Long Live the Girl Child

 The birth of a girl in the family is considered to be the blessing of goddess lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity). Ironically very few rejoice at this occasion. The birth of a baby boy is celebrated with cheer, whereas the birth of a baby girl is marked with tears! These are the conservative societies who still believe that the heir of the family “a boy” is more important to carry forward the family’s legacy as compared to the girl child.

Here is a touching story of a mother who loves and respects her daughter!

It’s a big day in Raji’s life. She has been busy with the preparations for the past three days. Making a list of the little guests to be invited, buying grocery, cleaning up her small one bedroom house, a new dress for her little princess and a lot more. After all it’s her little girl, her beloved daughter’s birthday today. The first thing she did in the morning was to visit the temple with her daughter, offered prayers and later sent her daughter to school with sweets for her classmates. She then gets busy making payasam for the guests, her humble effort to make this day a special one.

Finally it’s time to celebrate. Raji’s little doll is dressed in a lovely pink frock, her guests; little children from the neighborhood have arrived and the chocolate cake that she had ordered at the local bakery is at the table. Raji lights a lamp, praying for the longevity and happiness of her daughter followed by “Happy Birthday to You…” little ones’ singing in chorus after which Raji’s daughter cuts the cake. Some have got flowers for the birthday girl and some have gifts. There is so much happiness in their simplicity that cannot be measured by money! Raji cannot afford a good meal for her guests hence she offers all of them a glass of payasam. At the end this grand celebration the guests leave and the birthday girl gives a huge hug, thanking her mom.

 Raji works as a domestic help to fulfill her family’s needs. Her husband, a carpenter earns very little and has no work for most of the time. Raji has two children one son and a daughter, both of whom she loves immensely. She has never differentiated between her two children and strives to keep them happy. This love that of a mother is pure, free of gender bias. A mother cannot differentiate between her children it’s the society that discriminates. A daughter is an inseparable part of the family; you can change her name, marry her off to another family, not consider her part of your home yet she remains “Your Blood” and no society can change that!

Relationships:Have You Found True Love?

 

We come across a lot of people in life: People with different personalities and people from different backgrounds. Each one of us has different criteria for choosing a life partner. Some of us look for a like-minded partner, some prefer a partner who is well qualified and some choose a partner based on the family’s expectations and preferences. Amid st all these, true love is hardly given a thought. Most individuals find a suitable partner, get married and settle down, but a persistent sense of incompleteness hovers over their relationship. So how does one define true love?

Love is the essence of human life. Right from birth we yearn for love; love from our parents, siblings and other family members. Along with love we look for acceptance. We want our parents to accept us and like everything about us. We put in a lot of efforts to make our parents happy and expect rewards from them. In simple words we have a lot of expectations from life.

Similarly when we are in a relationship, we seek a lot of things from that one person. We have a lot of expectations from our life partner. We fret over good looks, great chemistry, 'my types' and long for someone who sweeps us off our feet. These unrealistic expectations are bound to bring disappointment.

 The essence of every relationship is love, unconditional love. True love is the ability to accept your partner without being judgmental, giving your best to the relationship, yielding happiness, and most importantly standing tall, as a pillar of strength in difficult times. Attraction is momentary! It cannot hold a relationship for long. It is only when you learn to give, you receive love and happiness in abundance; love reciprocates! If you find someone who loves you immensely, respects your individuality, accepts you with your vices and virtues, exudes a positive influence on you……………understand that true love has finally dawned!

Overcome Depression Embrace Life!

Every dog has its day! This is what we say when things do not happen according to our expectations. A self convincing statement! life is uncertain and unpredictable. As humans we go through ups and downs, highs and lows, success and failure; this is the regular course of life.Every individual goes through a rough phase at some point in life,often leading to depression. In such situations we feel helpless, trapped and think of as the end of life. We feel worthless and see a future filled with infinite darkness. Where do we go? What do we do? Is there anyone who can empathize with us or get us out of this situation? Depression devastates us completely and the only solution to this soul burning agony lies within our self!

 Here are few self- help solutions

 Spirituality: God certainly exists! Surrender yourself and all your troubles to him. Belief in the almighty gives strength and courage to face all odds. Just the way a child feels loved and secure in the mother's arms, belief in god, calms down our anxiety and fear.

 Meditation: Detach yourself from the outside world; meditate! Look within yourself and try to identify the root of your troubles. You will definitely find an answer. Meditation reduces our stress and helps us to be more focused in life. It calms down the mind.

 Move with the right people: Our tough times give us the real picture of people around. Friends whom we trust more than ourselves often turn their backs on us. Move with people who make you happy, this will certainly help you stay positive. Stay away from people who criticize and pull you down. They will only make you feel more miserable.

 Watch movies: This might seem a little ridiculous yet very helpful. When we face a difficult situation in life we have two options to choose from "Fight or Flight". Movies definitely take you away from the present situation; even though the escape is momentary. A great way to relax a troubled mind.

 Acceptance: Finally, on a serious note. Learn to move with the flow. Accepting life the way it is will not only resolve our problems but also help us make peace with our self. Success takes you on a high but failure should not bog you down. Use your failure as a ladder to achieve success. Learn from your mistakes; this will help you grow as an individual.

 Stay positive. You are what you think! Think good and that goodness will definitely enrich your life. Positive vibrations when exuded will bring a lot of positive results in return.

 Contentment: This is the key to happiness. Count on your blessings and thank god for all that he has bestowed upon you. Contentment keeps all the vices at bay: like greed and jealousy which are the cause of human suffering.

 Lastly bad things do come to an end. There is light at the end of every tunnel. You just need to have patience to deal with a difficult situation in life. It may be failure as a student, hurdles in career or a tough phase in your personal life. Difficulty varies with situation: from person to person, but the misery it inflicts on an individuals life is immeasurable. Hope keeps desires alive. Hard work and determination will definitely yield positive results. A dear friend once told me" When you get caught in a whirlpool, surrender yourself and move along the course; you will find your way out, just the way you got in!!"