A tryst with Destiny

A few days back I was visiting a friend. Since I was visiting her for the first time, I had to spend some time locating the house. Finally I got into the lane of her house. Now, I wasnt sure as to where her house was on that lane , and also if there was any parking space near her house. So when I saw a parking space at the start of the lane , I parked my car, and started walking towards her house.

I had walked around 20 steps, when out of the blue, I saw a crow sitting like a duck on the road, nigh the middle of the road. Deciding to not pay too much attention to the crow, I walked past it. But then, damn! I could not contain my curiosity. So I turned around and walked back. On looking at the crow closely, I noticed that the crow must have been a "teenage crow". i.e. It wasnt a fully grown adult, but then it was not a child too. Hmm ! Interesting! I thought.

I went close to it , wondering what was making it sit like that in the middle of the road. I suspected that it was injured but I wasnt sure. Overwhelmed with compassion, I sat down besides it and stroked its back. The crow got up a little , walked two or three steps and sat again. With a sad understanding smile on my face, I got up. I suddenly became aware of a lot of loud crowing around me . Above me on the electric poles were two adult crows that were watching this one. ( Maybe its parents ! not sure ). But they, sure were, very protective of this little one. Suddenly, one of the crows from the top, dives , touches my hair with its feet and flies off ! I was completely surprised, stunned and angry . I almost felt like shouting at the crows on the top - I just want to help !! The child will be trampled over by any vehicle that goes on this road !!

I knew, the crows would not understand and there was nothing much I could do to help this little one, so I went over to my friend's place. I told her about this injured crow - she had been aware of it , but wasn't much bothered. With a concerned look, I turned around and looked at the injured crow from the balcony of her first floor house, looked at its parents and then went inside the house. I spent about half an hour with her - when I got a call on my mobile. I wanted to talk to the person in private and so I came out to the balcony. I saw the crow still lying there and the helpless parents crowing their throats off.

I started talking to the person on the phone, when I saw a guy , backing his car from the garage of his house and starting to go in the direction of the crow. I was shocked and before I could say anything, the man had driven over this child crow ! All this as I was still on the phone and shouting 'Oh no! Ohhhh NO!! ". Before I could do anything, the deed was done . I ran downstairs and rushed towards the child to see if there was anything I could do. The child, though, was fatally injured. As I neared the child, this adult crow again scooped and hit me on my hair !

I felt so very powerless !! I walked back immediately. But the crows were so suspicious of me now , that the parent dived and hit me again on my hair, even though I was no where near the child. Sad :(

Disheartened I called my friend, who loved animals, to ask her what I could do in such a situation . She consoled me and said there was nothing much to be done, since the crow was now anyway a body and nature would take care.

I returned back - thinking of what an experience I had had that day !

On a positive note, for the first time in my life, first hand, I had experienced how close-knit crows were as a family. For the first time, I had actually communicated with nature and a bird family. The experience though sad, was gratifying and humbling.

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Perspectives and Intention

I assist a lot at Landmark Education. This particular day, I was supporting the leader who was leading the session for the next two days. This leader is a very senior leader and had asked me for specific food requirements . He had asked me to give him juice every hour , salads for lunch, and asked me to give me peanuts at 3 pm.

At 3 pm , I asked one of the other male assisting person , to go and get the peanuts. He went and came back with masala peanuts. :( Now , the leader hadnt mentioned what kind of peanuts he wanted, but looking at his other food requirements , I was almost sure that he wanted plain roasted peanuts. I discussed this with the guy who had gone and gave him a piece of my mind about not asking me before buying the peanuts. This guy kept defending himself and said, 'Give and see- it might be ok ' . Much against my prudence, I gave the leader a bowl of masala peanuts.

Within 5 mins, the leader calls me aside and says - 'I cannot have this, since this is bad for my health'.

Damn ! I thought !
But instead and going out and getting the roasted peanuts immediately, I thought I would go in the next break.

After half an hour , when I went out, I saw the leader eating off the whole bowl of masala peanuts. He called me to his side and told me - Veena , see , if you dont get me what I want, I will end up eating this junk food -and this is not good for my health. I felt ashamed of myself for procrastinating bringing the roasted peanuts and immediately went out to get what the leader wanted.

Five minutes after I came back, the assisting guy who had got me the masala peanuts , called me aside. With a twinkle in his eyes and mischievous smile, he tells me - 'You said na, that the masala peanuts are not good for the leaders health - you were wrong - the leader has eaten off the whole bowl of it ! :) ' For a moment I was too stunned to speak.

I then saw so very clearly how the same action can look so different or give a different perspective to two people who are in the same circumstance. The action of the leader which had made me feel ashamed , had made this guy feel mischievously happy.

After all, its not what you do , but the intention behind the action that is important. It is not what you interpret but the perspective with which you interpret that gives meaning to the situation.

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A Kind Gesture :)

The post was written yesterday night..
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Today, I was being told by my Ma in law that rice in the house was over and she was repeatedly requesting me to go and get rice. I kept dodging her the whole day and said I would bring it in the afternoon, then at noon I said I would bring it in the evening. And then it was 9.30 pm, and I had still not got the rice - and there was no rice to cook for the next day .

I put my jacket on, took my helmet and rushed to the nearby 'Reliance Mart'. I was there at 9.50. And I wanted to rush in before their closing time at 10 pm. When I see the scooter parking guy coming towards me with a ticket in hand. In Reliance mart, if you take a parking coupon, you can use it through out the day. I don't look at him, keep my eyes focused on the entrance of the reliance mart and tell him - 'Give me the ticket.. Give me quick - I want to be in before ten ' .. The guy looks at me, then his watch and then Reliance mart - and says - you go in , I will give you the ticket when you return.

Heaving a sigh of relief , I rush in, do my quick shopping and return back. The parking guy now comes to me. And I smile at him, and get my Rs. 5 out to give him his dues. He gives me a ticket, that has a date for the next day and says - 'Come tomorrow madam - Come any no. of times tomorrow - Parking will be free' . I am completely confused as to what this guy is saying.

He smiles at me understandingly and says - Since you came so late in the day, I gave you a coupon for tomorrow - you can come tomorrow and park your vehicle for free ..

I was touched. Not that I needed the five rupees that I earned, Not that he was giving up on some huge amount by doing this gesture - but I was moved by the gesture itself. I am sure, the parking fellow went home feeling fulfilled that he got a smile on another person's face .

Have you encountered moments of selflessness like that. Do share .. :)

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Smile the week away :)

This week I felt like putting up two of my all time favorites. Both of these songs are peppy and lively . Check them out



Love this song for the way Kishore Kumar has sung this song :)



Besides the song itself, which is beautiful, I love this song for the picturisation and the expressions Waheeda Rehmaan has managed to bring out on her face in this song.

Heres hoping that these songs bring a smile on your faces ! Share your favorite songs too .. !

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Masti !

Around 3 years back, there was a time , when all of us cousins had become busy in our professional lives and friends. And then, periodically, one of us would have this bolt from the blue that we hadn't spent enough time with our families. And we would quickly arrange for a family get together - a lunch, a dinner , a movie or simply an outing.

So this evening, one of my cousins, J , had been struck by this bolt..She called us( rather me ) and said - Akka, I have heard of this fantastic movie that is released.. My friends tell its really great and is a laugh riot . Lets take the family out. And I say -yes ! lets do it! And this time, lets take dodda( Dodda is short for Doddamma- we call our granny as dodda ) out too. Why should she stay at home when the whole family is out !! Excitement begins. We gather all our family. Mom fumes and protests about the last minute update and about the fact that we want to take dodda out.( Dodda has arthritis on both her legs, and has difficulty walking around ) Mausi gets ready grudgingly. Dad too, with great difficulty, comes home early to come with us. But yes.. ! the whole family including dodda were coming.. ! Wow!

We arrange for the cars , and the transport, and all of us are at the hall well in time.. for the MOVIE .! which is .- MASTI !!! the rest as they say is Masti !! for all of us cousins.. !!( Those of you who have not watched the movie, :) you must watch it once :) hehhe :) )

Dad tried hard to say that he really enjoyed the movie. :| Mom was more vocal. :) Aunty was disgusted. And the cousins - needless to say we did not know where to hide ourselves :)

But the best reaction of all was that of Dodda's.. she was totally calm, composed, unshaken , and peaceful..

So, much to say about culture, education, and the changing times.. :)

At different ages in our lives, we are significant about different areas of our life.

A child may be touchy about - well.- :( ( is a child touchy about anything ?? ) :P . A teenager about building up the base for his career, friendships. An adult about how well he is doing in his life, his responsibilities, his relationships - maintaining his reputation in the world .

Once the age passes, and as we get more realized, we grow beyond those areas that we are so significant about - because at the end of it, nothing but happiness and your sense of self realization is important in life.

So much to learn from you Dodda! So much !

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