The journey is the reward...

The journey is the reward...Back from my India trip, I am filled with mixed emotions..On the one hand, there is the joy of having met loved ones...On the other hand, the pangs of separation continue to depress..For quite some time, I wanted to make this journey. As the day dawned, I was pretty excited. As I touched down in Mumbai, I was filled with joy. Met with family and friends. Now, that I am back..I have fresh memories to cherish..Lots of moments to wonder about..And many feelings yet to soak in. Now, I relax and gather my thoughts..

The only journey is the one within...so wrote Rainer Maria Rilke almost a century back. After this India trip, I have begun to understand the depth of these few simple words. There are some things in life which are inexplicable. We desire many things in life. We wish to see many things in life. However, our hearts and minds are not moved by these things. The human spirit strives to achieve everything. It strives to surmount every unseen obstacle. All the human spirit needs to sustain itself is love and faith. These two provide all the nourishment required to endure any challenge. They provide all the fierce will needed to pursue any goal.

Every journey has its moments..and meaning. One always seeks the meaning beforehand. Some get it. Some do not. One always seeks the moments after the journey is complete. Some get it. Some do not. It is difficult to appreciate the value and joy of any journey in advance. It is even more difficult to do so during the journey itself. Almost impossible after it. Ironic isnt it? One would assume that once the journey is complete, its full range of emotions and finality would be obvious. But, amazingly it isnt so straightforward. Some elements are trivial by nature. But most are not so obvious. They cannot be evaluated against any set pattern or judgement. How does one decide what one gains from the journey? On a deeper note, is gaining anything actually a purpose of the journey ?? One makes the journey without any expectations or gain. Yet, whatever one gathers or achieves during the endeavor probably has some meaning and significance in the context of the journey itself. Perhaps in the context of the purpose of the journey as well.

The journey is the reward. Arguably, there is no greater joy than that experienced by a soul who completes his journey. Every journey is a part of one's destiny. Every journey completes some part of one's destiny. Every journey begins with one step. And ends with one too.

However, this is what strikes me the most...Every journey lays the foundation for another one in the future. Every journey has its footprints in some past one. And the heart is anxious to hear the silent footsteps of that one which is yet to come.

Song Offerings...

Life and soul I offer to you
With utmost honesty and devotion
Every passing moment I think of you
Am filled with divine bliss

Faith and feelings I offer to you
With utmost sincerity and dedication
The heart eagerly reaches out to you
In every thought fleeting through my mind

Trust and inner peace I offer to you
With utmost regards and happiness
Every nerve of mine calls out to you
Asking for patience and wisdom

Love and hope I offer to you
With utmost belief and passion
You complete everything that is me
In my heart you are always the one

Say nothing..yet she hears you..knows you..understands you.

She is someone you know. She is someone you admire. She is someone you respect. And most importantly, she is someone you love. Our life is but a mere reflection of everything that she stands for. Our finest qualities are her gifts. Our success is the outcome of years of her efforts. Life is beautiful. What makes it so? Surely, her love and warmth. Those first steps as an innocent toddler. Those first steps as a curious teenager. Those first steps as a young man. She has seen them all. But, to her they still are only an extension of the first few kicks you gave inside her. For her, that first kick is the most memorable..And the first time she set her gaze upon you..perhaps her life's most blissful moment. And the first time she held you in her arms..the most sacred and endearing moment of her life...Ours too.

Your life is an empty canvas. With her strong will and charming grace..she paints the most enduring painting in the world..A new life..God provides the canvas. And she colors it...And her art stands the test of time. An old Irish saying puts it in the simplest terms..A boys best friend is his mother and there's no spancel stronger than her apron string. At heart..every boy is a "Momma's Boy". And I claim to be no different.

Say nothing...yet she hears you..knows you..and understands you. All I can say to her is this:
However, the wind blows..Yet, the flame endures...Sublime. You are the spirit. You are the flame. And in your light..the world glows.

Have a great Mother's Day....

Home is where you can scratch where it itches..

Back in Mumbai for 3 weeks..Just been here for a week now..Its hot..And its crowded..But, I am loving it. Lots of things to do..Meet old friends..relatives..Go out to the crowded malls in Mulund..the beaches at Juhu..Temples in South Mumbai and other suburbs...Shopping in the lanes of old Mumbai..Crawford Market etc etc..Already had some rides in local trains..and BEST buses. Wow..The thrill of the good old Thane local...But ofcourse, having some tough time as Mulund and other suburbs frequently have power cuts..So, the sweltering heat is becoming even more unbearable..But, the excitement keeps me going..

Family..friends..great food..and mangoes..Home is where you can scratch where it itches..