"Why Me ?"

I am back with my 'Mind over matter' stories. Somehow these stories and thoughts inspire me , give me courage , reinstate my faith and make me happy whenver I am down.

So this story is very similar to the one I had written in my earlier blog about Hemant trivedi. This is about the legendary Wimbeldon player , Aurthur Ashe. He was dying of Aids which he got infected due to the blood he received during a heart surgery in the early 1980's.

He received 'Get Well Soon' wishes from his fans from allover the world. In one of the fan mails , the fan wrote," Why did God ever choose you to go through this disease?"

Aurthur made it a point to reply to this particular fan. In his reply , Aurthur said, "Around the world 5 crore children start playing Tennis , 50 lakh continue playing tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis , 50000 come to the tennis circuit, 5000 reach the Grand Slam, 50 reach the wimbeldom, 4 to the semis , 2 to the finals. When I was holding the Cup , I never asked God ," WHY ME?"And today when in pain I still should not be asking him........"

After a long time...

Ahh! I cannot believe that its been more than 3 months since I have not updated my blog. Not that it matters to many or may be anyone , but then its good to continue what you have started. Finally today I have found some time to sit down and update the blog.

A lot of things happened since april 17th. Not that I recollect every detail , but some events that happened were

1. April 29th - A new haircut. After a long survey online and friends here , I finally found a stylist for my haircut. I have always been very choosey when it came to my haircuts.If you wonder why this was an important event then let me tell you that I have changed my stylist only twice in 10 years. So finding ONE in this unknown place was quite a task I must say. But in the end ,I was happy with the outcome. But I still miss my stylist back in India.
2. June 2nd -25th birthday. My first birthday away from home and without my parents. But then Shaunak made it really special for me. Midnight cake cutting and then a nice thai diiner on the day. I enjoyed it all.
3. June 3- Vacation time My first trip to the Mid west and the east coast. This was also my first solo air travel ever. It was an amazing experience. I visited my cousins in Chicago. I also got the opportunity to explore the city all by myself. After Being born and brought up in a palce like Mumbai , traveling in the city alone was not atall a challege. And then there was my cell phone, Shaunak and google maps to help me if I needed any help. I think such experinces make you feel independent and confident.
4. June 6th-Meet the parents' is what happened next. My inlaws were in US for a while and got to spend more time with them than their two kids. We visited our relatives on the east coast and had a lot of fun. Post marriage I had not got the opportunoty to exclusively spending time with them
5. June 14th was Shaunak's Graduation walk.. We came back from the East Coast after a 10 day long vacation on June 13. June 14th we attended the walk. What a grand ceremony it was! Felt so proud to watch him take the walk and being hooded by his two guides. But not more than what his mom and dad were feeling. It was such a proud moment for them. I could see it in their eyes. It was then that I felt that I cannot experince what they were feeling as parents.
6. June 15th -June 19th The following week passed really fast. The feeling of being a daughter in law was now sinking into me.. Planning everything right from breakfast to dinner , I was all set to show them my culinary skills. I must say they were very impressed. . We visited Solvang, LA and a few places in and around Santa Barbara. Everything was soo much fun.
7. June 20th-See off Parents. Didnt realise how time passed. Their 21 day trip was now in its last leg.
8. June 21st Six Months. Both of us were a little down and sad after the parents left, but then Sunday was a day to celebrate and get back into mood..It was our 6th month wedding anniversary. And like our evrey month anniversary we also celebrated this one in grand fashion. But unlike our traditional cake cutting this time we opened a Bottle Of Wine and rejoiced.
9. June 21 till date... Life has been very much a routine and I am still enjoying my housewife/homemaker status without being bored...

Agassi on his last Grand Slam

This is what Andre Agassi had to say when he lost his last Grand Slam..

"The scoreboard says I lost, but what it doesn't say is what I have found over the last 21 years. I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and in my life. I have found inspiration and you have willed me to win, Over the last 21 years I have found you and I will take you with me for the rest of my life".

The Crack(ed) Pot...

Once there was a water bearer who used to supply water to his master who lived up in the hill. The water bearer used to carry two pots of water tied to the end of the pole which he carried across his neck. He used to fill both the pots with water and walk all the way up to the hill. But one of his pots had a crack in it and the water in it used to leak. By the time the water bearer reached his masters place ,the cracked pot would only be half filled. This happened for days. But the bearer never mended this pot.
Then one day , the cracked pot decided to have a conversation with the water bearer. He said ,"I am really sorry for my acts and I feel guilty". The water bearer replied,"My dear , you are guilty of what. You have done nothing wrong". The pot said," I am ashamed of myself. For the past so many months i have a crack in me and i can deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts".
The bearer only smiled at this and asked the pot to look around as they walked up the hills to his masters palce. The pot saw beautiful flowers all the way . When they almost reached teh masters palce , the bearer asked him ,"My dear , did u see the flowers?" The pot replied,"Ya I did , but that doesnt lessen my guilt. I am still sorry for my act."
The bearer smiled nad replied ,"Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For months I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Shoes..

One day Mahatma Gandhi was boarding a train when one of his shoes slipped off and fell on the track. Before he could get down to get it, the train gained motion. Then he took off the other shoe and threw it on the track. The people in the compartment were surprised to see this act of Gandhi. When asked why he did this, he answered, "The poor man who finds them on the track will now have pair to use".

The most Heinous Crime.....

With the "Mira Road rape incident" hitting the head lines on almost every newspaper everyday, it makes me sulk. Horrifying ,isnt it? Defies the very sacntity of a father daughter relationship. Seems that the victims mother knew about all this , but opted to be silent as her husband did not object to her extra marital affair with the "so called tantrik". The father and tantrik also raped the younger daughter. Now the tantrik is ready to marry off his son to the younger daughter and not the elder because he thinks that she is too used...
The Indian Penal code 1860 imposes a punishment of minimum seven years..Such types of rape cases do not qualify for a capital punishment .Rape is probably the most heinous crimes that can be ever committed. I think these rapist should be 'castrated'. Then it will be the Human Rights organizations who would come forward and object to all this saying that every human even a criminal has a right to life." Human"? are such persons even humans?..
I remember watching a movie a few years back, It was called "Zakhmi Aurat" Its about women who have been raped and how they get revenge by castrating the rapists.
I may sound too harsh , but ...............

Faith...

Walt Disney died much before the much awaited opening o his second Theme Park in Florida.At the opening ceremony a person said to Walt Disney's brother."It is a shame that your brother did not live to see this." To this the brother replied '"Oh , yes he saw it and that is why it is here".

When he was a boy he asked his mother what was the happiest moment in her life. She replied,"This moment , right now". He further asked, "What about all the happy moments you had in your life say for example your marriage , my birth?" She said ,:Happiest moment then was then. My happiest moment now is now.You can really live in the moment you are in. And that requires unflinching faith".

Jesus was known to be a great healer. His faith was such that he could even raise the dead from the grave. The Holy Bible narrates one of Jesus's most memorable healing incidents. There was a woman who was suffering from serious hemorrhaging . She tried all medications possible but that did not help. But she had faith in Lord Jesus and she believed that if she could even touch the hem of the Lord's garment she cud be healed. She followed Jesus , touched him and was cured. When this happened Jesus turned around and asked who touched his feet. No one came forward. Peter who was accompanying Jesus wonder why Jesus was curious to know when he was surrounded by a big crowd. To this the Lord answered,"It was someone who deliberately touched me . I could feel the healing power go out from me.!"

Faith is to believe what we do not see. And the reward of faith is to see what we believe