Every so often, my elder brother, an ardent fan of old Hindi movie songs, will get a tune in his head. He wants to know which movie was it from, who the singer and composer was, who were the featured actors. So he contacts the expert. Our aunt, father's youngest sister, a great singer and movie buff, will give him the answers within a minute, give or take a few seconds. Sometimes she will call me to relate this incident. Sometimes, the quiz continues to other songs, other movies, a few bars sung across a STD call and another memory is created, a connection reaffirmed.
Now there is an app that you can download on your phone, Shazam (?) It can listen to a piece of music and within a few seconds, it can tell you the name of the song and the singer. It takes very little effort, no small talk and works pretty well most of the time. It impresses me for a while but leaves to impression. I don't feel any more connected to my gadget than the minute before it showed me its "smartphone" features. I marvel at the technology but make to memories. I don't have an excuse to call my aunt. Perhaps initiate a conversation where I learn more about her than her prodigious musical memory, a few bits of the Bhagavad Geeta perhaps, that she is mastering or a fable that has a moral underpinning that I need to hear that day.
I know my friends look up recipes on the internet. But I learnt to make avakai last summer because another aunt was visiting and she transferred to me not just the proportions and process of making the pickle but also her love for preparing foods that her family loves. If you need directions, use Mapquest, not the friendly Uncle next door who would love to have an excuse to chat and provide valuable advice as to which route to take on a weekday at rush hour versus the scenic route on a leisurely Sunday drive. We call Just Dial for a phone number instead of asking a friend who has used a service where she gives you not just the number but also her opinion about how three competing companies compare on service.
I support technology and appreciate the ease with which we have integrated it into our lives, saving large chunks of time that previously were spent in lines for paying utility bills and booking tickets. But what are we doing with this extra time? Spending it on looking for more gadgets and widgets, for apps and downloads, withdrawing into a virtual world where human interaction becomes optional? To live a full life, it is important to feel, to interact, to engage. Not just with the buzzing screen of the computer but with a living person, however slow, fallible and unpredictable they may be. Humans need human interaction. It is through these relationships that we learn and grow, we love and share, we bicker and bond. When the interface does not respond in the same human dimension, however quick it may be, it is an incomplete feeling. For the geeks who get all their satisfaction from developing these new apps and gadgets, I have a simple questions. When you have that "Eureka" moment of discovery, who do rush to share it with? Android or human?
Friday, January 27, 2012
Parenthood
More than 15 years ago, I attended a birthday party for a friend's daughter in Washington DC. The group was composed of mostly Indian families with small kids and a few Americans. I remember watching a young Indian mother running after her active toddler son, trying to get him to eat something. The curious child moved rapidly between the tables, attracted by everything around him, finding the task of eating too boring. The mother had not sampled the buffet lunch, was clearly exasperated and obviously quite hungry. But she stopped chasing the child only after he had eaten to her satisfaction. At the same time, the American toddlers were sitting around the tablet with bibs around their neck, bravely tackling the items on plate, sometimes with tiny plastic forks or with their chubby fingers. Their parents were enjoying the food on their own plates and rarely paid attention to what was happening at the toddler table. After a reasonable amount of time, the child indicated that he wanted to get off the high-chair to which he was confined and went off to play. The uneaten food was dumped into the bin.
This scene came to mind when I read about the furor created in Norway when two little kids of Indian parentage were taken into protective custody by the child welfare agency for parenting behaviors that were found "odd" (to put it mildly) in that culture. There seems to be some resolution after intervention by the President of India and the resulting decision to hand over the children to their Uncle.
Parenting is a universal activity that all the people in the world who choose to rear children do daily. Most of the time, parents do what they do, unconsciously. How they bring up their children is guided by personal choices, not as per prescribed textbooks. Like so many other things we learn in life, parenting is a learned skill. While most parents build upon what they saw in their own childhood (either to replicate or rebel against), they also negotiate the wishes of the spouse who may have a different view on the subject. Parents from the same culture and similar socio-economic class may perhaps make the same choices. But at every corner, there are sharp turns and divisive opinions that trouble the most peaceful families.
When the subject of bringing up a child in a different cultural environment (from the one you grew up in) comes up, there are even fewer pointers, hardly any role-models. Does culture influence parenting? Yes. How and where you grew up is a major factor in how you make your choices as a parent. Where are you living now features heavily while making decisions in the present specially when you are bringing up your child in a different country. But can we honestly say that all of us who grew up in the same culture would bring up our children the same way? No. Parenting is influenced by culture but is comprised of a series of individual decisions, unique choices, keeping in mind the needs of today's society and the demands that the future will make on the children of today.
We may debate the merits of junk food and TV watching but what we need to observe as parents is the impression that we make on young minds. Everything we do should be guided not just by blind love but an awareness of the imprint that our choices will leave. Will our children grow up to be caring and committed citizens of the world? Will they be able to imbibe the best of all cultures that they are exposed to? Will they become responsible parents and not dogmatic supporters of everything that they see in their immediate world? Since each of our actions are to be weighed in light of our own context and situation, quite often there are no right/wrong, black/white solutions. The proof of good parenting can only be determined if we follow the children into adulthood and when they in turn bring up the next generation. If we continue to live in civil society as responsible citizens that protect not just their progeny but look out for a sustainable world, I think we can consider ourselves to be on the right track. For the globalized village in which we live today, that would mean bringing together the good from all cultures and melding it into a way of life, not a court-documented recipe, for a harmonious world.
This scene came to mind when I read about the furor created in Norway when two little kids of Indian parentage were taken into protective custody by the child welfare agency for parenting behaviors that were found "odd" (to put it mildly) in that culture. There seems to be some resolution after intervention by the President of India and the resulting decision to hand over the children to their Uncle.
Parenting is a universal activity that all the people in the world who choose to rear children do daily. Most of the time, parents do what they do, unconsciously. How they bring up their children is guided by personal choices, not as per prescribed textbooks. Like so many other things we learn in life, parenting is a learned skill. While most parents build upon what they saw in their own childhood (either to replicate or rebel against), they also negotiate the wishes of the spouse who may have a different view on the subject. Parents from the same culture and similar socio-economic class may perhaps make the same choices. But at every corner, there are sharp turns and divisive opinions that trouble the most peaceful families.
When the subject of bringing up a child in a different cultural environment (from the one you grew up in) comes up, there are even fewer pointers, hardly any role-models. Does culture influence parenting? Yes. How and where you grew up is a major factor in how you make your choices as a parent. Where are you living now features heavily while making decisions in the present specially when you are bringing up your child in a different country. But can we honestly say that all of us who grew up in the same culture would bring up our children the same way? No. Parenting is influenced by culture but is comprised of a series of individual decisions, unique choices, keeping in mind the needs of today's society and the demands that the future will make on the children of today.
We may debate the merits of junk food and TV watching but what we need to observe as parents is the impression that we make on young minds. Everything we do should be guided not just by blind love but an awareness of the imprint that our choices will leave. Will our children grow up to be caring and committed citizens of the world? Will they be able to imbibe the best of all cultures that they are exposed to? Will they become responsible parents and not dogmatic supporters of everything that they see in their immediate world? Since each of our actions are to be weighed in light of our own context and situation, quite often there are no right/wrong, black/white solutions. The proof of good parenting can only be determined if we follow the children into adulthood and when they in turn bring up the next generation. If we continue to live in civil society as responsible citizens that protect not just their progeny but look out for a sustainable world, I think we can consider ourselves to be on the right track. For the globalized village in which we live today, that would mean bringing together the good from all cultures and melding it into a way of life, not a court-documented recipe, for a harmonious world.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
My First Love - Aparna's first poem
Aparna wrote this poem today at the literary workshop for school children at the Hyderabad Literary Festival held at Taramati Baradari. I am thrilled at her effort and even more pleased to share that she won a prize for it, 8 poems from 140 submissions were selected for the prize.
MY FIRST LOVE
He came into my life
One Sunday morning
He was my first
He brought such joy I have never felt before
We brought him home
He explored the place
He settled down and took a rest.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now.
The days passed
And I grew to love him more
We ran and played
And grew closer
He became a part of me; a possession
Perhaps I took him for granted
For four years later,
When I saw him lying still there, I was devastated.
His tongue out, and his tail stiff,
Tears rolled out and fell to the floor.
I knew he was gone forever.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now
Without him.
But when he was here, I had been happy
‘That was his job,’ she said, ‘to make you happy.’
‘To teach you how to love.’
I hope he’s happy in heaven
Chasing butterflies and cats
My first ever pet,
Sharky.
MY FIRST LOVE
He came into my life
One Sunday morning
He was my first
He brought such joy I have never felt before
We brought him home
He explored the place
He settled down and took a rest.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now.
The days passed
And I grew to love him more
We ran and played
And grew closer
He became a part of me; a possession
Perhaps I took him for granted
For four years later,
When I saw him lying still there, I was devastated.
His tongue out, and his tail stiff,
Tears rolled out and fell to the floor.
I knew he was gone forever.
I looked at him lovingly,
Imagining how life would be now
Without him.
But when he was here, I had been happy
‘That was his job,’ she said, ‘to make you happy.’
‘To teach you how to love.’
I hope he’s happy in heaven
Chasing butterflies and cats
My first ever pet,
Sharky.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Innocence
This rangoli graced the space outside my neighbor's apartment this weekend. A beautiful creation on the occasion of Pongal. We stopped to admire it and rang the doorbell to compliment the creator. My neighbor's son, a naughty three year-old promptly stepped out with his new toy, a slim and long airplane and promptly started using the rangoli as a runway to demonstrate. Both Aparna and the boy's mother were upset and asked him to not mess up the masterpiece. But the child kept on with his antics until we bid goodbye to them and moved away. If you look closely, you will see the tiny lines running across the colored spaces, marking the areas where the aircraft came into contact. But the rangoli is still as eye catching.
Aparna asked me why I had not stopped the boy. I told her a story that my mother had narrated to me years ago. Once upon a time a woman prayed to God. She asked him to send someone who would wipe off the kum kum from her forehead, someone who would eat the dryfruits that she offered each morning as prasad and someone who would erase her daily rangoli. People were shocked at these prayers since traditionally all of these constituted bad omens. Only the people who could look deeper into the words realized that she was asking God for a baby. For only a child would do all of the above with innocence, unaware of the connotations or significance of his/her impish actions.
As we grow up, we get caught into the idea of perfection, of maintaining our life, our figure, our routine within predictable confines, coloring within the lines so to speak. We are not even able to tolerate others doing something different, off the beaten track. Why stop the child from being true to himself for that small part of his life when he can be true? Yes, destruction of a large magnitude needs to be curtailed and limits of acceptable behavior need to be enforced. But just as we appreciate the creation of a beautiful rangoli, let us also celebrate the innocence of childhood when we see it in action.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
What goes around
It happens often enough these days. You are standing in the checkout line at a department store with your car, awaiting your turn. Just as you get to the counter, the person behind you requests you if he could go ahead since he has only one item to buy. What do you do? Insist on following the system since you were ahead anyway? Or do you make an exception and let him go ahead? Is this a big deal?
There is no right answer. Following the system, first come first served, is the rational, logical approach. Letting a fellow shopper go ahead with his solitary purchase while you wait to buy a cart-load of stuff seems reasonable too. It won't make a huge dent in the greater picture given the fact that your billing will take much longer. So what is the right answer? How do you decide? If I am not in a tearing hurry, I usually oblige the other person. Why?
I once traveled from California to India with Aparna who was 2 years old then. For some unknown reason, she began throwing up soon after we boarded the trans-Atlantic flight. She was unable to keep anything in and started appearing quite dehydrated after a bout of vomiting and retching every half hour. After 8 hours of this, we landed in Frankfurt. I wondered if I should get off and seek medical attention or continue on the second leg of the journey.During the stopover, Aparna finally took a few sips of water and was able to keep it in without promptly ejecting it. I thought it was a sign of improvement and boarded the flight to Mumbai. We had been assigned two middle seats. I knew that I had frequent trips to the washroom ahead of me on this leg as well given Aparna's condition and requested the person in the aisle seat if he would exchange seats with me. He refused instantly since he had specifically requested an aisle seat and was not going to part with it. I was taken aback but did not have much choice. I then requested the other gentleman seated on the other side. He promptly obliged and moved into an uncomfortable middle seat. I was intensely grateful for his consideration. It made the rest of the journey a little bit easier as I made endless trips to the washroom.
A few years later, I was traveling alone in business class from Paris, in an aisle seat. A family of four had been upgraded from economy and were assigned seats next to mine. The mother of the two kids came up to me and requested me to change seats with her son who had been throwing up on the previous flight. I promptly obliged. I definitely empathized with her and her concern for her child's well-being. But more importantly, I remembered the kindness of another stranger a decade ago and felt that it was opportunity for me to repay it. I was not returning a favor to the same person but repaying a debt by making a deposit into the global "good-deeds" bank. I was helping someone who may in turn pay it forward for another person in need.
Allowing the person behind me in line to cut across is not a big deal or a great deed. I don't endorse people cutting across queues thoughtlessly. But sometimes there are opportunities to be gracious, particularly when asked politely, to give a few minutes of a head start to another person. Who knows whether these few minutes may be paid back by another person to me when I need those minutes the most? And if it does not come back to me, I can rest peacefully knowing that someone in greater need has made a withdrawal from the good deeds bank. What a lovely thought!
There is no right answer. Following the system, first come first served, is the rational, logical approach. Letting a fellow shopper go ahead with his solitary purchase while you wait to buy a cart-load of stuff seems reasonable too. It won't make a huge dent in the greater picture given the fact that your billing will take much longer. So what is the right answer? How do you decide? If I am not in a tearing hurry, I usually oblige the other person. Why?
I once traveled from California to India with Aparna who was 2 years old then. For some unknown reason, she began throwing up soon after we boarded the trans-Atlantic flight. She was unable to keep anything in and started appearing quite dehydrated after a bout of vomiting and retching every half hour. After 8 hours of this, we landed in Frankfurt. I wondered if I should get off and seek medical attention or continue on the second leg of the journey.During the stopover, Aparna finally took a few sips of water and was able to keep it in without promptly ejecting it. I thought it was a sign of improvement and boarded the flight to Mumbai. We had been assigned two middle seats. I knew that I had frequent trips to the washroom ahead of me on this leg as well given Aparna's condition and requested the person in the aisle seat if he would exchange seats with me. He refused instantly since he had specifically requested an aisle seat and was not going to part with it. I was taken aback but did not have much choice. I then requested the other gentleman seated on the other side. He promptly obliged and moved into an uncomfortable middle seat. I was intensely grateful for his consideration. It made the rest of the journey a little bit easier as I made endless trips to the washroom.
A few years later, I was traveling alone in business class from Paris, in an aisle seat. A family of four had been upgraded from economy and were assigned seats next to mine. The mother of the two kids came up to me and requested me to change seats with her son who had been throwing up on the previous flight. I promptly obliged. I definitely empathized with her and her concern for her child's well-being. But more importantly, I remembered the kindness of another stranger a decade ago and felt that it was opportunity for me to repay it. I was not returning a favor to the same person but repaying a debt by making a deposit into the global "good-deeds" bank. I was helping someone who may in turn pay it forward for another person in need.
Allowing the person behind me in line to cut across is not a big deal or a great deed. I don't endorse people cutting across queues thoughtlessly. But sometimes there are opportunities to be gracious, particularly when asked politely, to give a few minutes of a head start to another person. Who knows whether these few minutes may be paid back by another person to me when I need those minutes the most? And if it does not come back to me, I can rest peacefully knowing that someone in greater need has made a withdrawal from the good deeds bank. What a lovely thought!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Retail therapy
I woke up on Monday morning feeling empty. This was not your typical Monday morning blues, associated with the beginning of another work week. But more of a hangover type of remorse, usually felt after a binge. In my case, it was not overdose of alcohol but more of a shopping orgy. I purchased jewelry, electronics and many additions to my wardrobe all in the course of a weekend. For three days, I entered several shops, parted with a large chunk of my earnings and walked out with large bags or a tiny box. Some of what I bought will appreciate over time (like gold) while the electronics will only depreciate and the clothes will certainly wear out. The joy of acquisition was short-lived, as all these facts became apparent to me the next morning. No wonder I felt depleted, instead of rich.
I wonder why retail therapy is so popular for anyone looking to feel better. I had an associate at my previous job who faced every minor setback in life with a trip to the mall. While she glowed with the joy of new possessions on that day, she looked very different on the day the credit card bill was due. After amassing a huge debt and faced with the reality of any salary increment only in the distant future, she came to me with request. She handed me her credit cards (she had a handful of them) and asked me to keep them away from her reach until she settled every bill. It was almost a year before she could claim them. The whole experience was a lesson for her, as well as for me. I decided to possess just one credit card. This helps me manage my finances better since I see one consolidated bill which accurately gauges my expenditure and is due at the same time each month, allowing me enough time to arrange for payment before the due date.
Material objects bring temporary pleasure but the joy of ownership pales in comparison to the joy other activities can bring. Today I had my music class. It had been a busy day till then, I had not practiced and I was not sure I could handle singing. But once the class started, I was transposed into a world of melody, engrossed in music, drowning in the ocean of new raagas. I tried to keep pace with the teacher, I grasped at slippery notes and subtle nuances. I felt transformed at the end of the hour. I felt rejuvenated, refreshed, full.
The best things in life are not bought, but experienced.
I wonder why retail therapy is so popular for anyone looking to feel better. I had an associate at my previous job who faced every minor setback in life with a trip to the mall. While she glowed with the joy of new possessions on that day, she looked very different on the day the credit card bill was due. After amassing a huge debt and faced with the reality of any salary increment only in the distant future, she came to me with request. She handed me her credit cards (she had a handful of them) and asked me to keep them away from her reach until she settled every bill. It was almost a year before she could claim them. The whole experience was a lesson for her, as well as for me. I decided to possess just one credit card. This helps me manage my finances better since I see one consolidated bill which accurately gauges my expenditure and is due at the same time each month, allowing me enough time to arrange for payment before the due date.
Material objects bring temporary pleasure but the joy of ownership pales in comparison to the joy other activities can bring. Today I had my music class. It had been a busy day till then, I had not practiced and I was not sure I could handle singing. But once the class started, I was transposed into a world of melody, engrossed in music, drowning in the ocean of new raagas. I tried to keep pace with the teacher, I grasped at slippery notes and subtle nuances. I felt transformed at the end of the hour. I felt rejuvenated, refreshed, full.
The best things in life are not bought, but experienced.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Life lessons - from teenage kids
Many years ago, in a small apartment in Mumbai, I lived with my two brothers, mother and grandmother. My father was posted in small town and felt it was better to leave three teenagers in the care of my mother in order to not interfere with our education during the critical years. For a long period of 11 years, my mother suffered with each of us as we went from 13 to 19 and turned into adults. I wonder how she did it. Specially on those days when I am having a hard time with my one and only teenage daughter.
Ask any parent of a teenager today and you will find pain, tears, frustration, helplessness, anger. Ask any teenager how they feel - they will tell you about helplessness, frustration, anger, pain, tears. Both sides experience the same feelings although one is in the role of a powerful parent while the other is the manipulative teenager. The amazing fact is that every parent has been a teenager at some point and empathy should be a large part of the parenting process. But there seems to a selective amnesia that the parent chooses to exercise and repeats a lot of the same mistakes their own parents made.
I think back to what my mother did in those turbulent time. She is no longer in this plane to guide me. How did she keep her sanity? How did she deal with unreasonable requests, uncouth behavior and general non-cooperation that dominated most of our days? We survived. And thrived. So did she. I think she started dealing with this issue on two counts. First - she did not overtly worry about the dreaded "teenage" phase. Second, she trusted us. She told us repeatedly that we were good kids, long before we turned into surly teenage brats. She told us we were her true treasures. She calmly responded to my incessant questioning rationally. Very rarely did she pull rank and say "because I am the Mom". She knew we would rebel but ultimately make the right choice. She gave us a long rope. She kept her cool. She was genuinely interested in our lives, our friends, our school and college stories. She maintained a sense of humor. I am sure there were days when she was tired and one was us was pushing her buttons. She must have lost her temper and given us an earful. But she was always there for us. Like the daily sunshine and Mumbai humidity.
My personal experience has been one of continuing amazement that my daughter is a wonderful 100% reflection of whatever I am feeling or thinking at that moment. When I am feeling peaceful and grateful, I am showered with affection. When I am stressed and feeling generally "blah" about life, she gives me more chances to feel worse. I have finally figured out how to change the dynamic. I can restore peace in the home by restoring peace within myself. Sometimes that requires me to just slow down. Sometimes I need to meditate. Other times, ice-cream works.
I have now changed my thoughts about "teenagerhood" as a tough phase. I know it is an essential phase of her growing up and each year is special to me as I see my little bird testing her wings in the world. I want to be a part of it. I want to build a stable nest for her and enable the growth of strong wings so she can fly high. It is an intense period of learning for me as well. So we keep moving, through trial and error, in search of equilibrium. It is not easy but as with most things in life, keeping a sense of humor helps.
Here is a funny link to "The Mom Song" on Youtube. Pay close attention to the lyrics. And if the link does not work, please google it. It's hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXgoJ0f5EsQ
Ask any parent of a teenager today and you will find pain, tears, frustration, helplessness, anger. Ask any teenager how they feel - they will tell you about helplessness, frustration, anger, pain, tears. Both sides experience the same feelings although one is in the role of a powerful parent while the other is the manipulative teenager. The amazing fact is that every parent has been a teenager at some point and empathy should be a large part of the parenting process. But there seems to a selective amnesia that the parent chooses to exercise and repeats a lot of the same mistakes their own parents made.
I think back to what my mother did in those turbulent time. She is no longer in this plane to guide me. How did she keep her sanity? How did she deal with unreasonable requests, uncouth behavior and general non-cooperation that dominated most of our days? We survived. And thrived. So did she. I think she started dealing with this issue on two counts. First - she did not overtly worry about the dreaded "teenage" phase. Second, she trusted us. She told us repeatedly that we were good kids, long before we turned into surly teenage brats. She told us we were her true treasures. She calmly responded to my incessant questioning rationally. Very rarely did she pull rank and say "because I am the Mom". She knew we would rebel but ultimately make the right choice. She gave us a long rope. She kept her cool. She was genuinely interested in our lives, our friends, our school and college stories. She maintained a sense of humor. I am sure there were days when she was tired and one was us was pushing her buttons. She must have lost her temper and given us an earful. But she was always there for us. Like the daily sunshine and Mumbai humidity.
My personal experience has been one of continuing amazement that my daughter is a wonderful 100% reflection of whatever I am feeling or thinking at that moment. When I am feeling peaceful and grateful, I am showered with affection. When I am stressed and feeling generally "blah" about life, she gives me more chances to feel worse. I have finally figured out how to change the dynamic. I can restore peace in the home by restoring peace within myself. Sometimes that requires me to just slow down. Sometimes I need to meditate. Other times, ice-cream works.
I have now changed my thoughts about "teenagerhood" as a tough phase. I know it is an essential phase of her growing up and each year is special to me as I see my little bird testing her wings in the world. I want to be a part of it. I want to build a stable nest for her and enable the growth of strong wings so she can fly high. It is an intense period of learning for me as well. So we keep moving, through trial and error, in search of equilibrium. It is not easy but as with most things in life, keeping a sense of humor helps.
Here is a funny link to "The Mom Song" on Youtube. Pay close attention to the lyrics. And if the link does not work, please google it. It's hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXgoJ0f5EsQ
Monday, January 2, 2012
Letting go
It is 2 Jan 2012. Now that a regular work day has dawned after a party to ring out the old year, it is time for people to plan, to ask, to list all that they want in this new year. Making resolutions is a common phenomenon, breaking them is even more common. It is surprising that each year we continue this ritual (or is it a charade?) of wanting things in our life, even lofty ones like healthier lifestyle and peace of mind and common ones like a new gadget or luxury car.
Very often when I look at my closets, I feel overwhelmed by all the things I own. I am not a pack rat and usually only keep things that are of use to me and periodically even purge my belongings. But clutter has a way of taking residence unannounced. As I see clutter around me, I feel that my thoughts are also cluttered. It is time to clean up.
I feel this year that I should make a list of things that I want to let go. The list obviously includes several material possessions of dubious current value. But more important are the intangibles that I would like to let go. Most of them feature in the category of "fear". Here is what I plan to release this year:
1. Fear of attempting Shirsasana (head stand in yoga)
2. Fear of water - I would like to learn to swim
3. Fear of public ridicule when I sing in front of an audience
4. Fear of taking up a large writing project - book, novel, memoir???
5. Fear of sharing all my fears - this one I will tackle another year
I think I will start with the third item on the list. I plan to post mp3 files of some of my singing previews. It is a big step for me, akin to posting pictures of yourself "before" going on the huge weight loss diet where your "after" picture makes you look like a fashion model.
Why am I doing this? It has been my experience that sharing your plans loudly with the Universe makes it come true faster than if you were hoarding this information inside you, afraid to make it public in case you fail. I hope to get better at items 1-4 as I make efforts during the year. I also be more accountable by feeling the need to update readers on my progress. It feeds a virtuous cycle to achieve.
All I need to figure out is how to embed my mp3 files into the blog. Help!
Very often when I look at my closets, I feel overwhelmed by all the things I own. I am not a pack rat and usually only keep things that are of use to me and periodically even purge my belongings. But clutter has a way of taking residence unannounced. As I see clutter around me, I feel that my thoughts are also cluttered. It is time to clean up.
I feel this year that I should make a list of things that I want to let go. The list obviously includes several material possessions of dubious current value. But more important are the intangibles that I would like to let go. Most of them feature in the category of "fear". Here is what I plan to release this year:
1. Fear of attempting Shirsasana (head stand in yoga)
2. Fear of water - I would like to learn to swim
3. Fear of public ridicule when I sing in front of an audience
4. Fear of taking up a large writing project - book, novel, memoir???
5. Fear of sharing all my fears - this one I will tackle another year
I think I will start with the third item on the list. I plan to post mp3 files of some of my singing previews. It is a big step for me, akin to posting pictures of yourself "before" going on the huge weight loss diet where your "after" picture makes you look like a fashion model.
Why am I doing this? It has been my experience that sharing your plans loudly with the Universe makes it come true faster than if you were hoarding this information inside you, afraid to make it public in case you fail. I hope to get better at items 1-4 as I make efforts during the year. I also be more accountable by feeling the need to update readers on my progress. It feeds a virtuous cycle to achieve.
All I need to figure out is how to embed my mp3 files into the blog. Help!
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