STRICTLY AS PER DRAWING...:)))

STRICTLY AS PER DRAWING...:)))

I appreciate...

I appreciate my creativity and resourcefulness
they have kept me in the game and made me proud
even when it felt like I was David and the world was Goliath.

I appreciate my delicious sense of wonder and childlike innocence
and the fact that I still love teddy bears and puppy dogs and pizza.

I appreciate that I am an uplifter and an inspiration to others
and there are people on the planet still alive today
because of something I said.

I appreciate that I am uniquely human and magnificently divine
and some days I can't even tell the difference.

I appreciate all of my set backs, even failures along the way
I learned from them and see them all as blessings in disguise.

I appreciate that at times when I was sad and lonely in this world,
I thought I would die of grief, but I didn't.

I appreciate that I feel very deeply and by allowing myself
to move through the greatest pain I was then able to
experience the deepest joy right on the other side.

I appreciate that I didn't always get what I asked for
but I always got what I really needed.

I appreciate my incredible sense of humour and my natural ability
to laugh easily and heartily with others or even all alone.

I appreciate that I am a writer and a damn good one and that it
has taken me a lifetime to be able to say that and really mean it.

I appreciate my very strong will and those people in my
life who told me that something just couldn't be done.
They made me determined enough to prove them wrong.

I appreciate my sensitivity
there were times when I cursed it
and times when I blessed it
and times when I gave it away.

I appreciate my sense of style and love of beautiful things
and my ability to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

I appreciate my ability to recognize the Angels in my life

I appreciate that I am amazing and brilliant and awesome
and remarkable and humble enough to know that so are you.

I appreciate me, with all my faults and foibles
there has never been, nor will there ever be, anyone quite like me
and that is reason enough to truly love who I am and I finally do.

A deal of Forgiveness..

You forgive me for liking you too much,
And I'll forgive you for not liking me enough.

You forgive me for missing you so,
And I'll forgive you for being so cold.

You forgive me for the loud racing of my heart,
And I'll forgive you for not hearing it.

You forgive me for playing your games,
And I'll forgive you for toying with my emotions.

You forgive me for finding you so attractive,
And I'll forgive you for not noticing.

You forgive me for raising you up so high,
And I'll forgive you for bringing me down so low.

You forgive me for wanting to be with you,
And I'll forgive you for avoiding me.

You forgive me for being so pathetic,
And I'll forgive you for taking advantage of it.

You forgive me for not being able to let go,
And I'll forgive you for never having latched on.

You forgive me for having hopes and dreams,
And I'll forgive you for crushing them.

Forgiveness brings inner peace.
Do we have a deal?

The Gift of Love

Proud of you my India..Vande Mataram!

Long ago, thousands of years before the Western World woke up to enforcing environment-friendly measures, Indian Rishis and our sacred texts took many measures for the protection of the universe. They were so close to nature; they knew, loved and worshipped Mother Nature. Today, our world is perceived to be headed for an imminent environmental disaster or destruction simply because the knowledge in our Vedas, Puranas and many, such priceless treasures have been buried under layers of ignorance, waiting to be discovered.

Today Ancient Indian texts have become a matter of ridicule to many “modernized” people, who are unaware of the relevance and significance behind them. Hindus worship cows, plants, trees, water, rains, mountains, the wind, the Sun and everything in Nature; Nature itself. Why? Because, our ancestors knew that if something is delegated to the status of God, it will never be disrespected or left uncared for. Hence they taught their descendants to worship and respect every single aspect of their life that affects them in some way or the other. One simply has to understand the medicinal properties of the tulsi herb, for example, to understand why Hindus love and worship Tulsi Mata and nurture her in their homes. Similarly, if someone tries to understand the relevance of our ancient Indian books and rituals, they will realize the deep knowledge hidden in them.

Our Vedas, Puranas, and Stotras are very relevant even in today’s times. For example, the Dashavatara or the ten Avataras of Vishnu, mentioned in our Puranas, can be equated to the concept of Evolution! Lord Vishnu’s avatars of Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parshurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki, can also be said to be the stages in which humans evolved. The first life forms were said to be aquatic (only living in water - Matsya), then amphibian (both water and land- Kurma), then land species – (Varaha.), then half-animal, half-human (Narasimha). The earliest Humans were short in build (Vamana), then evolving to stronger warrior-agriculturists (Parshurama). The avatars of Rama(idealist) and Krishna( strategist) signify mind development. We then came to an era of spiritual awakening (Buddha) and the avatar of Kalki in the Kali Yuga, the age we live in. Now doesn’t all this put more light on what Dashavatara symbolizes?

Ancient India's contribution to knowledge of Astronomy is also immense. Did you know that our Vedas and Indian Astronomical texts had proclaimed that the Earth is round? Or that Indians calculated with precision the occurrence of eclipses, Circumference and Diameter of Earth and the Speed of light? The Ancient Indians were highly advanced in the fields of Science, Alchemy, Philosophy, Spirituality and many more. They had mastered the art of Meditation and Mind Control too. Amazing!

Our epics and texts have within them, immense wisdom, we only have to discover them! Each one of us, EVERY INDIAN has to bring back to India the glory of the olden days! Proud of you my India! Vande Mataram!

-Rajalakshmi Kameshwar Joshi

(published as an introduction to the series called "National Treasures: An Amazing Journey to Ancient India" in August 2010 in the monthly newsletter SETU.)