The Power of 70:30 ratio- Think about it !!!!

I have the same number of hours in a Day that Beyonce has !!!

I recently read a wonderful article about the rule of 70:30 and I was thoroughly impressed.  With common sense prevailing in me most of the times, I have always believed in the theory of 70 to 30.  But at times, the monkey mind goes on a tangent and my mind keeps swaying.  The easiest thing for me to try and cover this with a rhetoric “I am human”.

I actually did an inventory of the stuff that I have got and believe me close to 60% are things that I hardly use or use very rarely. There are stuff that gets accumulated, savings that are going to go unused.  There are moments when we love to do something but think of how our bank balance will take a drop.  Don’t do this!!! There is never ever going to be a rewind button in your LIFE.  So do what you wish to as this segment of life is not going to return back to you, even if you wish to.

We work hard for money, freeze it up in Fixed Deposits and compromise on time that we could have beautifully spent for our family and friends.  There is no intention to undermine or underestimate the importance of money and I will never do so, having personally gone through monetary crisis early in my teens.  So I genuinely understand how important money can be.

Having said that, these 86400 seconds of Life that we get everyday are truly wonderful.  With every day that passes, these many number of seconds get deducted from our lives. The reason for me to state this humongous figure of 86400 is not to depress you or myself but to simply get back those chords of life that we somehow have ignored or have forgotten. It’s better to be late than never.

So think about it !!

Luv to All

Rekha

She is Shakthi !!!!– I see her in the form of a Mother, Sister, Daughter

The reason for me to define my conscience as Goddess is just that I am able to relate to the feminine form, Shakthi.  There is peace in me when I think about her, see her and it is this reason that draws me to the temple, irrespective of whether she is a presiding deity or not. 

When I visit the temple on Tuesdays and Fridays, the first thing that I want to see is how beautiful she looks in the beautifully draped saree with vibrant colors like red, blue, orange, yellow and green.  These are colors that I personally love. There is a sense of calmness and peace that I get when I see her and my entire being is filled with contentment.  I love to read the Mahisasuramardini stothram and the Lalitha Sahasranamam. It is more out of love and a sense of belonging when I read them and not merely to satiate the religious beliefs that I read the shlokas. 

I recently read an article on scientific reasons to visit the temple and it somehow configured with my thinking as well.  The positive energy emitting from the lamps that are lit, the fragrance of the flowers and the camphor being lit somehow create the right vibrations and energy that we somehow may or may not experience in our homes. 

This is one thing I have wanted to write since a long time.  For me another beautiful aspect of visiting the temple is to dress up beautifully, wear flowers and wear something that makes me feel good.  Everytime I wear something new, I want to go and show her (The Devi) what I am wearing. It gives me a feeling that I am visiting my home and showing it to my own Mother.  Believe it or not, I have a feeling that the Devi has a twinkle in her eyes and she smiles back at me and there is happiness from within.

I see her as a friend, a sister, a mother, a daughter –She appears to be in every FORM.

Luv

Rekha

Accept and Appreciate your INDIAN Curves - Confidence is skin deep and FLESH DEEP too.

The very reason for me to write on Curves on this blog is for many of my friends and women out there who are not happy with their bodies.  I have a lot of my friends complaining about the bulges and a little flab here and there and literally leading their lives with the only motto of LOSING WEIGHT.  Many out there are not happy with their bodies for whatever reasons.  It’s a sincere request from my side that we need to change our thinking and just see how wonderfully our body responds.  Sending out wrong signals to our body is only going to cause more stress and depression.

I come across a lot of teens nowadays who starve themselves and want to look as thin and skinny trying to ape the West.  With no offence meant to anyone, I personally feel that as Indians we are endowed with a beautiful skin and well-endowed body.  For me, an Indian woman is blessed with the right curves, a beautiful body and each one of us need to be proud of it.  Curves have been and will always remain and the sooner we accept it, the easier it is going to be for us.

Trends would come and go, but CURVES STILL RULE.  A healthy complexion, be it a wheatish complexion or a tanned skin is going to look beautiful on the Indian woman.   There is absolutely no need for us to ape the West.  The Westerners have  mind of their own.  Let’s have ours too.  We have seen most of our celebrities and media representing INDIA at the International level wearing the six yard wonder and looking absolutely stunning in it. I feel happy when I see them receiving awards and accolades and speaking with such confidence and carrying themselves so perfectly.

Just like me, many of my friends are comfortable carrying a Western outfit as well as a saree so confidently and brilliantly.  It is difficult for me to imagine a Westerner wearing a saree minus the curves. 

So be confident in your skin, flesh and mind.  Be happy with your curves as we are blessed to be born in this beautiful country with good climate, 4 seasons and lot of sunshine.  Everything about India is beautiful and natural. So why not your curves ?  Think about it  !!!!

Signing off for now!!!

Luv

Rekha

Amma Pleazzzzzzzzzzzz- The Umbilical Cord connect

"Amma" Pleazzzzzzzzzzzz- The Umbilical Cord connect

First of all wishing all mothers a very very Happy Mother’s Day

After a break, I am here wishing all the Mothers on this beautiful planet a very very Happy Mother’s Day. On this day, I want to thank my "Amma" for having given me this beautiful life.  Most of the times, life has been fair to me and of course beautiful and during the not so beautiful times, I call out “Amma Please”.  For me she is the placebo, when she is around and when I just see her I feel good.  Just like any other child, I have my bouts of fights, arguments and bouts of moods, but she is there for me, I know.

The mother daughter relationship strengthens when we become mothers.  We are able to relate to her in a better fashion.  The same is true for me as well.   The relationship that I share with my daughter is different from the one that I share with my mother.  I am her mother, friend, confidante (most of the times). 

A woman has the natural instincts of a mother even when she is very young.  She plays the role of a mother when she is an elder sister and has siblings around. She again becomes a mother to her parents when they are aging.  She also plays the role of a mother to her husband.  We have multifaceted roles to play and MOTHERS are truly a rare species.

When we are down are not feeling good about ourselves, the first person to know that we are not okay is our mother.  What is this connect, it is the umbilical cord connect which only a mother and child knows.  When we are happy, they are happy, when we are sad, her heart cries.  The magic of the umbilical cord is such that we can never separate ourselves from our mother.

The only day when your mother smiled when you cried-  Such a beautiful statement made by Dr. Kalam. 

Love you so much "Amma" for being there for me always!!

Love to all and love your moms, you only get one life and one MOM.

Rekha Mahadevan

Happy Vishu to all of us - Vishu is happiness and prosperity personified

Happy Vishu to all of us  - Vishu is symbolic of loads of happiness, good luck and prosperity.

The festival of Vishu for me symbolizes lots of goodies, konnapoo (yellow flowers).   My appa loves these konnapoo, I will be posting pics of the konnapoo.  These yellow flowers represent freshness and how we should take every new day as a fresh day and write new beautiful chapters to our life.  So I love you Vishu, for me you represent a larger than life person who walks into our homes every year. You give us a fresh new gift of 365 days and allow us to write on it whatever we wish to. 

Knock Knock on my door at 10 minutes past 4 today.  I wonder who’s this and slowly make my way to the main door.  I see a radiantly smiling individual with fresh new clothes and big goody bag in his hand.   My initial response is to open the door immediately, but good sense tells me that I should first check before letting someone in. I ask “ Who’s this” ?   Have I seen you before,  I don’t seem to recognise your face.  He replies “  Oh don’t you?  You have been waiting for me all year round. I am Vishu, you pray to me and I make a visit to your home every year.  Now will you let me in?  I wish to check out how you have decorated your pooja room this year and want to click snaps to post on FB – I giggle and chuckle and allow this larger than life persona into my home.  His eyes swell with joy and happiness when seeing the small decoration that my daughter Jyothi managed this year.  I was happy on seeing the satiated look and satisfaction on his face.  I know happiness is here to stay.

This year’s Vishu is also special and has been satisfying as our Dubai trip was so full of joy. Met some wonderful and beautiful people.  It is difficult for me, Maddy and Jyo to put down in mere words the love, hospitality showered on us by one and all on our trip to Dubai.  These are abtract as everyone knows and we can definitely not quantify these and I do not wish to do so.  There are a lot of  wonderful incidents that I need to cover about my DBX trip but I have only 500 words to myself for this blogspot.  A big thanks to Ramesh and Uma for the love, warmth and making our trip so very wonderful and worth remembering.

Love always to all of you in encouraging me to pen my thoughts and feelings.

Rekha

P.S. More on my AshtaDubai trip !!!! ( My eight day romance with Dubai)

What is it about you that I love you more everyday – Dedicated to the Mumbai Vadapav!!

                                                

To

Dearest Vadapav,

My Dear Vadapav, I cannot imagine living without you, you are in my deepest thoughts and gastronomic sensualities, when I pass the stall right outside the Mulund station.  I cannot but express how I feel when that smell lingers around and mesmerises my entire entity. It arouses me, how tough, it is for me to let go of you, because you are there in every segment of my body and mind.  I pray that our journey and love for each other continue and that you remain humble (without changing your true essence, taste) and do not get flattered by the so called big joints that somehow are jealous of your presence.  So whatever you are and wherever you are, we will love you, no matter what!!! 

From a Common Mumbaiker

Hey folks, seriously, these could be the thoughts of any Vada Pav lover and being an avid lover I too share the same thoughts.  Though I am a TamBrahm, the love for Vadapav surpasses the love for my staple sambhar rice or Mysore Rasam.  I could still eat a vadapav and feel satiated even after filling my tummy with the conventional South Indian food.   I can completely have it like an appetizer without making a big deal about it and can clearly remember as kids how my face would literally brighten up when my mom used to get these wrapped from the vadapav stall close to my home in Mulund.  (For records: he was Ramesh Vadapav walla and many of my Mulund friends) will be able to relate to it.

Be it a rich, a middle class or a poor Mumbaikar, no one would have got away without trying you for sure.   You pep us up and we feel good literally standing on the streets, eating you and enjoying the experience.

I tried to figure out, the Vadapav as such is like a romantic couple, so much in love with each other.  For me it’s a husband and wife sharing a beautiful bond. There is a dash of sweet chutney with the spicy chutney, which makes life spicy and sweet.  No matter what, they are in love with each other completely and this is what makes it so savory and mouthwatering.   

So heres to you my love!! Vadapav, I love you more so when I unwrap you and eat you with my tea.

So guys, what are you waiting for,  grab her!! She is all yours………

Lov and Blessings Always

Rekha

Live Life for the moment because everything else is uncertain

I loved this line and somewhere there were mixed feelings, I felt sad as well as happy.  These 24 hours of joy and bliss that we are showered on day after day is something that is so beautiful.  I want to use it and enjoy every minute of it.  At times I wonder about how days, weeks and months pass and I have voiced this to Maddy (my husband).  I know that these moments spent with my hubby, my daughter, my family, my friends are never going to come back.  This is true for everyone of us.  But how many of us even sit back and think.  Yes, it is true when we think of this, we may get depressed, that’s the negative side to it. But if we are able to comprehend that this life is precious and that every morning we get up thinking that we are alive, we will never ever want to waste it.

Life is available for a limited time, why spend it judging others, feeling jealous, being greedy and thinking of those unpleasant moments that make us feel low. It’s good to make a shift in terms of our thinking as it lightens us from inside, makes us feel happy and helps us live the life we wish to and on our terms.

I remember my Father (Appa) used to always say “ Rekha, live life on your terms and make sure in the process you do not end up hurting any one’s feelings and emotions” . These words of my Dad are like permanent impressions on my soul and when my soul takes another form, it is surely not going to forget these life teachings.  I am proud that I am trying to incorporate a lot of these in my daily routine and every day is a success for me. Trying to live for the moment, second, minute, hour and day is certainly adding years to my beautiful life and I am truly savoring every minute of it. Certain proverbs truly have a great impact on our lives because it has a lot to do with the manner in which they have been explained to us in our childhood.

I am a big fan of Leo Babauta who writes wonderfully and am inspired by a lot of his thoughts.  We are scared about the future when we actually do not know what the future holds for us.  The moment we start judging things and situations around us, we create negativity, that’s where we tend to weave the web of negativity.  The more we weave, the more we let go of our identity.  The Real YOU gets lost somewhere and in the process we lose ourselves.  But it is still possible to bounce back and that is within our control for sure. I believe in bouncing back quickly after every fall, be it small or big – I guess that’s what makes me strong, from within and outside.

So folks !! Enjoy life, take each day as it comes, never lose out those small beautiful times. 

Blessings Always!!

Rekha