FRIENDSHIP DAY is SO important!

Waking up to a number of Happy Friendship Day messages this morning.. it's imperative to share my thoughts about this! Some people will just treat it like any other day while others will go all out to celebrate with pomp and cheer.. and some others will send out forwarded messages and feel "thank GOD that's over and done with for this year!"

This is THE most important day of the year for me.. the most special precious and one-of-a-kind opportunity to celebrate some of the most special people in our lives! To me.. it's bigger than Diwali Christmas New Year's Eve and any other celebration one could imagine! Reason being.. my friends are my oxygen! It would be impossible to imagine my life and my world without my friends!

God is kind and ensures that we are born into families (happy families for the most part) and one of the greatest blessings is that we can also CHOOSE our friends! Let's also be very specific who we refer to as our friends.. there are acquaintances.. and then..  there are friends! Friends are the family we choose for ourselves and the word "friend" is not one to be used lightly.. so who is a friend you wonder..

A friend is perhaps everything that the flowery cards convey.. but the meaning goes much deeper than that for me.. If and when I meet someone with whom I feel a strong "connect" or someone who has a very special quality that I am drawn to.. THAT is likely to become a genuine long-lasting friendship! Someone who has shared their deepest beliefs hopes and aspirations.. successes fears and failures.. A person who inspires and compels me (without saying a word) to be the best version of myself is a friend.. 

True friends offer consistent unconditional love and are super happy when good things happen in your life.. there's no scope of jealousy and envy! At the same time.. they're always going to give you an honest opinion and speak their mind.. because that's what you need to hear! Everyone will be around for the good times.. but friends will just be a quiet solid presence when the chips are down.. no matter what!

This depth of caring understanding and giving doesn't come easy.. you need to respect the relationship and nurture it with love time calls messages happy memories and gratitude.. There are times when you're too tired to do it and put it off for another day.. but why would you want to deny your friend the chance for his/her eyes to light up.. to grin from ear to ear.. to laugh until tears roll.down.his/her cheeks.. or feel blessed to have found someone so caring?

Am on holiday with friends in Kurseong and it's quite a motley crew.. but truly magical to see how the group (who don't really know each other really well) formed a beautiful synergy.. everyone formed their own connect and there were great conversations! One is wise.. another is loving.. yet another is brilliant.. another is accepting.. for which I am tremendously grateful because each one has brought something unique and special to this time spent together! 

To all my truly special wonderful friends that light up my world.. and whom I cannot imagine going through life without.. a very happy Friendship Day to you all.. know that you are loved cherished and treasured beyond measure!!

God bless and much love always!!

GURU PURNIMA - I bow my head with folded hands..

 "Light another's path.. and the universe will light your own" such true words from the extremely wise author philosopher and entrepreneur Matshona Dhliwayo!

Guru Purnima is a red letter day for all those who have faith in their gurus.. who is a guru and why should we have one you must be asking? Traditionally, a guru is someone who assists and guides you on your spiritual journey.. it doesn't mean at ALL that you have to be ready to forgo worldly pleasures.. wear loose flowing robes.. sit in the church, temple, mosque or gurudwara.. but having a guru is the need of the hour!

In the pandemic situation.. stress levels are high and things are difficult for everyone.. whether it is stress at work.. lack of work.. discord at home.. financial worries.. interpersonal relationships.. feeling taken for granted.. lonely.. being unable to cope.. time management.. Within the stress.. it IS possible to cope much better if you channelize your internal guru! We have all been born with the "tattva" or essence of a guru inside us.. what remains to be done is to awaken that consciousness and we will get access to the greatest wisdom in the universe! The really good news is that it's relatively easy to tap into that wisdom.. all we need to do is be AWARE of what's going on around us.. 

Of course we're aware you think.. we're up to date on the latest in politics.. Bollywood gossip.. sports news.. the Page 3 scenario.. Covid statistics.. scientific research.. the arts and cultural scene.. trending fashion.. new age music etc.. that is sadly NOT the aware that really matters! What you need to be aware of is.. is everyone in your family in a good mindspace? Do your friends sound happy when you speak with them? Is someone facing a problem alone? Does your watchman look stressed about something? Does your staff at home seem content? Has the newspaper vendor who sits outside your building been coughing for too long? Have YOU been making mental notes to reach out and do something for a few people.. but haven't managed to convert that thought into a reality? You're obviously missing a guru! 

Perhaps someone has even gently reminded you to keep that promise you made to yourself.. but you didn't really register it.. it has happened to me innumerable times! Sometimes a friend or acquaintance has knowingly or unknowingly made an observation to you.. and that is the moment they are BEING your guru.. To share a personal experience, my friend Parul once told me "I am so happy to see that you have made such a tremendous effort to calm down and control your temper.. you seem so much more at peace and happier now".. it was a seemingly simple statement of fact - but had a HUGE impact on me! So rewarding that my efforts hadn't gone unnoticed and the benefits I was experienced were REAL ones and visible to others!

Gurus surround us disguised as various people.. anyone who accepts you AS YOU ARE.. encourages you.. believes in you.. tells you the truth.. holds up a (virtual) mirror to your face (especially when you're not being your best self).. holds your hand through the tough times.. and lets your fly and cheers you on is a GURU to you! This might be a parent.. teacher.. sibling.. friend.. gym trainer.. doctor.. neighbour.. work colleague.. mentor.. 

There are some qualities that a guru must have in order to fulfil their responsibilities in the best possible way - open acceptance of people.. wide knowledge and clarity of mind.. firm resolve to say and do the right thing.. wisdom sensitivity and compassion for others.. willingness to share life experiences.. practising kindness and good conduct.. and leading an inspirational life!

When I pause and reflect on the numerous gurus that have been and still are actively present in my life.. am just overwhelmed with gratitude.. gratitude that they are around me.. and also for the wisdom I have received to be able to perceive and recognize them as such! This post will be incomplete without naming a few of them..

Sumit - who is my best friend and rock solid support! He consistently inspires me to give more of myself.. reach out to others and shows me the sunny side of life even in the darkest times!

Porus - who is a willing partner in gentle jokes at the world in general and at ourselves too! We have the most incredible conversations about life.. love and everything in between!

Jana - who met me as a giddyheaded clueless young person who didn't have direction in life.. she saw the potential.. nurtured it.. encouraged me to dream big and do well.. and STILL does!

Brinda - who constantly shows me the meaning of unconditional acceptance and loves me bigtime no matter how unreasonable I can be when I'm in one of my moods!

Varsha - who always has my best interests at heart and expresses her worries openly.. keeps me on the straight and narrow and is fiercely protective about me!

Shriti - who is the ultimate realist and with me being the ultimate idealist she gives me a reality check whenever it is required.. and would do pretty much anything for me as well!

Lavina - who is the most easygoing and accepting person I know.. and is a great sport and always there right with me on all my travels and crazy ideas too! (She was terrified when I did the world's highest bungy jump.. but still came with me for it and watched it on the screen!

Smita - who is the gentlest and softest person I know.. and the most hospitable person in the world.. it's an incredibly open honest and rewarding friendship that we share!

Renu - the one person who I HAVE to talk to every night before going to sleep.. my soul sister who brings a lot of magic masti and madness to my life.. this amazing woman I love dearly!!

Parul - who is invariably my voice of reason.. good sense.. and very "tuned in" to whatever frequency I may be in.. and keeps my feet firmly on the ground.. love her to bits!

Ujwala - twenty years younger than me.. but one of the wisest people I am blessed to know.. She can explain difficult situations impartially and better than almost anyone I know!

Anu - last.. but.. most definitely not the least! She absorbs my wild enthusiasms.. takes them in her stride.. calls a spade a spade.. and loves me more than words can ever express!

There are so many more.. I could go on and on.. but this post is already too long!

To all the gurus in my life.. I bow my head with folded hands and express the deepest gratitude for teaching me.. correcting me.. guiding me.. advising me.. supporting me.. believing in me.. accepting me as I am.. loving me.. and being such an integral part of my life! Abiding respect compassion thanks and love to you all on Guru Purnima!!

GUARDIAN ANGELS – they walk with us!!

 I believe some people enter your life as guardian angels.. and some connections can’t be explained in words alone.. It’s just this inexplicable feeling of total comfort confidence and trust.. and am convinced that these are your guardian angels!

According to religion, the most important duties of guardian angels are to protect and guide us.. but in the times we live in now.. they aren’t too busy.. because we are blessed with multiple people who play that role in our lives!

Being an idealist who views the world through rose-tinted spectacles, I like to believe that parents have their children.. seniors.. their caregivers.. children their parents.. teenagers their parents.. young people their colleagues.. employers have their staff.. office staff have their bosses.. and helpers their employers!

Maybe you haven’t given this a thought.. and you’re charmed by the idea of BEING a guardian angel to somebody.. or manybodies for that matter! How does one do this? It’s actually super simple.. first of all.. choose your “Guardian Angel adoptee” (hereafter referred to as your GAA)! It could be someone a little timid.. shy.. underconfident.. unexposed.. not in the best of health.. facing financial difficulties.. dealing with major family conflict.. you know what I mean!

Try and be your best self.. accepting.. loving and giving.. make that phone call when you know something major is coming up for your GAA.. check in on them regularly.. make plans to meet up JLT (just like that).. stay “tuned in” to the frequency at which THEY resonate..

Some fun facts about guardian angels :

Angels respect hospitality.. An ancient Jewish tradition to see if an angel visited would be to have some sort of food around and to offer it to the angel. Count the biscuits or sandwiches, or bananas (whatever you have handy in your house), and offer one to it. Count again after the angel leaves, and if there is one (or more) less than what you started with, the angel assumed a body!

Angels inspire us.. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night because an idea popped into your head that you just had to write down so you wouldn’t forget it in the morning? Have you just been inspired to do something out of the ordinary that turned out to be hugely successful? Angels are always trying to inspire us with things that will lead us to happiness..

Angels contain the space in which they operate.. I always imagined that my guardian angel would hover above me and to one side, but since it makes sense that they surround us at all times..

Angels are like snowflakes.. as in each and every single angel is unique and different from any other angel, so much so that each angel could be considered a different species. This means that every angel has their very own, very different personality.

Angels appear more to women than to men.. but if they  are in your life.. you will just KNOW! Women seem to be more receptive, which may be the reason behind this. Angels are highly intuitive beings, so they are likely to be on the same sort of mental wavelength as the female populace.

How do I know this is true and that guardian angels really exist? My biggest and most loving guardian angel is my Daddy.. even after four and a half years, I feel his presence so strongly.. especially when there are important decisions to be taken.. or when I’m feeling a little low.. On a lighter note.. am blessed with so many guardian angels all around me.. unexpected phone calls.. meaningful conversations.. relaxed afternoons.. delicious shared meals..

Every single time something beautiful and wonderful happens in my life, I am so very grateful to the universe for the abundance of guardian angels in my life! They walk WITH us!! Look at the people in your life and see the guardian angels.. and be inspired to be a guardian angel to more people who NEED you.. reach out and remain blessed!!