Get a Life – GET YOUR LIFE

Aww!! I look awful and feel terrible, said Reema to her cousin Nandini on the phone.  What am I doing of life? I am just working day in and day out, managing home, kids, cooking, swabbing, cleaning and that’s it!!!!

It was Monday morning and Nandini had just reached office.  She saw 3 missed calls from Reema and she thought that maybe she should call back.  The first thing she did was to call Reema and this is what fell on her ears. Reema sounded really low and she did not know what to do.  She had been working before marriage - marriage, two kids was becoming too much to handle for her. 

Nandini had somehow managed to strike a balance between family and in laws and her kid and was satisfied more or less.  We always feel that the other side of the pasture is always green till we actually get to it.  Reema had help, her husband was well known in the corporate world.  She had all the luxuries that a corporate guy’s wife could ask for. A chauffeur driven car, the best restaurants, the best travel, luxury salons – what else was missing.  Yes, Nandini was just trying to figure out what is that vaccum that Reema was engulfed in and what is it that she was missing out.

It is just that small change in hormones which can suddenly make you feel as if you are at receiving end.  Yes, it could be the 40 plus syndrome.  Nandini immediately gathered her wits. They met on a weekend.  Reema spoke her mind out.  Yes, she was missing the corporate life and she was missing it terribly. She felt she had nothing to look forward to and it was the dreary routine day in and day out.  Nandini asked her to enroll for a yoga class nearby or may be something that she wanted to do(but never got the opportunity to do), probably try out a new hair style, consciously get dressed up and go for a morning walk and to give time to herself and think of something that she could manage from home. Yes, all this was possible, but at times, we just ignore these small things which may make up for the big things in life which we may regret years later.

Nandini asked Reema to meet her after a month. Yes, Reema was definitely a changed woman. She had a brimming smile and was looking much younger than what she looked probably four weeks back.  It’s just about making this small change in our life.  At times, simple words and gestures from someone can change the way you look at your life.  It could be a really big turning point for many of us.

At times, we switch off from the world, switch off from our life itself.  But for how long will we love to sit in this darkness?  A little of conscious shift in our routine, just a little change will help us to bounce back and believe me, it works wonders.

We need to get a life – GET OUR LIFE!!!

Love always

Rekha

Love knows no relations – It just happens!

He (Ram) had just graduated from his engineering college at Trichy and he arrived in Mumbai, totally unaware of what was in store for him.  He had received  a call for a written test and interview at one of the top Engineering MNC companies.  It was his first trip to Mumbai and life had just started for him at a corporate level.

He landed straight in (her) Reva’s home and was welcomed by Reva’s amma who was his first cousin.  Reva was Ram’s niece who was all of sweet sixteen.  Bubbly, chirpy and chattering all the way and they were complete opposite poles. The smile on her face was captivating and little did he know that he had fallen for that innocent smile (just like the ones you read in Mills and Boon novels) – Love at first sight.

Reva was not even aware that Ram had secretly begun to love her.  A little extrovert and someone who would call a spade a spade had many a times not responded or was rather curt when he approached her for some help, be it for shopping or when it came to guiding him, considering he was new to Mumbai. But still he was mesmerized by her.  All Reva knew was studies and just wanted to top in her tenth exams.  Ram had just completed a month in Mumbai and he got his first salary. That evening he got cakes for the entire family, knowing very well that Reva loved cakes especially the chocolate filled ones. She dug her nails into the cake and ate it like a child.

The joy of getting the cakes was much more than the first salary.  But Ram could never express his love verbally to Reva for fear that it might not be accepted. After all she was his niece and knowing well that marriage within the family may result in complications.

Years later, they met again at some common relative’s marriage.  Both of them happily married, but first love is something so beautiful and only he knew it.  He had loved her first and last!!!!

Rekha Mahadevan

Mesmerize Life Such That It Can’t Take Off Its Eyes Off You

BLOGPOST 122

Heya! Does this ring a bell or does it sound as if someone is telling you this.  Life tells you this in one way or the other through varied incidences that you go through. But do we listen or are we aware of what it is telling?  Yes, we do get to hear these murmurs on and off as gentle reminders which we just tend to shrug off. We wait for all life for the perfect time, day, week, month, year….  Totally unaware of the fact that the time gone is gone and it is never going to rewind itself, just because you have now become aware that the time gone is gone.

So what do we do about these? Let’s be honest. We have one life and we all want to live it like there’s no tomorrow. But we try and put it off? Reasons could be anything – may be doubt, fear or may be just laziness.  Do we have the time to let go off it.  I don’t think so.  Life just happens and in between the happening, we sort of tend to live or we assume we are living.

Come to think of it, we ask too many complicated questions to Life little realizing that the answers to those may be simple. The time to live completely is NOW.  Life turns back at you and has to say:

Yeah, she is one of a kind

She feared no one; she was not a hypocrite,

She spoke her mind out

She laughed like no one’s watching

I swear “Can’t take off my eyes off her”.

She surprises me every time, I challenge her.

Yes, she is one of a kind

I am not ashamed to say

I am in love with her

And I fear I may lose her

Holy Cow, what’s happening?

Yes, she is one of a kind

But I am not ready

She swept me off my feet

I am mesmerized by her

I challenged her though

Yet, she has a twinkle in her eyes

Yes, she is one of a kind

What is this challenge about

Am I being challenged

If it’s a challenge, so be it

Yes, she is one of a kind

I love her like nobody’s business

Yes, she is one of a kind

 ...................  Rekha Mahadevan

Live life, Love life     

Rekha

HOW PEOPLE TREAT IS YOU THEIR KARMA- How you react is yours

BLOGPOST 121

I have taken this quote from one of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s quotes and I love this quote. Everytime I read and re-read it, this does make sense to me and I love to enter into the gravity of it and understand it and want to understand it even better the next time.

All of us in some point in our lives have been let down by own friends, family (whom our world revolves around) and there is so much we expect from them – could be knowingly or unknowingly.  Over time, we do get possessive about people, things and situations in life.  We want things and people to behave in a particular fashion, just because we may not want to leave our comfort zone or be treated in a particular manner. So is this right or wrong?  May be right, may be wrong!

What if we expect less?  There is space or may we call it “THE VACUUM” when we expect less from others.  Use this vacuum in a positive way and fill it up with activities that you have always wanted to do, checking out places that you wanted to go, but never got the time because you were just engulfed in that small sphere that you had created. When one gives space, it is easier to breathe and you are also allowing the other person to breathe without being too possessive.

There are times when we do not feel one with the family, one with friends, one with office colleagues. I call these BLUE days.  “BLEED BLUE” sounds so energetic right? – Yayyy Cricket !  But when BLUE is spelled just as it is, it does not sound really good, isn’t it? Start accepting BLUE as something nice as it gives time to understand your own self. At times, being with oneself is truly enigmatic and exotic - try it out !

“Expect/Expectation” is indeed a heavy word and if this heavy word takes over you, it may not be always a pleasant experience.  When you delete this from your life dictionary, you are shedding a lot of weight from your life.!  Though, easily said than done, it works.  Wish it was true for our physical weight as well –hahaha – jokes apart!!

It took time for me to delete the “Expecations” and fill it up with joyful VACCUM, micron by micron.  This does work and it works wonderfully provided you allow it to make an entry.

Love

Rekha

p.s  I love every thing about BLUES

Speak to your Body and Soul- They are waiting to hear you out

This is just something that I have been thinking of since many days.  Out of the 24 hours that we have in a day, we have all the time to listen to one and all, our husband, our kids, our office colleagues, neighbours…. The list goes on.  How many times have you spoken to your own body and soul?  I haven’t done it all these years, but yesterday was something different.

There are so many things that our body and our inner self want to convey to us, but we are so busy in our schedule that we try and put it off -  No, procrastinate it, I would say. May be we could define our body as a child.  Just imagine the child has so many things to share to their mother once the day is over.  We try and squeeze time to listen to our kids, because somehow we want them to be happy and you can see the glee on their faces when they recite the day’s incidences to us.  Why not apply the same rule to our body that takes all the trouble to swim us through the entire day, week, month, years... 

Out of the 24 hours, even if we spend atleast 24 minutes in a day, speaking to ourselves and expressing gratitude to our wonderful body, don’t you think it will not respond back to us?  Oh! 24 minutes is a slightly longer time I agree, may be just break it down into 12 minutes a session, I bet that’s not too much demanding for sure.

I am beginning to realize this very honest truth and consciously made an effort to thank each and every part of my body to tell that I simply love you for bearing me through this journey, helping me do all the things that I wish to do and gracing me with the abundance of so many emotions and feelings. Had it not been for the mind and brain, I would never in this life time been able to savour this beauty called LIFE.

When I was doing this consciously, even without my realizing, tears welled up and I did not know why.  May be I had never thanked my body good enough and I am realizing it only when I am 40+.  But it’s never too late to start anything.  Be in a Meditative state is what I have heard from many.  For me yesterday, speaking to myself and my body felt as if I was in a meditative state and I loved it completely and it was blissful.

Love you all,

Cheers!!!!

Rekha

The Selphie Fever – Selfie Pullai (Tamil Slang)

Hahahh- yes, you heard it right.  All through our Chennai visits, we (oops to be precise Maddy) made it sure he mastered the art of taking selfies, because all thru the visit we have been all alone.  Clicking selfies is fun as long as you are able to click it in the right way.  Moreso, if you wish the backdrop to be captured.

Yes, we did it!!! Initially, the “so called selfies” only covered the plants, trees and the chirping birds, but with practice comes near perfection.   With hi end phones and gadgets, I am sure in the near future, we will no longer need photographers for the wedding and it will all be only selfie pullai photos. While travelling in the local today, I imagined this scenario with the bride and the groom clicking selfies after selfies.  Its pun intended of course, no offence.  Can we do without these wedding cameramen.  Obviously no.  The art of clicking pics has obviously changed.  I remember during my wedding, the photographer took great pride in saying that he could capture mine and Maddy’s pic inside the murukku (Chakli as we call in Hindi).  Creativity eh!!

That was no enough, so to say,  we were inside every SWEET – APPAM, ADIRASAM and even MYSOREPAK – hahahah.  Hey, but we loved it then and even now.  It brings a smile of course.

Wish the Selfie pullai fever was there then………, I can imagine me and Maddy taking selfies and the selfie pullai song being played in the background.  Agar bas chale, tho they would have ensured we even danced to that tune and I would have enthusiastically done those Bollywood steps and would have scored ten on ten on those.  Maddy I beat you on that!!!

More in my next blog!! Till then keep selfieeeng- Ek Selfie ho jaaye!!!! A selfie a day keeps insecurities away.

Luv

Rekha

Slaves to routine – Thou Name is Human

After the 2 week Chennai trip, I am back to routine or grind as people call it.  But come to think of it, this is what makes us and gives an identity to us. Every thing that we handle in our routine life, be it the smallest of things gives us that sense of connect.  The kitchen utensils that I handle, the feel of my gas burner, the lighter, the water flowing from my kitchen tap, the kitchen towel everything has a personal touch.

The morning chants –the ‘OM’ that lingers in the atmosphere, the agarbatti that I light up – everything combined has a beautiful effect on what makes ME.

My Chennai trip (rather I would call it our Chennai trip – this includes me and Maddy) was a mix of those magnificent temples from the Maangadu Devi temple to Kancheepuram to Pondicherry to visiting the Marina beach.  Beautiful memories of the visit and unforgettable memories of the time spent with my sister.  It completed our trip.   We enjoyed all the places, eating out at Saravana bhavan, Anand Bhavan and the authentic South Indian restaurants of Chennai and Kancheepuram. Initially, I was a bit skeptical of the bus travel, especially the long distance visits – the reasons for my thinking were definitely logical.

l was not quite comfortable with the thought of travelling continuously for three to four hours in the bus, more so because in Mumbai we are so much used to travel by trains. But things were different. I must admit that Chennai has excellent transport, especially when it comes to buses.  What about autos?  This is the next question?  Make sure you have done your pranayama and meditation first thing in the morning and have religiously taken your ATEN 50 (for your information – these are blood pressure tablets).  Arguing and debating with the autowallahs to even drop you to nearby places is going to take a toll on your health and that’s period.  Many of the rickshaw wallahs will clearly read from your face that you are not from Chennai and they know they can take you for a ride. Chennai being a round city, you will be driven round and round (without your even realizing)- the closest of the auto fares is anything between 100 to 120 Rs.  So guys, get ready to loosen your purse strings, if you are not ready to board the bus.

The bus travel was really comfortable thanks to the beautiful weather of Chennai (Chennai is beautiful between January to February) and quite pleasant.   We saw lush green fields on the way and the cool breeze blowing made me think that yehhhh, travel is something that is truly pleasurable.  The announcements at the bus stop and the fleet of buses that continuously ply on different routes are amazing and wonderful managed and definitely worth documenting. Chennai is known for its excellent point to point bus services.  Our trip to Chennai would not have been complete without getting the sweets and savouries from Adayar Anand Bhavan, Surya Sweets. Beautiful memories, lovely vacation!!!

Luv

Rekha