. We'll be ok".

The car was completely smashed and if you had seen it you never would've believed we came out of it alive let alone without a scratch on us. And it amazes me to this day how calm I was through the whole thing. I actually counted the rolls.

I always believed that there was someone with me that day who saved us - who, I had no clue. But something took place recently (about 3 weeks ago) that made me sit up and think about this. And I truly believe that the Lord himself held us in His arms, protected us, reassured us and comforted us and kept me calm in what were the most terrifying moments of our life.

I really want to see you Lord,
I see Him now

I really want to know you
I know Him now

I really want to be with you
I am with Him

After the accident whenever I heard "My Sweet Lord", I used to be terrified - as if it were a bearer of bad news. But in the last 3 weeks, the song takes on a completely new meaning for me. It is the song that truly connects me with my Lord. It's like a communication channel with Him.

But it takes so long my Lord
It has taken over 20 years for the penny to drop

George Harrison was hugely influenced by Hinduism and was a great friend of Pandit Ravi Shankar who said the Lord had given him the perfect name Hari-son (Hari pronounced as hurry = God). In "My Sweet Lord" he blends East and West together. But for me this song merges my consciousness with my sweet Lord.

So grateful to George Harrison who wrote and sang one of the most awesome songs ever. And exceedingly grateful to all the wonderful strangers who stopped and helped us, who comforted us and gave us strength, and to the doctors, nurses and paramedics who attended to us at the scene.

But most of all I am eternally grateful to my sweet Lord who came to me, loved me unconditionally, asked for nothing from me, gave me the gift of life again, and quietly and patiently guided me over the years to reach Him. I am truly born again.

Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo, Maheshwara
Guru Sakshat, Parabrahma,
Tasmayi Shree, Guruve Namah


O Master; You are the Creator, the Sustainer, the Divine, the Destroyer
And the true embodiment of omnipresent, transcendental Divinity.
To You, glorious and supreme Master
I humbly and reverently bow.


My sweet Lord

Hare Rama, Hare Krishna

By whatever name you call Him
Know that He is with you and that He comes!

And where, you ask, does "My greatest hits" fall into this?. It is the moment 3 weeks ago when the penny dropped and I looked up and thanked my sweet Lord for His Grace and  Blessings, that moment when He made my daily prayer take flight:

"To see you more clearly, to love you more dearly, follow you more nearly, day by day".

Enjoy this awesome song.

My Sweet Lord - George Harrison  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kNGnIKUdMI

May you always feel His presence, as I did then, and as I do now, every moment of every day.

Blessings to you. Namaste.

Warm Regards

Travel and Food

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” ~ James Michener

is the prompt by Corinne at from7eight for the Thursday Writer's Post

Yesterday we went to Otaki a little town about an hour's drive from Wellington. We went fruit and vegetable picking and on our way back after spending an afternoon in the sun (and the sun in NZ really burns), we stopped by to have some  local home made ice-cream with fresh fruit. 

Ice-cream on a hot day - Heavenly!

(my 6 words for 6 word Saturday)

Quite interesting to watch as instead of the usual fruit and scoops, this place blends it all together to create a thick smooth ice-cream. You choose the fruits, the ice cream flavour and any other toppings.  

So I chose strawberries and bananas with chocolate ice-cream and topping of nuts. Came out with quite an interesting flavour. Predominantly strawberry with a hint of banana kind of as an after-taste.

Wherever I travel, I like to taste the local Chinese cuisine. Sounds crazy? Actually in each place the Chinese food tastes different. Perhaps I'm biased, but I think the Chinese food in Mumbai tastes the best. 

Which leads me onto my favourite Indian food. And on each of my visits to India, these are the foods I enjoy and must have -  the yummiest food ever. 

Pani Puri

Dahi Puri

Enjoy your day and wherever you are, eat and be merry.

Warm Regards

What's your song?

I have the privilege of hosting this week's prompt for The Writer's Post

pic from Google search

I truly believe that the Universe communicates with us in many different ways.

I often get answers through a post on someone's blog or on facebook. But more often than not, I get these messages from songs.

And the one song that I always hear when I am troubled or need an answer is ... Let it be by The Beatles.

This song constantly inspires me and helps me move on in difficult times. I'm sure it has a spiritual meaning for me as it plays whenever I need to "Let it be"


About nine years ago, there was an incident at work that upset me hugely. It affected me so much that I could not concentrate on my work all day. I didn't know what to do or how to get myself back on track. I had a fantastic manager who dealt with the incident very promptly but still I couldn't get my mind off it.

That evening as I made my way home, the usual busker was singing at the railway station and as I passed him, the words "Let it be, let it be, let it be, oh let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be" floated past. I had to smile, it was so apt and just what I needed to hear.

Another incident took place a couple of years ago. My project was going live and my team was having trouble installing the application. After spending a whole day trying to work it out, we decided to sleep on it. I was quite worried as this was a major and important implementation.

I did not sleep well that night but the next morning I woke up to the sound of music and the song - Let it Be - just what I needed to hear. We got the answers that day and managed to install it all successfully.

Often when the Universe needs me to let it be, the song just comes to mind. I have now learned that when things trouble me and I just can't get the answers immediately, the best thing I can do is to let it be. As the song says ... There will be an answer, let it be.

I have learned to have that faith and to trust that when the time is right, the answers will come. Fate or Destiny has a mind of it's own and all things happen in Divine timing. So in the meantime it's best to:

Go with the flow, be Zen, and Let it go (or Let it be) - my own and favourite mantra

So, do songs speak to you or do you have a song that has a special meaning for you?

Please share and link up on this blog hop.

Sharing "Let it be". Enjoy the song, it's one of my favourite and the lyrics are just great.

Let it be - youtube


Have a super day

Warm Regards

UBC 30 - The Little Things That Make Me Smile

Day 30 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge

Corinne at Everyday Gyaan is the host of this prompt for the Thursday Writer's Post

The little things that make me smile ...

Sunsets - they are so magical

Christmas Tree. Christmas Lights and Diwali lights - such a happy time of year

Balloons - they're so cheerful and when they show up I know I'm on the right track.

Rainbows - I always think that's a sign from Heaven.

Watching my kids see their Birthday Cakes for the first time - the smile on their faces made me smile too.

Little kids - kids are so innocent and sweet. They look at the world in awe and wonder.

Playing board games with my kids - our favourite game is Trivial Pursuit - some of the questions make us giggle.

Watching "I Love Lucy" - guaranteed to lift us (as in my family) out of the doldrums

Watching the birds jostle for position in the bird feeder - the bird feeder itself makes us smile

Watching the beautiful peaceful hills around my house - always makes me happy

Music - food for the soul

Cute little dogs with coats - this really amuses me - don't know why.

Ice cream - never fails to please.

Landing in Mumbai and walking out of the airport - so great to see my cousins and other relatives

Landing back in Wellington - so good to be home and the view of Welly from the plane is just so spectacular.

And today the rugby sevens parade down Lambton Quay but a big smile on my face. But that's a post for another day.

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. ~ William Arthur Ward 

So what are the things that make you smile?



Have a happy day.

Warm Regards

UBC Day 16 - Fame

Day 16 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge

Michelle Liew is the host of this weeks prompt "Fame" at the Thursday Writers Post


Thought I'd be different today and post some quotes - let you all do the thinking.

Fame is damaging when people become reliant on it for their sense of self, and their identity, when fame is linked to how you see yourself. 

~ Daniel Radcliffe 

Wealth, beauty, and fame are transient. When those are gone, little is left except the need to be useful. 

~ Gene Tierney 

I sometimes wonder if the tragedies my family has suffered are a kind of karmic price for all the fame and fortune the Bee Gees have had. 

~ Robin Gibb 

Film is an illusion. Fame is ephemeral. Faith and family are what endure. 

~ Emilio Estevez 

Fame is what you have taken, 
Character is what you give; 
When to this truth you waken
Then you begin to live. 

~ Bayard Taylor 

Have a happy day.


Warm Regards

UBC Day 8 - Past Lives

Day 8 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge

Joyce Paull Lansky (Catch my words) is the host of this prompt for the Thursday Writer's Post blog hop.

Do you believe in past lives?

I do though I have no proof of this. I guess as I was born in India, past lives and reincarnation is something I grew up with and never questioned.

Whether true or not, I like the idea of past lives and the idea of second chances. It just seems too hard to get  just one single chance to get it all right.

I like the idea that we can meet again somewhere. It makes the passing of my loved ones a little easier to bear.

When my son was little he asked me how old I was. I asked him to guess. So he looked at me and said "Mum you are 40,000 years old". Perhaps I am and have therefore lived many lives.

One of my favourite poems shows the beautiful side of past lives:

Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…

In life after life, in age after age, forever.

My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs,

That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,

In life after life, in age after age, forever.

Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, it's age-old pain,

It's ancient tale of being apart or together.

As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge,

Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time:

You become an image of what is remembered forever.

You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount.

At the heart of time, love of one for another.

We have played along side millions of lovers, shared in the same 

Shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell-

Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever.

Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you

The love of all man’s days both past and forever:

Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life.

The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours – 

And the songs of every poet past and forever.

Please share your thoughts and enjoy your day.

Warm Regards

Blog Hop - I am grateful for ...

Daphne Steinberg is the host for this week's prompt for The Thursday Writer's Post blog hop.

I came across this poem that sums up what I am grateful for very nicely 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am also grateful for my wonderful family - for the love and support they give me.


Warm Regards

Blog Hop - Christmas Blessings

Corinne (Everyday Gyaan) is the host of this week's prompt for the The Writer's Post blog hop.

What does Christmas mean to me?

In a nutshell, it is the time when I am thankful for the blessings I have received and a time when I can pass on those blessings to others. 

The giving of gifts is my way of expressing my thanks to my near and dear ones. The ability to give and the joy on their faces are both His blessings for which I am immensely thankful.

Each year my Christmas is spent with my family at home and each year we invite a friend over - someone who has no one to spend Christmas with - a way of sharing our joy with others.

Each year I buy a Christmas ornament for our tree - one each for my children - this is my Christmas tradition. It reminds me of each wonderful year I have spent with them.

And each year there are 2 ornaments that must be hung on the tree - my children's Christmas tradition. 

This year's ornaments:

And these that must be on the tree:

Have a Blessed Christmas. Peace, Joy and Love to all of you.

Warm Regards

Blogfest - Destiny

I have the privilege of hosting this week's prompt "Destiny" for The Writer's Post blog hop

Destiny is a topic that fascinates me. 

But is destiny real or is it just a case of mind over matter?

There are moments in my life when I've done things that I never thought I was capable of doing and then there are times when I've failed to do something relatively simple.

Even when I felt some trepidation or where the task seemed impossible, my mind willed me forward to achieve. Mind over matter prevailed.

But if mind does prevail over matter, then how does one explain those events where seemingly simple things just don't seem to fly, plans fall apart, nothing fits together. The mind just cannot find a way to succeed.

Is destiny the quiet ally or saboteur?

I believe that when it is meant to be, destiny the ally drives the circumstances for the mind to prevail over matter and when it's not meant to be, destiny the saboteur steers you away from success.

So is destiny carved in stone or can we change our destiny - or in other words do we have free will?

I believe that in the journey of our life we have a major destiny and a multitude of  minor ones that lead us to our major destiny.

Our major and minor destinies are pre-determined and will eventually be reached but there are many pathways to each destiny point.

The choices we make during the journey will determine the road we take to those points. Or in other words, we have free will to choose the path to that destiny point.

Our gut feel or intuition signals unease if we are veering off the path and will plant the deep desire to turn towards our pre-determined destination. Often we will heed this very reliable indicator and change paths ourselves.

But the Universe also lends us a helping hand and gently points us back in the direction of our destiny when we veer off the path significantly.

Free will was given to us so we could learn, experience and grow.  If everything was pre-determined, I don't think there would be any purpose in life. The choices we make and the journey itself  makes our life interesting, exciting, worthwhile and fulfilling.

We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours. 

~ Dag Hammarskjold

This is a combination of some posts I had written a long time ago. This blog hop gives me the opportunity to present them again. Is this destiny?

Please join in this blog hop and share your thoughts on Destiny or take the prompt and use it any way you want. I look forward to reading your posts.

Hope you have an interesting day and I also hope that today Destiny is your ally.


Warm Regards

Blog Hop - Invisible People

Invisible People

Jo Heroux - My Wandering Mind is this week's host for The Writer's Post blog hop.

I just had a scene play continuously in my head and when you get that, you have to go with it so here it is ...

I'm walking down Lambton Quay, the main street in Wellington, with people milling all around me at lunchtime and yet I am oblivious to them. If someone smiled at me or waved at me, I would never know.  I am so conscious of the shops, the street signs, the buses and cars, but people - they just seem to disappear from view. Invisible people!

And that scene suddenly reminded me of this song ... The Girl from Ipanema by Frank Sinatra

Youtube - The girl from Ipanema

And then I thought about all the people out there who are perhaps trying to catch my eye.  So from now on I will try to look at all the lovely people and hopefully when they smile, I will catch that and smile back!

Have a happy day.

Warm Regards

Blog Hop #55 - Half Empty or Half Full

Angela Tjong of Journey of Life is the host for this week for The Writer's Post blog hop

Do you see the glass half empty or half full?

I had to think about this for a while as my first reaction to this was "Of course I see it as half full" after all we need to keep a positive view of life.

But in thinking about this some more, I concluded, for myself, that to maintain a continuous positive outlook on life would not only be impossible but it would make me quite weary as well.

I believe that all things in life must balance and hence sometimes it is necessary to see the glass as half empty.

At work as a project manager I need to view my project in the half empty mode. This helps me plan for worst case scenarios, anticipate issues that could derail my project and take necessary steps to give my project the best chance of success. Taking a half full view would not be advantageous.

Sometime we face circumstances in our life where taking a half full view is simply not possible. There is nothing on earth that will make me view the last hours of my father's life with a half full view. His death for me is a hard loss to bear. I miss him everyday. I have an acceptance of his death but for me there is no positive outcome from his passing. For that the glass will always be half empty for me as he has left a void in my life that is hard to fill.

Living by and large with a positive outlook on life of course makes life infinitely easier to journey through.
But in all honesty, I really don't analyse - when it's necessary to take the half empty view I do that and then move on.

Wishing you all a peaceful life

Warm Regards

Blog Hop #54 - Picture Prompt

This week's picture prompt is hosted by Jenn at Wine-n-Chat for The Writer's Post blog hop

I guess as this is a photo prompt, I can interpret this any way I want. 

And the first thing that came to mind was ...

"If music be the food of love, play on" by William Shakespeare in his book "The Twelfth Night". These words are ingrained in my brain - we had to study this book in school.

And from that the word "quotes" kept flashing in my mind so here they are ....

Keys to life 

Life is like a piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it.  ~ Tom Lehrer

              That is so true. Life is what we make it. The choices we make are the paths we carve.

              On a personal note with the piano ...

              I tried to learn it when I was about 6 but never took to it - I played it really badly.                       

              Reading notes was like trying to decipher Latin and Greek blindfolded. Besides which I

              wanted to play all the nifty pop songs my brother played on his guitar, not the classical 

              stuff! But I regret giving it up and wish I had persevered. Trying to learn the keyboard

              now on my own, but I think I might have to join a class.

Sometimes we drop the keys ...

It still brings me up short to walk by somebody who appears to be talking to themselves 

~ Rob Newhart          

              I can so relate to this. 

              Sometimes I hear a hello right behind me or next to me and then I feel pretty

              foolish for saying hello back. At least if they had the phone in their hands you'd know

              they were conversing with someone.

A different key is needed each day. Today I thought of this one from an incident at work.

Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo

               This is something I have learned first hand particularly in difficult situations. 

               A smile definitely diffuses tension. And conversely prevents tension too.

Somebody said once or wrote once: We are all of us children in a vast kindergarten trying to spell God's name with the wrong alphabet blocks! ~ Tennessee Williams, Suddenly Last Summer

                But eventually I hope someone will hand us the right blocks!

                Or in the context of this post ... the right keys.

Sending you all a virtual smile. Enjoy life.


Warm Regards

Blogfest - Dedication

I have the privilege of hosting the Blogfest 2012 prompt for October 18 which also happens to be my birthday.

I chose the prompt "Dedication" as I wanted to offer or dedicate something to love.

Love is the emotion that takes us closer to God. By loving someone, we find the way to Him.

Somewhere in this Universe, is the other half of my soul. If I am lucky, I will have the good fortune to meet him in this life.

Here's a poem I wrote some years ago that I dedicate to the love of my life, the one who completes my soul, the one I connect to unconsciously and feel the bliss.

I hope you enjoy it.

You are the journey of my life

You are the windows of my soul

You are the end and start

You are the beat of and smile in my heart

You are the breath that I take

You are the ocean, sea, and lake

You are the earth and sky

You are the wings on which I fly

You are the stars, the moon, and the sun

You are the essence of peace, ecstasy and passion

You are the lyrics of a song

You are the melody that plays along

You are the rhythm and the dance

You are love sublime and tender romance.

Join in and write your own dedication and please link back to this post. Also link up via the Blogfest page on facebook.


Wishing you all love and peace.

Warm Regards

UBC 16 - Another Ending - A Superstar of Bollywood says goodbye

Post 16 for the Ultimate Blogging Challenge and another one for the prompt Endings from The Writers Post


This post will probably appeal more to my Indian readers, but I hope you can tolerate a radically different post from the stuff I normally write as this is about Bollywood and one of it's legendary stars.

Rajesh Khanna the mega superstar and king of romance of Bollywood died at the age of 69 on 18 July 2012. 

And though the man who was a phenomenon, a superstar, and unlikely ever to be surpassed (at least not in my lifetime), is no longer with us, he lives on in the hearts of many Indians and will forever be remembered as the greatest ever of the Bollywood screen. He was the only Bollywood star who has had 15 consecutive golden jubilee hit movies.


The following and adoration that he commanded was the stuff that stars dream about but never achieve.  He just drove the girls wild. I wasn't that crazy about the guy but I loved a lot of the movies he starred in and I loved his songs. 


My first Rajesh Khanna movie was Aradhana, a diamond jubilee hit for him. I was 9 years old when I saw it at the Roxy Cinema at Marine Lines in Bombay and it remains my favourite Bollywood movie. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen it.  Some of my other favourite movies that he starred in are Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Anand, Do Raaste.

But I guess the best way to showcase Bollywood and the legend that was, is via some videos of some of my favourite songs and some that trigger some memory.


Roop Tera Mastana (You are beautiful) from Aradhana with Sharmila Tagore, my absolute favourite Bollywood song. 
I believe this song was also voted the song of the century (though I don't have any documented clarification of that). It was the song that gave Kishor Kumar his first Filmfare award and established him as the leading playback singer in Bollywood.

Youtube - Roop Tera Mastana



Gunguna Rahe Hain - also from Aradhana with Sharmila Tagore

Just about every song in Aradhana is just great and it was a hard choice but I eventually chose this one as I love the tune of this song and it's such a happy song. You also get a glimpse of the beautiful Himalayas.


Youtube - Gunguna Rahe Hain



Chup Gaye Saare Nazare - from Do Raaste with Mumtaz, my favourite actress

If you have never seen a Bollywood movie ... yep this is Bollywood!

Youtube - Chup Gaye Nazare


Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana - Life is a beautiful journey - from Andaaz (197) with Hema Malini.

Rajesh Khanna only appeared for 5 minutes in this movie and made the song a hit - such was the RK mania.

I chose this song because you get to see my beautiful city of Mumbai and because my class saw this movie together as part of our Hindi subject "excursion" when we were in standard 7.


Youtube - Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana


Jis Gali Mein - from Kati Patang with Asha Parekh

Such a beautiful song, they don't make songs like this now and in my view the actors of today simply could not pull off a song like this.


Youtube - Jis Gali Mein



Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli - Life is a riddle - from Anand

I think this movie (in my opinion) was Rajesh Khanna's best acting performance ever. And tragically the end for him in reality came in the same way as in the movie.


Youtube - Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli

Zindagi kaisi hai paheli, kabhi to hasaye, kabhi ye rulaye
Life is a riddle, sometimes it makes you laugh and sometimes it makes you cry.

RIP Rajesh Khanna.



Warm Regards

UBC 15 - Endings

Post 15 for the Ultimate Blogging Challenge on the prompt from Thursday Writer's Post - Endings

I hate endings so when this prompt came up, my mind went completely blank.

However, as always, at some point, every prompt triggers a flood of inspiration and ideas so here's my post, many weeks later for the prompt.

Yesterday was my last day at work. I've been working in this organisation for 5 months and I worked with an awesome group of people.

I am now chilling at home for a couple of weeks before I start my new job.

But back to the endings ...

6 weeks ago I got told at work, along with about 7 others, that our contracts were being terminated as there wasn't enough work for us. My manager gave us 6 weeks notice - unheard of while contracting - but then she is an awesome, compassionate person and terminating our contracts was not of her doing.

So began the quest for another role - which happily I have found and will be starting at the new place in a few weeks. I've worked there before and I was happy there so I am so relieved and excited to be working there again. As they say ... every cloud has a silver lining.

I was given a very sweet farewell and a lovely card from co-workers that even though I've only known for a short time have become good friends.  They were such a fun bunch of people.

But things happen for a reason. And all endings are the beginnings of something new and wonderful.

Here's my lovely card from my awesome workmates that I will cherish.

When the clouds appear in your life, I wish you many silver linings and wonderful new beginnings.


Warm Regards