Tag Archives: God

Life

Thanks or Sorry… Choose your day

Image November 28, 2013 jcisnowjs 1 Comment

“Abra Ka Dabra” or “Gili Gili Choo”, magicians would say something like this and magically a handkerchief would transformed into a beautiful pigeon. Magic!!!

I have tried saying those magic words, so many times, but not even once I am able to turn any of my hankies to a bird or even to a cleaner hanky. 😦

But, there are some magic words, not to put a lifeless thing to life, but rather turn a sorrow to a smile or a frown into compassion(Vice Versa too) . “Thanks” and “Sorry” are these magic words.

Today celebrations are going on for Thanksgiving day. I am seeing the grand Thanksgiving parade (not in downtown 😦 but, on TV). Showing all my favorite cartoon characters, beautifully choreographed dances and live songs, big balloons and vibrating atmosphere. Loving it. Kind of reminds me of Republic Parade of India gone wild. 🙂

Thanksgiving is a harvest festival celebrated to say thanks for the harvest season, for the food that we are blessed with. Coming to think of it, in India, almost every festival is centered around the basic theme of harvest. Be it Hindu Calendar‘s new year, Makar Sakranti, Holi, Pongal, Onam, Ugadi or Bihu…. so many of them.

Coming back to the Thanksgiving day, my curiosity took me to thinking, what would a Happy Sorrygiving day would look like? Interesting, right!!!

Just imagine a day when whole extended family is sitting on a big dining table, came together to say sorry to each other for each hurtful actions that they have done. This time, no one wants to go first. Everyone is waiting for others to start. Just then, grandpa stands up and says ”Sorry son, but I have changed my will, and now after my death, all my money is going to my twenty year old girlfriend.”

Grandma‘s turn “oh dear… how should I say, but dear daughter in law, I have never liked you. I am sorry, but you are so ugly. I mean, just look at my son and you….”

Kid’s turn – “Dad and Mom, I am sorry, but I don’t feel sorry for any of my action. Go, shoot me.”

Father’s turn – “Dear wife, I am sorry. But, I think I am gay and I want a divorce. I am now in love with my best friend Gary, soon we will marry.”

Mother’s turn – “I am sorry hubby. But, Gary is not gay. In fact, our kid is actually, his kid.”

A loud thunder and lightning. God’s voice is heard “I am sorry, guys. But, your time is over. Come back, all of you.”

Hmmn….Doesn’t look like a good idea to me, to celebrate this Sorrygiving day. Lets, focus only on Thanksgiving.

On that note, I would like to thank every one who has motivated me and inspired me in my life, my family, my friends, my critics, enemies and above all my dear humorous and fun-loving God. Thanks. Keep smiling 🙂

Balloons Will Fly For Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (newyork.cbslocal.com)

Life

How America is treating me….

Image November 26, 2013 jcisnowjs 9 Comments

I have spent almost half a year in America, and to think of it, it looks like just yesterday, when I landed here.

It was not my dream to come here, yes I am being honest. I have passed on many such opportunities, when I was offered to go to another country for work related assignments. Reasons for not doing so were always personal. Never wanted to leave the people I loved behind. To be frank there is no point in going anywhere, be it the best place on earth, if you don’t have the company of your loved ones.

But, this time was different. I am here with my family, and this is what matters.

We all have some preconceived notions about the foreign countries and the people there. I had some too. Western country meant western influences, fast paced busy lifestyle, no family values, less warmth in relations, racism, no respect for elders and blah blah…. It’s a general notion about western countries, that we people from east of the world has. At least I had. Partially have to blame Manoj Bharat Kumar, for making films like “Purab aur Paschim”, etc…. (You can blame anything on media J )

So, I was talking about the preconceived notions. Some of them I feared seems coming true, when I saw the stiff crew of British Airways. Very British. But, that was just the flight or maybe my disturbed sleep in the long flight.

As soon as we changed to American Airlines, we felt the warmth of smiles around us. Since then, I have happy and smiling faces around me. Coming from a country that boast of its friendly culture, I was surprised to see that Americans seems to be much friendlier. Wherever we are, on the road, in a mall, gym, pool, just anywhere, passerby strangers were greeting us with a short Hi and a broad smile. It does feel welcomed, when people are so gracious.

They are not only courteous but helpful too. From our hotel staff who cleaned our room numerous times (courtesy my three messy kids), with a smile on their face. A friend who despite our first meeting helped us out, and drove us to our hotel when we didn’t find any taxi. She even called her daughter, who was actually sleeping peacefully in her home at that time, to help us. Our neighbor, who volunteered to help us in moving our furniture. The gorgeous ladies in the pool, who helped me in my swimming lessons. Even helped me with one of the swim supports and water goggles. Staff at the gym nursery, who look after my kids, changing them, feeding them, singing and playing with them. My old neighbor who gave a parting gift, a beautiful dressing table, to my daughter Tisha. Everyone that I have met here, seems like a friend.

Recently, one of my friend shared her ordeal. She belonged to south of India and thus had hard time making friends here in USA with the north Indians, Punjabis and Gujaratis living here. She told me that non Indians are more friendlier to her then we people who discriminate based on caste and color. It’s sad but true. I could never have realized it, If I won’t have left my country and came to a foreign land, to experience a new culture.

Another thing that I have noticed, is the ease with which you can be just yourself without ever bothering about what others would think of you. Being a girl, I feel good when no one is ogling at me, no matter what I am wearing. I can walk without any passerby making lewd comments at me, or trying to disrobe me with their eyes. It’s a good feeling. Good to feel respected as a girl.

It feels good when people hold doors for you and your kids, even when you have never seen them before. Good to see cars driving slow in the neighborhood. Or people in cars stopping for pedestrians to cross the road, waiting patiently, smiling and waving a friendly hello. Feels good when people ask you, if you gave candies to your kids, before actually sharing them with kids. Feels good, when your neighbors greets every time they saw you, but never impose themselves or intrude in your household matters.

There are so many small things which have made my stay here, wonderful. Surprisingly, most of them had nothing to do with where I am, but with whom I am.

It could be that I have met only good people here or maybe people are really good here, but I am surrounded by nice souls and I am happy about it. 🙂

About, my preconceived notions. Well, now I don’t prefer to go by any kind of notion, am just trying to have my own experiences.

Letting go of preconceived notions (sageintuition.org)
Guest Post: Dealing with Stereotypes While Living Abroad (moxacity.com)
People Dividing People (trangworks.wordpress.com)

Kids and Me

Can you kill a Spider, Mom?

October 21, 2013 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

Courage of a Girl-Women-Mother

Yesterday I posted a tweet which was based on change in the strength of a girl once she becomes a mother. Then as I was explaining it further to some of my audience I myself felt the changes that I have gone through with time. I remembered the time when I was that little girl who was always sitting quietly in a corner with a book on her lap. The time when I had no fears, just had a fearwall (yeah its not a typo, I have written it fear-wall and not firewall J ). That fearwall was my Parents.

I was scared of little flies, spiders, frogs and lizards specially (believe me the list is pretty long), but I always knew that I had my mother who will protect me from them.

Now time has changed, I don’t have my mother to protect me but now I am a mother and now I have to fulfill my job of protecting my little ones. That reminds me, I am no longer scared of flies, spiders, frogs, not even of lizards (to some extentJ ). I can take care of them, I can take care of everything, yes everything once it will come down to save my children.

Some of this courage has come with time and knowledge, as now I know that small little flies cannot kill me (unless they are in my food, L Gross….). But, most of it from a simple fact that I am a mother now and I cannot let anyone or anything harm my babies.

So, what changed me, is it the love for my children, or the responsibility towards my kids or some chemicals or hormones have changed in my body? I am not sure, maybe it’s a mix of all or maybe something else. But, I am not alone. I have seen every other mother who can reciprocate this feeling. Every mother is made like this. Made courageous by default. I guess!!!

It can only be a mother who can fight with the almighty, the God Shiva. A fight to save her child. A fight which not only frightened the one who has no fears. Frightened the one who is superior in power to everyone and everything that exists and that does not exist. Frightened the one and all who have tried to harm her child, Ganesh. It can be a mother only who can demand to give life to her dead child, who can show the consequences if her child is not given the life back, who can make even God realize his mistake of harming a child, who can clench the life of her child from the jaws of death. She is a mother, she is not a girl, not a woman, not a human, not a deity/devi. She is a mother and a mother only at that point of time. A mother who can fight with the God.

I have heard so many inspiring stories of mothers, or of the sons who were what they were because of their mothers. In everyday lives too, I have seen girls who were afraid of the dark (who couldn’t even go to the bathroom to pee at night), now after being a mother single handedly rocking their child to sleep in the darkness of night. Big cheers for them!!!

I would also like to share the story of Pooja Chopra and her mother Neera Chopra. Neera was thrown out of her house when she gave birth to second daughter child. But, she survived and struggled for her children. She fought with the world and its hypocrisies to raise her two daughters into two independent and successful human beings. J

There are so many Neera’s around the world all fighting their battles for themselves and for their kids.

When we talk of this motherly courage, this is not limited to us humans only. This is seen so many times in animals also. They also protect their loved ones irrespective of the dangerous consequences ahead. I have seen them fighting with their predators to save their little ones. All credits to Discovery channel J

On this thought, just look around and see all the mothers, see what they are doing for their kids, see what they are sacrificing for their kids. Admire them, encourage them, help them, and appreciate them. Because it’s the best that we can do, rest she will take care of….. because she is a Mother.