Passing on a message !

I would never have imagined myself writing a blog so soon again, after my recent one. But I couldn't resist passing on this message.

Every month we make a small donation to an organization called Club Rainbow. It provides support to families of children with major chronic and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Yesterday I received in post a calendar for the year 2010, the organization came up with. It contained art pieces done by some of the children it supports. It also came with a simple small message written by a girl called Lynn, who is suffering from a rare genetic disorder and whose art work was also featured in the calendar.

Here is the message.

'I like drawing. It further develops my fine motor skills and improves my Maths geometrical figure drawing and most importantly it allows me to go into my world of imagination. I enjoy the process of creating my art pieces as it often makes me happy and excited. I always look forward with eager anticipation to the final outcome of my imagination.

My featured artwork defines what life means to me. I believe Life is meaningful and colourful despite the ups and downs. It might be easy at times and difficult at other times. When life is difficult, we have to persevere and overcome it. To me, one of the most important things in life is to be happy.

Lastly thank you for featuring my artwork. I hope you are as happy as I am.'

The message is simple. But coming from the heart of someone very young and with a terminal illness, it has struck me completely in a different dimension. I am unable to take my heart away from this message.  Since yesterday, I have been thinking, how petty my cribbing is, in comparison to the sufferings of so many around the world. I am unable to control the tears that keep rolling away, every now and then, whenever I remember this message. It reminds me how selfish I was, while taking all those new year resolutions I made (in my previous blog). I never did once think more than anything other than me and my family. Now I sincerely make yet another resolution. I will try to spread love and cheer around and make each day count. I sincerely hope all the global leaders and religious leaders will also take this simple resolution and make the world a better place with peace, love and happiness for everyone.

As one rolls away

 and the other ushers in

I stand at the doorway

 looking forth and back once again

Thankful for the good times

 and the bad ones alike

I will treasure each experience

 each day is worth while

I knock at the door

 waiting each moment to unfold

I promise her

 to spread love and cheer

come in dear new year

 happy new year!

Happy new year friends…

Freshly, at 35!

As the year 2009 is about to end, starting a new decade yet again, I sit back and think about the past year and the past decade. In retrospect, the decade has been quite eventful to me and to the world around. The starting of the millenium, which was quite hyped up by everyone. The end of the recession which started in 1999, especially in the software sector. The fateful 9/11 attacks. The preceding war on Afghanistan. My wedding. Moving to Bangalore. Having a baby. Quitting job. Moving to Singapore. My daughter joins the nursery school. The closure of several American banks and the start of another recession. Having another baby.  Obama wins. Swine flu spreads around the world. And now my elder daughter is all set to start her primary school, as my younger one turns one year old.

In between all these, a decade has passed. So, now I, at 35, starting my journey into the middle age, am thinking about my life - what have I achieved, and what do I want from it?! I did well at school. I did well at college. I earned a place in the University. Did my Masters in Computer Applications. I secured a job in  campus selections. Worked for five years. Was good at the job. Have a happily married life. A wonderful and loving husband. Two extremely cute kids. Loving in-laws. And happy parents.

To any reader, my life would seem perfectly happy life of an average woman.  So what is missing? There is only one thing missing in this fairytale life of mine. My identity!!  The satisfaction I had after a long days work at office. The pride, with which I used to say, I would never remain just as a housewife. And the independence, with which I had bought a car of my own. What am I today? Someone's wife. Mother of two. Yes! I wanted to be all these. Am happy about it. But I want more. I want to be someone, who has own identity. Maybe I should return to my job as a software engineer. Or maybe become an artist, a designer, a teacher. Now at 35, I want to listen to my true calling. I want to know what is it that I would love to do for the rest of my life. And work forward in that direction. In this decade, when people, literally half my age, seem to be so sure of their true calling, I wonder if I am too late. Late or not, if I need fulfillment in my life, I do need to try and work towards what I really want to do. It would be much easier now, I guess. With no pressure of any kind as such. As I jot down, I realize, this IS the time to work towards it.

So afresh, on this new year, as a new decade will be dawning in, I resolve to understand my true calling, and work on it for the coming years. I have some other resolutions also to make. I want to blog more regularly. I want to be a better mother and a more understanding wife. I want to paint a landscape in oil and I want to learn to sketch more fluently. And last but not the least, I want to have a healthier lifestyle and also shed some weight.

With these resolutions in mind, I am ready and looking forward for 2010. Hope I will learn to appreciate life even more as I begin this yet another journey.

As the sky turns a shade darker,

the sun going down,

shines his last shimmer.

Tomorrow, is a new dawn

a promise he makes.

'For how long?' I shudder

perhaps loosing faith...

'For as long as hope

lives on earth'

his messenger shines!