Skip to main content

Vol 31: Because Life values us back



Good times to you, Peeker (Positivity Seeker).
As regular readers of our humble newsletter know, the strangest patterns emerge in each of our volumes. This week, we seem to have stumbled upon stories starring single people, some of whom remind us of more forms of love, others telling us that Life isn’t incomplete in the absence of romance.
Yes, the theme of the week is not Smug Single People!!!  This week’s plea is to value Life, so that it values us back.

News from the public domain

An atheist who will make you cry
Maurice Sendak held on to his atheism probably till the very end. He also held on to his ability to love the world and appreciate its beauty till the very end.
What you will hear in this memorable interview is this writer’s voice, loaded with emotion, bravely expressing what he felt within. And what he felt is so beautiful that I mustn’t spoilt it for you.
Well... in case you are don’t have the five minutes and five seconds required to hear him speak, well, here are three things he said:
I’m a happy old man.
I will cry all the way to my grave.
Live your life, live your life, live your life!

Three Lies that keep you from simplifying your life
Who amongst us has not been seduced by the lure of the open road? And who amongst us hasn't simultaneously been admonished by Matron Reality?
Well, here’s what a minimalist experienced when she plunged into open sunshine.

Zohra Sehgal rings out
In Vol 23 of the Positivity Weekly, we celebrated the marvellous life and personality of Zohra Sehgal as she turned 102. The gifted actor passed away earlier this week. Time to celebrate her a little more by watching what appears to be a sad video of her reciting a poem written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, but in fact carries a telling message in the end. The universe has much more to offer than romantic love. For those who seek, there are other worthwhile battlefields and blessings. Go forth, explore.

Freedom from certainty
The title of this article certainly caught my eye. Freedom from certainty. It’s an interview with poet and art curator Arundhati Subramaniam who describes how her spiritual journey has guided her following a near-death experience in 1997.
Not many readers will want to absorb the whole interview. For those, here’s a lovely Sufi text that Arundhati quotes:
Be in this world as if you are a traveller, a passerby, with your clothes and shoes full of dust. Sometimes you will sit under the shade of a tree, sometimes you will walk in the desert. Be a passerby always, for this world is not your home.
Impermanence, Thy name is Life. Impermanence. All the more reason to enjoy Life.

This happened to me

Next week, we will hear a wonderful Wabi Sabi story from our regular reader Sowmya. But for now, let me tell you about my week.
Well, since last Thursday, I have been giving all my energy to a client project. The creation of some document that will be deemed valuable for a brief moment in time. The work is just like most corporate work. I feel several layers removed from primary stakeholders, I continuously attempt to pry open implicit expectations of clients, I sidestep office politics, I work late, I lose sleep. The usual.
The project is still in progress. But today evening, I decided to give myself a treat. I decided to walk home from work. It was rush hour. There was more rubber on the road than asphalt – bumper to bumper. My laptop-carrying bag was being threatened by a gusty rain that lashed at uneven sidewalks. I walked on.
Soon, the rain stopped. I folded up the umbrella and smiled at a weak streak of sunshine. I bought myself a clutch of steamed momos for the road. I circumvented cows returning to their mysterious urban burroughs. Around a dozen pandemoniums of parrots flew overhead during my walk. The tearing hurry of motorists found a counterbalance in the serenity I felt within. Seventy minutes later, I reached home, all geared up to start writing this volume of the Positivity Weekly.
For way too long, only one dimension of my life (work) was getting all the attention. When I shifted my attention elsewhere, my psyche rewarded me with a feeling of bliss. I suppose I might find similar relief in work if I laze around too much. Just a thought.

In conclusion

Life happens. Perhaps we can make it happen our way? Till next time, I wish that you get your favourite Life.
As always, do write in with your feedback, story ideas and personal anecdotes. You can reach us at positivityweekly@gmail.com
To read the previous volume of Positivity Weekly, please click here.       

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Vol 32: Bonds. Important bonds.

Good tidings to you, Peeker (Positivity Seeker). This week, we shall look at the dimensions and health of various bonds we create with human as well as non-human entities. So without much ado, here comes our collection. Pic Credit: www.everypixel.com News from the public domain   17 things happy people say every day We become what we think, said the Buddha. Other wise men remind us that our language shapes our reality. So when a positive thought manifests as a positive expression, we create an aura of happiness around us. We breathe health into our relationships. Bill Murphy Jr reminds us of this simple ideal through an article that reveals the power behind affirmative everyday expressions. My suggestion: read it as if you don't already know these obvious truths to receive its full impact. Empowering the "juvenile" 'Luck defines the circumstances you are put in,' says Indian American Anish Patel. If all children are given equal opportunities, will the

Vol 28: Inspiration and Kindness are interconnected

Good times to you, fellow Peeker (Positivity Seeker). If you are a regular reader of Positivity Weekly, you will be aware that we seem to stumble upon various themes every week. Redemption, knowledge, change, attitude, unusual journeys, beautiful actions, the goodness of nature, the human spirit and diversity are just some of the themes we have covered. This week, we have two themes. Inspiration and kindness. And it’s amazing how connected these ideas are. Have a look. News from the public domain A one-armed leader Miles O’Brien was just an average Joe. Assuming that the average Joe jet sets around the world, bringing difficult-to-cover news stories to your television screens. As a freelancer, life was definitely more challenging for him than the network journalists. But what O’Brien had not bargained for was to lose his left hand in a freak accident. In this moving article in the New York magazine , he mentions his denial, his childhood and other sundry factors th

Vol 22: Life's electrifying changes

Hello again, fellow Peekers (Positivity Seekers). This week’s theme is change. Change for the better. Change for variety and happiness. Our lives are filled with things that remain the same and things that constantly change. And we have enough reasons to be thankful for both those categories of things, right? This week, let’s celebrate change. News from the public domain The racist un-divide When a so-called mainstream Indian calls a person from the Indian North-East chinki , he simultaneously insults three geographies. Not only does he insult the Chinese ( chinki is slang for Chinese) and the unique and diverse culture found in our North-East, he also insults the open and assimilating nature intrinsic to most Indians. And yet, instances of chinki insults are on the rise. Or are they? This video tells us that many Indians no longer tolerate bigots. A sliver of change While caste is a major determinant in Indian elections, it is especially so in Rajasthan, w