The gaps between posts are getting longer and longer. I could blame this delay on myriad things but the truth is that life in our home is approaching normalcy and the urgency to reach out for support is getting less intense. I have debated and rejected the idea of closing the site. This connection has become more important and far-reaching than any of us could have imagined. We have used it to bridge the physical and emotional chasm of modern life. Sachi and I have drawn tremendous strength from it during a very vulnerable time in our life. It has come to be a chronicle of our wide spread extended family. Let us continue to wield its realm for the purpose of sharing the happenings in our minds and in our lives. There is nothing more noble and generous than opening of oneself for scrutiny by others. I am sure all of us have also benefited from its cathartic value. Today this blog graduates to The Family Journal. Babi has given voice to all our feelings at the passing away of Gana Mousa. Naren has shared a slice of his recent life with us. Here is what has been happening in our home.
Ravi has moved into his dorm. This year they have been given a two bedroom apartment meant for four boys (two in a room). It is a vast improvement over last year's cramped quarters. This week they are concentrating on football practice. He requested and got a home stitched bandanna in the colors of the Indian flag. He wears this on his head during practice and under the helmet during games. Now many of his other friends want to design and get their bandannas made too. Next week classes will start. Hopefully he will show similar enthusiasm for studies too.
Suraj, true to his word, is doing very well in his geography class. For his class paper he is going to write about the physical geography of India. Right now he is in California, vacationing with friends. He comes home tomorrow. The house is silent without the boys.
Jyoti and Jeff just came back from a week in California. Every time we talked to them they seemed to be at the beach soaking up the scenery. They cannot come to Lincoln for a week because they have to make up for the time they took off for this vacation. Jeff has painted the nursery room in beautiful colors and designs. Jyoti is adding her own special touches. They are both glowing during this waiting period before the advent of the baby. Our close friends ( Carmini and Asha ) are giving a baby shower to Jyoti next month. Sarbani and Sudesh (who have been like mothers to Jyoti) are doing the 'Godh Bharni' ceremony in our home for her. Bijoy mamu. Janet mai, Sangram mamu and my cousin Gurjeet (from New Jersey) will join us at this time. Naren will be coming over for few days towards the end of this month. We are looking forward to these family reunions.
Sachi has decided to keep working half time until October when he retires. His recovery seems to have plateaued for now. He continues to take Ensure as his main sustenance. He tries other foods but is not having very good luck. Mango Icecream is one exception. I guess it is not for nothing that mango is called the king of fruits.
This picture was taken last week when the kids celebrated Rakhi. They were all busy this week so they celebrated early. Sachi put on last year's rakhis to join in the picture. He put on his new rakhis yesterday. Torrey loved this festival and joined in wholeheartedly. I put my brother Kuku's picture in the prayer room among other family members who have gone ahead. Hope you all had a wonderful Rakhi.
Looking forward to reading about you. . . . . Ambi.
5 comments:
Hello Ambi and Sachi,
This is the first time I have read your blog in months. I am so glad to hear that life is returning to normal. No news could be better. I also am quite impressed with the book that Ambi is writing. Your life experiences and perspectives are fascinating to me. I love learning about your culture. It is so rich, and the love your family members have for each other is so fantastic.
We have been working hard trying to get adjusted to Little Rock, Arkansas. We are so happy to be back with Sonny, but miss Kirby terribly. Katie took summer school all summer and played a ton of tennis and golf. She has now started school and went out for both sports. Katie seems to be adjusting really well. Mostly, I have spent all of my time getting our house unpacked, cleaned up, and decorated. Also, driving Katie around is almost a full time job. I also still work pretty hard for The Tasting Room.
If ya'll want to bring the kids, send them on their own, or come without them and experience the South, we have lots of room and would love for you to come visit. Little Rock is a beautiful city with lots to do.
I hope you are all doing well. I have loved hearing about the boys from Kirby and I sure hope that Joyti's pregnancy is going great. What a joy! Hopefully, we can get together sometime soon.
Missy
REFLECTIONS:
Whenever I read about some approaching storm or typhoon or watch its aftermath, I feel deeply moved by the paradox of its unpredictable regularity.....A flash of lightening burning the dark clouds ablaze with its blinding brilliance....A crack of thunder tearing asunder the silence of the vast skies..... The first drops of rain quenching the parched thirst of mother earth....
Events unfolding, dramas being enacted, the path of life being traversed.....Mechanically we go through our daily chores without realizing the significance of every little act. How unconscious we all are about the deeper meaning of our existence....Little do we understand that the Power that enables things to be as they are, events to unfold as they do, mysteries to unravel as they confound, is the essence of the Universal Consciousness....the undifferentiated, unmanifested Source from whom 15 billion years ago, as the astronomers affirm, our Universe had acquired its form from the Big Bang, and ever since has been expanding both in form as well as in consciousness. The incessant expansion and contraction of the heart....the perennial inhalation and exhalation of the breath of life....the eternal outward movement in conscious living and return homecoming to the Source in dreamless slumber every night...... these indeed are a few of the multitudes of acts that take place without break or barrier every second of the day even without our being aware of their occurrence. The dissent from Divine Consciousness to mortal matter, a short mad race to conquer the futile world of transitory sensory pleasures and products, and thereafter the return to the Source.....this is what is contained in the lifespan of most of us. If only we could abandon the vicious cycle of success and failure, accumulation and loss, rising and falling, and instead embark on a journey of service and sacrifice, loving and giving, non-judgmental stillness and alert consciousness.....how beautiful our world would become, how close we would come to our Creator, how meaningful our existence would become. It may not always be possible to draw away from the age-old dysfunctional tradition of mundane living but it is possible to infuse a breath of love into every act we perform, into every gesture we offer, into every relationship we develop...with acceptance, enjoyment, enthusiasm and surrender.
I embarked on my final year of medical education eight weeks ago. These weeks taught me far more precious lessons than can be described in medical texts or research articles. I wanted to share my valediction to my benefactors, Sandeep bhai and Seema apa being amongst them:
I have learned lessons in human goodness. I left Chicago to spend 8weeks studying at stalwart institutes of higher learning, not realizing that the stage was set for a higher learning experience elsewhere. I now realize that my real education was taking place everyday in the interactions I had with those who took over my care. They were teaching me about selflessness, friendship, fraternity, and genuineness. A budding doctor can hope to learn no finer lesson in living the examples of human goodness, kindness, and compassion. I have been so fortunate to meet these emissaries of His message. Each act was laden with a personal touch of love, each word spoken in earnest. Each day was adorned with their lovely voices and their touching gestures. I was neither given a chance for complaint nor afforded the normalcy of discomfort. Far from home, I remained at home, with parents awaiting my arrival at each doorstep I approached. I lived a life seldom afforded to travelers engaged in a search for their identity amongst the pillars of research and discovery wherein I studied. The luxuries of a home, of loving family and friends, blanketed me in a veil of security that enabled my mind to focus entirely on its search, rather than be occupied by the uncertainties and discomforts of feeling foreign and displaced. I found that a niche had been created for me long before my arrival; I was but to take occupancy and lead the search I had embarked upon.
So here I sit after 8 weeks of sweat and toil, rejuvenated and touched. Good people do exist, and I was lucky that they found me. I hold true that their work will be etched in our minds, the blessed recipients of their fruitful deeds. I will find a way to imbue my interactions with the same love and genuineness and can only hope to repay this debt by coming to the aid of a struggling traveler in search of his own answers. I dedicate this valediction to you, my benefactors, who rode with me on my journey and took me as your student.
A family Journal need not necessarily chronicle only the physical growth and expansion or otherwise of every unit.... In fact, what it should also record and recollect are the moments and memories that come together to transform their life into a lyric worth singing.....a story worth narrating.....a blessing worth prostrating at His feet for....
While wishing each other the best in life, let us join our vibrations of warmth and love to spread the message of brotherhood across the bleeding billions on this planet. Like a single drop that creates ripples expanding across the entire length, let us avail of every little opportunity of service presented by life and offer our prayers to Him through each act of goodwill. Lost in the ever deepening web of conceit and torn apart by a tsunami of violent conflict that threatens to annihilate mankind today, we find it so very disturbing to live in accord with the promptings that issue from our true self......so very difficult to believe in human goodness.....so very depressing to behold what man, who proclaims himself as the crown of creation, has made of man.......
It was a source of great reassurance and relief to hear from Naren about how a few total strangers had gone out of their way to help a struggling Doctor find his way in a selfish world and had, in the process, touched his Soul with a deep sense of divinity through their unconditional care. Needless to say, it is for human beings like these that our world is still surviving the pangs of hostility and forging ahead to honor its tryst with God to become a planet worthy of bearing His children.
Naren, you have offered your heartfelt gratitude to Seema apa and Sandeep Bhai, which they richly deserved, for their overwhelming love and care in settling you down in a foreign land. Now it is your turn again to express your prayers of gratitude to God for having brought these other people into your life during your stint at Stanford, who, even though they were not related to you in any way, have engraved their memories in your heart in letters of gold through their numerous acts of kindness and care....
Love and God bless
Babi / Dad
PS. This is what I call telepathy. Just as I was going to post this piece on the blog, I found that Naren had already put on paper his tears of gratitude. God bless you, little one....
Dearest Sanabhai and Nuabou,
Pranam..We are back in the blog after a long time.Oh yes-it is a family journal now-Nuabou..We appreciate your decision in this regards.It is wonderful to be in constant touch with each other and to feel that we are always there for each other, whether in happiness or in sorrow.
The photograph of Rakhi is very nice..it gives a festive look and brings back so many happy memories..God bless my dearest brother and his marvellous family.
In the meantime we went to Orissa for a week.Inspite of constant rains and two Bandhs..We enjoyed our stay and could spend quality time with our dearest Bou..who even in 82yrs is as caring and as loving as ever..She has so much concern and love for all her children and their families..all the time she is thinking about us and praying for our well being..We are really blessed..Let us all pray for her long life, physical and mental health..I feel so fortunate to be able to enjoy the "Bapa Ghara" sukha (Maayke ka Anand) till this age.
We are doing fine and keeping ourselves busy in some work or the other..Leema will be here till end of September..She is doing well and we are enjoying her company..Seema is as usual remaining busy with her two growing kids and house work..We miss them very much specially Anamika-our darling naughty grand daughter.
Sanabhai-We attended Gana Mausa's Sraddha and consoled the grieved family.Only after reaching there I realized how connected we were with that family and how much we love them..Seeing Gana Mausa's bright face in the decorated picture tears automatically flowed from my eyes and so many past memories came flooding by..I also remembered Baba a lot and all their scrabble and Canasta games with me sitting by their side watching and learning..Gone are those days and those wonderful people.
Nuabou..it was nice to know about Jyoti,Suraj and Ravi and all their activities..God bless them all.
Okay..Bye for now.
Lots of love and blessings,
Nandini and Swarup.
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