Tree Time Stories

What happens when 2 sitar students and a yogini go on a picnic? :) 

As we sat on one of the wooden picnic tables at the park by the lake, laid the table with the pretty tea set made in Japan (which i borrowed from mum) a basket of scones, cheese breads and some delicious rambutans, a book about history of amazing Asian gardens, a flask of hot ginger infused tea which we were just about to pour into the lovely cups when we spotted a guy nearby staring right into one of the palm trees behind us...we were wondering what he was doing standing there all alone. So we kept an eye on him while having our tea and buns. After a while we noticed that the guy was chatting away, still facing the tree and looking up at the sky and spreading his arms as though he was absorbing the energies around him...that's when my friend said "looks like he is talking to the tree...nothing to worry then, he is just one of us" And all three of us burst out laughing and said..oh yes, that's so true! 

We so love the trees that we go lie on the grass under the oldest raintrees for hours till it gets dark...just having some homemade snacks and drinks, sharing random stories and somehow, the things we chat about turns out to be the most interesting ones compared to stuff we talk  about when we meet elsewhere like restaurants or even our homes. No matter where it starts, the conversations somehow gets diverted into talking  about the universe and its magical realms, light, life, aliens, music, dance, colours, books, travelling, crystals, and so on..we usually do not realise the hours that passes till the security guards at the park come shining their torch lights on us prompting us to leave... and we would reluctantly pack our stuff only then realising how long we have been sitting there.

These picnics have reminded us of how life is as it is, before we thought everything needed to be captured in photographs or published on social media. Times when we had a meal simply by sharing the moment with a friend or family and not necessarily with the whole world to see. We wrote our experiences on our personal diaries (i mean the real ones) to be kept in a secret compartment of a drawer so our brothers will not read and make fun it! But now, we snap EVERY moment to be shared..and then forget to look at it again coz everyone is too busy snapping new pictures. To me pictures are precious...i love looking at old pictures because it contains so much stories and  those imperfect shots before digital cameras came, held the most interesting stories...one picture was enough to bring the whole atmosphere back, remembering everything we said or did on that particular day and how the chain of events led to that moment captured in the picture. One shot was enough to say it all. But now, we take hundreds of pictures and yet have no stories to tell coz everything is missed while we are staring at ourselves through those tiny lenses. The vastness of life can never be captured in a shot...it will always remain a tiny part of  the whole and yet we are deceived into believing that these glimpses could reflect the real experiences.

When you choose to arrange a pretty picnic basket and wear a lovely dress and your favourite accessory , do you do it so the pictures will look good or because you yourself should feel good. How about the friends who sit with you chatting and having tea, sharing the moment for real? Isn't that more important then to simply show the pictures to another person who wasn't even there? No matter how many pictures you shared, only you heard the bird cooing and scanned through the old cluster of bamboos to find where the sound was coming from. Only you felt the warmth in your heart when your friend brought a little card with a handwritten message which included a few lines of Irish Blessings especially for you, not because it was your birthday or any other celebration but simply coz it was a beautiful day out... only  you sat there looking at the ants crawling over blades of grass and said to your friend "These ants...will never be able to see the whole world with those tiny eyes..in fact they won't even see the whole person sitting above them coz we are too huge in its vision...if we were to explain the vastness of the universe and the planets humans have come to know ...wouldn't it be way beyond their capacity to imagine it even...would they believe you?? Isn't that how it is with human beings? We believe as much as we can see and deny that which we don't...but how small are we compared to this reality? We will never know" Now, how could a picture show this moment of truth you felt while sitting at the park? If we cant give the whole truth to another person who wasn't there...what is the point of pictures? 

I am not saying we should not take pictures...for i LOVE photography and how some shots bring the magic through it. I am only saying, we shouldn't miss the reality while trying to capture it. Enjoy the moments with all your heart and soul and you will never need photographs to keep the memories...take one picture that tells the story rather then a hundred random shots that says nothing. So that was our first picnic of the year 2019...more to come...more to share...soon :) 

A window to a secret garden :)

Two weeks ago i was in Ipoh, and since it was school holidays we decided to take my nephew for a outing. Just a day trip somewhere around Ipoh itself. Finally decided to visit the caves at Kek Look Tong in Gunung Rapat area. I have not been there though i am from Ipoh. So it was first time for all of us except my sis in law who has been there often. I have seen pictures of some caves at Gua Tempurung Ipoh and knew it will be interesting. So i was pretty excited to go.

As we reached the entrance, the first thing that caught my attention was the hilltop where there was an opening which looked like a window. 

I was already excited to see what was beyond.....yet little did i know of the beauty hidden behind that hill! Now it makes sense why the hill decided to have a little window.....it was inviting you to see through it...reminding you to get to the other side...

So we walked through the cave....which was serene, cool and calming with the breeze breathing through the opening..There were huge statues of Buddha and  lovely little carvings on stones all along the walls of the cave. My mom and brother were saying..." if only this is made a Hindu temple to meditate...." and i laughed!! i said....why do you need a temple? just look at the cave...look at the formations which took millions of years ....drops by drops of pure water ....a temple build with such patience no man can ever attempt! So, meditate on the cave!! THIS IS the temple! what more do you need!?....and they were both smiling...i don't know if they agreed....but at least they couldn't argue.. :) 

I walked on amazed by every inch of the cave and...Yet...i still wasn't aware of the beauty that comes once you get to the end of the cave....

When you get to the end...you see an opening of the cave....with a view of a garden, lake and hills...simply breathtaking! From then on....my family could not stop me to have snacks by the gazebos on the way...no! who needs to snack when you have the hills nourishing your nerves! So i decided to walk alone while the others were resting. Best part is, though it was school holidays there were no crowd...and i was walking alone enjoying every view and stopping wherever i wanted to soak in its beauty... 

here's just a glimpse of it....

The lake filled with white and pink lotus...

 These giant leaves reminded me of Pandora in the movie Avatar, so huge you can sleep on it :)

What a beautiful day it was....as i walked out back to the car park....i turned to look at the window on the hilltop and smiled....coz now i know what you could see through it. I did wish i was able to hike up to the window and actually see the whole view from above...but somethings are meant to be left to your imaginations...and thats what makes nature even more beautiful! 

So, if you are in Ipoh and have no idea what to do next....remember to visit this secret garden..:)

A Dancer At Dance

There is a world beyond all chaos, where your heart beats in one rhythm, in harmony with the divine energies. Its a place where the Gods dwell. You find your self in trance as you step into it. You feel your soul lifted so high and light which makes you want to stay there forever. 

It is where a dancer is at dance!

A beautiful title for a beautiful Arangetram (graduation in dance)

This lovely girl Geethika Sree is my dance guru's daughter and having seen her as a baby and also watched her dance from the age of 3 made this graduation ceremony truly special. It was amazing to see how this little baby girl grew up to be such a talented and matured dancer over the years. 

Whenever i hear people complain about life and how it is impossible to do anything for mere passion i could only smile and think about all these dedicated artists who have been living in the same world and yet have been going on and on in this magical path, untouched by this "difficult" world. How do they do it? Why would they do it?? What do they get out of it??

When we go watch a performance, all we see in plain sight is a person dancing on stage for about 2 hours. But what we do not see is the many years of dedication, patience, sacrifices, suffering and tears that eventually blooms into one divine performance.

You cant just memorize a few steps and become a dancer....you need to become the steps itself. You need to merge with the music. You need to surrender to its rhythm. You have to connect to the hundreds of souls watching you. You need to be the dance itself. Its a trance like state which turns you into a soul catcher. You have your audience dance with you. Then ....you are truly a Dancer At Dance. Geethika is surely one of those! 

During the show last night, before every item performed she explains the dance in words and in one of those narrations she says this...

" Leave all your meditations, leave all your yearnings. Come dance with me"  

And i thought, yes, why not? When people meditate for decades to get that ONE glimpse of divinity, she brings all Gods down dancing in joy right before our eyes. So, why not?

You witness Lord Muruga teasing Valli. You hear Lord Rama speaking with his friend Hanuman, you watch playful Lord Krishna and you dance with his Gopis, you fight all evil with Goddess Durga. Above all...we unknowingly enter the peaceful state of meditation where you are not disturbed by the world outside....you have plunged into your soul where everything is joyful! Everything is colourful, bright and beautiful! So yes....leave all meditations and yearnings..and dance! :)

In Indian classical dance, the graduation is regarded as the very beginning to dance. And i truly believe this little goddess will bloom more petals and i am waiting to watch all her performances. May God bless her with everlasting joy of dance!

Thank you Geethika....for adding life into this world :)

When the Rivers dance.....

I would like to begin with Master Ramli Ibrahim's words about this production :

" ..the River Sutra symbol represents many things. It is the metaphoric cultural river that snakes through the nation, cross-fertilising, continuously evolving and ever-creating from the various influences a potent melange in a cultural couldron that defies absolute categorization. It is an organic process of assimilation of life's essence and rasas !"

Have you ever imagined how might it be if the rivers could dance...? :)

As i watched Sutra Dance Theatre's latest contemporary production called " RIVER SUTRA" in KL...i couldnt help imagining the whole show to be a dance of the rivers...and thought ..So thats how it is when the rivers dance:)

The flow and synchronization , the falls and lifts, the colours and lights, the swirls and runs...was just as beautiful as a flowing river , so beautifully choreographed with such soothing lighting and stage , and above all the mood created, just as calm as it is by the rivers...so, i have to say it was just PERFECT !

I was a little touched by this show for a few reasons...first of all, my sister Nithya was part of this show and its her first time with them in such a big production of Sutra. So, i was of course a proud "akka" ( elder sis ) watching her dance. Below is a picture i snapped of her expressing such calmness and serenity...i love this picture for it shows how dance or any other art form can get into ones soul, lifting their spirit to such peaceful and joyful state which otherwise can only be attained by hours of meditations !! I mean why sit still when you can dance !? haha :):) 

Second, this show was a Malaysian version of Indian classical dance, infused with many other genres such as the "Wayang Kulit" and ballet. It is true that we Malaysians are like garam masala ...a mixture of all spices ! So, obviously you cant help sprinkling some into the dance ...and the best part is, it turns out to be pretty amazing :)

Third, the costumes by Ming Walker aka Janet Khoo is simply  gorgeous. The reflections of colours on stage, just as magical as it is when the light touches the water....

Fourth, i can never get enough of my favourite Sutra dancers like Tan Mei Mei, Nisha Devi, Divya Nair , Geethika Sree and of course the Master Ramli Ibrahim himself. So, NO ! i wouldnt miss their production !! 

And i have no words to describe the Lighting and Set Designer Sivarajah Natarajan who ALWAYS creates a pandora like atmosphere the moment you step into the hall ! You can see the  first picture above of the stage and please tell me if i am exaggerating ! :)

And this time, the highlight of the whole show was this piece called Suasana, an improvisation on various moods and the effect of the movements and images when its connected to the moods of music and lighting. And i was totally absorbed with the expressions of this one dancer, Nisha Devi who is also an assistant artistic director and well known among the Sutra family and friends as the Abhinaya Queen for her ability to express the rasas so beautifully. This time, she did it again ! I would say i was totally glued to her expressions and even ignored what the rest of the dancers were doing all around her on the stage. I believe only years and years of dedication and extreme hardwork could bring out such talents ! 

Here she is ....

For those of you who have seen the ad on Astro or newspapers but thinking if you would enjoy it or not, please be assured you would love it. And the good news is River Sutra will be flowing through the nation....from Kota Kinabalu to Putrajaya ! For more information please log on at :

   

http://www.sutrafoundation.org.my/?p=2089

And catch .....

THE FLOW

THE SHIMMER

THE SPLASH

THE DRIFT

THE FALL

THE SWIRL

....all at RIVER SUTRA .......

Frozen Silence ..

I was sobbing away, shoved my face into the pillow as hard as i could coz i didnt want to freak out my aunt and cousin who was sleeping on the other side of the room, in Engelberg, Switzerland. We checked into that hotel about 3 hours ago. I couldnt describe the awesome view we had at our balcony, the glaciers melting down frozen, pine trees in the coolest shades of green , the alpine meadows and above all the sound of the swiss cowbells !! yes you keep hearing the bells even when you couldnt spot the cows. A scene like out of a fairy tale and yet it was for real. How serene, how HUGE, and yet how calm nature can be...all at one time.

I stood at the balcony spellbound , absorbing every inch of it so i would remember it forever...for i know no pictures will ever be able to reflect the true sense of beauty i was looking at. After a while it got misty and dark and i coudnt see the mountains anymore. I was eager to see it again in the morning. So decided to sleep well through the night so i could be up early.

So we all went to bed, i was in my separated side of the room tucked into the very cozy bed. Closed my eyes and there it was ! standing tall , frozen in absolute silence, the mountains ....the picture i had absorbed every inch that evening just popped up and it wont go away even if i tried. Looking at it...i tried to sleep...but i couldnt. So i started to talking to it ...strangely the first words that came out was...

 " It was You wasnt it ?? It was You who called me here...fabricated this whole tour across thousands of miles away...coz You know i would Love You to bits...! You wanted me to SEE You " ....and after a pause...i said again...

" It REALLY was YOU..wasnt it ? "

And the next thing i knew was...i was sobbing away..tears just flowing and i couldnt control myself. I felt like crying out loud but again i didnt want to get my aunt worried. So i just turned over and shoved my face into my pillow and continued crying for a few mins...then...i felt better and also puzzled ! hahaha...yeah i couldnt understand what it was about...but i was sure it wasnt because i was sad...or excited...i couldnt explain the feeling. Thats when i realised this, when i asked " It was You wasnt it ?" to the mountain, i heard IT say

" Yes, it  is Me, and now that you could SEE Me...do you think i could go wrong? "

That was the answer that triggered my senses. Something SO real , so HUGE, Such beauty has to be simply RIGHT. So, it is safe to put your trust in it. Thats what i learnt that night and ever since that experience i felt so much lighter , happier and calmer than i had been before.  So it was the frozen silence that spoke the loudest . So clear and to the point , you can never argue !

Though i wasnt satisfied with any of the pictures i snapped, for its too big to be contained..still just for remembrance, here are a few which i took from the balcony of our hotel :)

Child of Tibet

Now...how many of us have the privilege to claim

" I was born while my mother was milking in a windy cowshed, in the countryside....and an hour later the cow herself gave birth."

Can you even imagine it ? That is LIFE as it IS ! and this beautiful women was born just ONE year after i was. Its interesting to observe the stark contrast to life here , isnt it? Maybe my mom could have matched the situation better as she was born in a very remote village in India and her parents were then living in a tiny palm thatched hut.

But my VERY boring story would start something like...

"i was comfortably born with first class facilities in the hospital and brought into a lovely brick house. And definitely no cows in the neighbourhood !

Hahaha.....i bet you wouldnt buy my book if i were to write an autobiography !!! Would you ??

Now...coming back to Soname's flight to freedom, a story of a remarkable woman who was born in Tibet right in the middle of the cultural revolution when the people's devotion to the compassionate Buddha was considered a crime ! How could you wake up every morning bearing the absurd feeling that you are the enemy simply because you are too PEACEFUL !! I mean whats wrong with human beings ? We are the most confused species ever to have walked the earth ...aren't we?

The even more interesting fact to observe in her story is that.....despite the very brutal overthrowing of Buddhist culture by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in order to establish communism in Tibet....Soname NEVER showed signs of resentment or anger in her entire story! Sadness ?...YES.....Pain?...Yes.....Courage? ...Yes....but NO ANGER ! And how could that be ? I guess thats only possible with a nation that was made of 6000 monasteries producing exceptional number of scholars and saints and the Leader was considered to be the living Buddha of compassion. Ordinary illiterate Tibetan knew how to say mantras, turn prayer wheels, do prostrations in front of sacred images and go on pilgrimages.

A child born into a family who believes PEACE is the only way....will not seek revenge against those who held them down and peed into their mouths ....simply for the reason they were NOBLE....

She does not think its natural to hate those who were responsible for her family to starve and suffer and enormous famine.

Here's what she says in her book :

" For all the trauma and poverty, my family coped remarkably well. I can recall times of serenity and even laughter at home. We are by nature a strong, resilient race, with terrific sense of humour. And this helped enormously in those terrible times. And i can honestly say I do not remember any bitterness or resentment in either my family or my fellow countrymen and women. There was just great sadness."

More than anything else, however it was our faith that kept us going.

When i finished this book.....i couldnt help comparing our lives and sometimes it makes me laugh at the things we complain about ..i still believe Malaysia has been a paradise ...not flawless....but definitely bearable....

simply because if a child who was thrown into being a slave at 16 , exploited and deprived of affection, faced starvation and risked death in a 6 week trek for freedom across the Himalayas...later forced to give up her young daughter and being tormented with guilt and heartache ....YET managed to find courage to channel ALL the Pain into something useful for her country and people like raising money to provide first class medical care for the local regardless of caste or creed. She was able to do this since her talent in singing was discovered and she began her career by performing in a nightclub in London to celebrate Tibetan new year. Thats when BBC picked up the event and gave her the opportunity to do an interview which was broadcast all around the world.

Then ...what pain are we talking about ?? Seriously ? Yes ...all human beings will naturally strive for better life....but our efforts has to be channeled through love and peace at heart....no anger or resentment will get us there...In other words....instead of FIGHTING for rights why not pave a peaceful path to it ? Our idea is to get there alive anyway :)

Here are some the links to her for more information :

www.soname.com/charities.html

www.roterlotus.org

www.gtuh.org

Have A rainbow in your heart :)

When the rainbow arches right into your garden...a spectrum of colors curves down to the wall next to you....connecting the sky...woudnt you be tempted to touch it !! Yes.......like that was not amazing enough ....the colors stuck to my fingers ....like powder....red ..orange ..yellow...green blue indigo and violet....all seven colors got mixed up and stuck to my fingers as i touched the wall where the rainbow was reflected....

that moment...was totally MAGICAL ...but it was also so REAL ! that i woke up with the colors still in my eyes....my world was colorful....the plain bedroom back home...felt like heaven.....with a link to earth connected through the bridge of colours i had just touched...how could that be JUST a dream...!

It has been about 7 years since that heavenly morning....and i still love how it made me feel...that excitement and joy ....lighted my heart so bright...and its still glowing...what a beautiful dream!!

Life had been just as beautiful ever since...and i believe those colors will stay with me forever.... :)

So...Who is "NORMAL" ?? !

On my birthday last week....i decided to visit Chasity Home in Kajang town....have seen some of the children from there during a christmas lunch last year at my friends place. Those pure faces had been stuck in my mind eversince....most of them were autistic... though one girl was completely normal but unfortunately her parents couldnt afford to take care of her...she was pretty and looked intelligent. Another boy who i thought should be around 12 or 13 years old turned out to be 20 !! he looked so small....and there were a few others too...i was touched to see how patiently they waited for their food to be served at the dining table...and obediently finished their meals. As i was talking to Ms Amutha ( one of caretakers ) i gathered that these few who were able to visit other peoples' houses occasionally were the ones who are manageable...and are able to walk and communicate but there were a few others back at the home who were more seriously autistic and couldnt be brought out for such functions. It broke my heart to hear this......and thats when i decided to visit the rest of them another day....so my birthday was a perfect time to go visit them.

I Had informed the home a day earlier about my visiting and also getting them some lunch.

And as we reached there....i got out of the car ...passed the food to the ladies in charge...then saw 2 elderly men sitting at the porch on stools simply staring into space....these 2 elderly men were abandoned by their children, they were not ill or autistic....they were simply OLD...... i nodded and smiled at them and walked up to the entrance of the living room which was pretty spacious....there was a small TV turned on, showing some chinese program....there was a 3 seater sofa placed in front of the tv.... only one indian girl around the age of 12 or 13 was sitting on the sofa but she was not facing the tv....either she doesnt understand whats on...or she wasnt just interested....i dont know...and there were 2 chinese girls on the floor....one big sized girl whos hair was so short that she almost looked bald ...she was lying on the floor facing the opposite direction ( away from the tv )....and had both her legs up on the sofa....then on the far right....that 20 year old boy i met on Christmas was sitting on the floor...leaning against the wall with his legs folded and he was also not watching tv...but simply looking at or probably through his fingers...holding his head low...i noticed no one was communicating with each other...they were all in their own space...but somehow it was PEACEFUL in there...

While i stood there scanning through the room and not knowing whom to approach first ....or what to say to them ....an angel came to the rescue...another chinese girl who also looked about 13 or 14....must have been looking at me standing frozen there in the middle of the living room......she must have sensed that i was feeling lost....so with a BIG SMILE ...she stretched her right hand out towards me....with a nod ...which conveyed a message that clearly meant ..." hey you...come over here".....so i immediately walked up to her and held my hand out....she grabbed my hand ....and with her left hand she patted on the seat of the sofa and almost shouted at me " DUDUK LAH!!!" hahahahha....i laughed...Nantha who had been watching the whole thing....laughed out too...! so i sat down and smiled at her....still not sure what to say....then i asked her..." whats your name ?".....she immediately looked down...and shook her head as if to say she doesnt know...and her smile faded a little....i was puzzled at her reaction...i dont know if she did not understand what i said ....or she did not want to tell me her name for some reason...and i am still wandering what was going on in her beautiful mind....

then the next moment she got up and cheerfully walked about ....hmmm...so that was life in there....and i felt a little embarrassed at how long i took to get familiarised with the environment and the people...while it was so easy for that girl to reach out to a complete stranger !...i guess we just think too much !!!...She wasnt afraid to reach out to me....coz she SAW simply ME ...and nothing else....she saw...whats inside...which we all share...and recognized no difference....wish i could get there ! :) dont you ??

On my way home....i coudnt help asking myself over and over ......now...

WHO IS ACTUALLY NORMAL ??

If any of wish to contribute or simply share the love with these lovely souls....

There are 25 ppl in need at :

Chasity Home

Mdm Amutha: 017327 4809

Add: No 11, Jalan 10, Taman Sri Langat, Jalan Reko, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

Account number: EON BANK 0112-10-0009057

Little Princes

This is an amazing story about ONE MAN'S Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal. Its funny that just about a month ago i decided to write about what ONE person can do to make a change...and then i coincidentally ( or maybe not :) come across this book in MPH...so i just grabbed it and walked straight for the counter ....simply eager to know how this ONE ORDINARY PERSON made such an impact on the lives of these beautiful children of Nepal.

And when i finished reading it....i am all the more convinced that EVERY ONE person should do something...big or small...because every action seems to have such a momentum that will eventually string more people into that cause and make an impact probably beyond what we even expected.

This guy, Connor Grennan was just 29 and in search of adventure when he went on a long trip around the globe, beginning with a three month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Childrens' Home, an orphanage in war torn Nepal. And the shocking news awaiting him was that these children were not orphans after all....but victims of child trafficking !!

Parents from extremely remote ( you can only get there by hiking for weeks ) villages who were intimidated by Maoist rebels who abducted children and forced them to join the rebel army in the fight against the royal government, wanted to simply save the lives of their children and sadly fell for the tricks of child traffickers who promised them to take their children to safety and collected vast sums from these impoverished families for the service. Then they just abandoned the children hundreds of miles from their mountain villages where some became slaves...some starved to death and some lucky ones were found by these orphanages. Thats how these young ( mostly 3 or 4 years of age ) became orphans.

Its so sad that these parents have absolutely no idea what had happened to their children....and some of them have been waiting for years hoping to see their children again while some of these children dont even know they have parents or siblings alive.

So this guy...Connor...a graduate of the University of Virginia and the NYU Stern school of Business was then drawn into the lives of the children in the strangest way...while he only intended to do his duties as a volunteer for 3 months and then just go back to America and be settled like a "Normal" person would.....while he had his friends, family and job waiting for him....Life had something else to offer....he became the HERO to these children at the orphanage...and if ONLY you read the entire book that you will see how a person could be drawn into risking their lives for others ...unintentionally...!!

And the good news is ...or i would say the miracle is...eventually after an unbelievable journey through the mountains for about a month....taking the risk of getting killed in the process....this BEAUTIFUL guy managed to reunite ALL the children at this orphanage with their parents...! I had tears when he found every parent...as though i was there while it was happening...he is still doing more by launching a nonprofit organisation in 2006 dedicated to reconnecting trafficked children with their families in a postwar Nepal. When the idea of creating the organisation popped up to him, he had absolutely no idea where to get the fund from. But nature as always brings everything you need if only you channel your request through LOVE ! This guy had nothing to gain but the LOVE of these beautiful children who deserved their lives ! So it worked !

I am not writing much about his quest here for you should really read this book, and by purchasing this book we are also helping in a small way...as a portion of the proceeds from this book is going toward food, clothing, educational supplies and finding more families of these trafficked children.

For more info and to listen to this beautiful guy discuss about his quest please follow these links below :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzS9v1TBsbM

http://www.facebook.com/nextgenerationnepal?sk=info

http://www.nextgenerationnepal.com/How_It_All_Began

TRULY INSPIRING :)

Are u Just One Person ?

Can one person make a difference....how many times have we felt...." ahh i wish i could do something about that " when we watch documentaries about the dangers faced by Amazon jungle...when we read about sharks being thrown half alive bleeding into the ocean after cutting its fin off simply for a bowl of soup....when we see children starving all over the world...when we see poverty eating people alive....turtles choking on plastic bags......all we think is...gosh thats too big a problem for me to handle as ONE person...what can i do ?? i wont make a difference...i dont have the POwer to do to anything....

But sadly we fail to see that ....ONE person CAN make a difference....say one person stops buying shark fin soup....and the market needs one fish less each month....then we have saved 12 sharks in a year....and if theres 100 X "One" person making the decision...then does it make a difference at least ??

If One person decides to free ONE pair of bird from the pet shops...ONCE a MONTH....there are 12 pairs of FREE birds in a year....and if theres 100 X ONE person doing that.....worth it ???

If ONE person feeds ONE child from a poor family.......and there are 100 people doing that....have we not saved 100 children...? Isnt that a big thing ?

SO r we ONE person after all...?

MOTHER THERESA said

" IF U CANT FEED A HUNDRED ...THEN FEED JUST ONE "

We dont have to be Mark Zuckerberg....or Warren Buffet to start making a change....in fact there a fewer billionaires than the rest of us combined....we can make a bigger impact if only we realise we could.....

1 Million X ONE person may change

the entire world in a day

In fact...i wont be writing this here if i dont believe it will make any difference...i dont even know if anyone reads my blog.....but if in the least ONE person came across this blog...and decided to do something ....i am happy :)

SO....look around you...theres always someone in need...something to change...something to add on....something to be stopped.....do anything at all....and start believing that it will make a difference...truth is

...it DOES :)

Happiness is ................

When the sun sets on your shoulders....................

When you have rain trees reaching out.............

When you see No END to the streams....

When light flows along....

When you have a millipede crossing over your fingers...

When you simply LET GO ..............................................

When you jump for joy !

AND above all....when you get it all in ONE day....ONE place....

Streams everywhere...turquoise blue butterflies....shimmering green dragon flies....rain trees reaching across for the lake....BEST friends...endless laughters.....roaring lions.....restless panthers....steaming delicious food........misty mountains....cold nights....serene waterfalls....humble town....millipede crossing your finger....monkeys on your way.....horses waiting for you...

It all sounds surreal ???

Believe it or not....you can have it all at Taiping,Perak...! Awesome place :)

2 weeks ago....a few friends and I went to stay at this simply lovely resort...Sentosa Villa...its in the midst of the hills...walking distance to a waterfall...5 mins drive to the Lake Gardens or the foot of Maxwell Hill....and also the ZOO....

Though we only stayed a night...it was totally satisfying...calm , serene...chill and peaceful...

So...if you want a quick get away with friends or family...this place is ideal with cheap delicious food too....BUT just a very humble reminder....if at all you decide to go to the night safari PLEASE DO NOT use FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY...and keep as quiet as possible while u are at it..these animals should be treated with respect...as they have lost their freedom for us...so lets at least be grateful in this way... :)

The Tree-Dwellers

Today...i came across a link shared by one of my friends on facebook...and realised it was such an interesting info, so coudnt help sharing with everyone...just browse the net, type " the tree-dwellers, Indonesia" and you will be amazed at what you see. Heres just a glimpse of it !

These interesting beings...thought they were the only ones living in this planet...they didnt know there are other human beings at all..!!! Now...tell me...if any of these terms would mean ANYTHING to them....religion, race, country, genocide, democracy, marxism, money, insurance, property, vacation, luxury, world cup ! business , bungalows, cars, flights, i phones, lap tops..cinemas, pubs, i can go on forever......now they can live without it....they dont even know it exists...whats real and known to them is ....PEACE !!! Which we too want but had simply drowned ourselves with everything else that we coudnt find peace anymore !

I do not suggest we go back to the jungles....but if only we knew how to balance up our needs wherever we are....then theres chance for PEACE in the city ! :)

So , relax....life is ALWAYS good !! just breath....smile...and let go...and you will float through it :))

HOLD the SMILE !!!

Tilt your head a little more to the right....look down.....stay calm......smile softly ...lift your chin up a little...yes !!! Hold the pose.!!!..now with the right tone of light shining on your face...you will be lucky to get a naturally pleasant picture of yourself.....this is how we are instructed to act when we take our romantic wedding studio pictures...not forgetting the hour long...make up session which transforms you into a new species...that you hardly recognize yourself in the picture....

But now...just look at the picture below....i snapped these pictures myself just randomly at a group of lovely Sambar and Spotted deers at the Perdana Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur. And no instructions, make up , or lighting was needed to bring the most peaceful gestures out of these pure souls full of love....they dont have to put an effort coz...they are made of love only...no grudges...no greed...no evil lurking in their minds...so, naturally they radiate love for thats all they are made of...look at the pictures...and you will agree..

Arent they lovely...? yeah, they are one of the reasons ...Nantha and i love to go walking at Lake gardens ...you can visit them daily for free till 6 pm...you can feed them bread which they sell at the deer park itself...its definitely calming to see such peaceful animals...and we've got lots to learn from them....so..next time you are wandering what to do on a weekend with no good movies playing in the cinemas...keep the deers in mind...they are ever ready to welcome you with love :)

Away from the dust :)

Last weekend ...i was in Cameron Highlands with my hubby and 2 other friends....and this time i am just going to let my pictures say it all...the above picture was taken at the Boh tea plantation...a place not to be missed....its at Sg Palas...and the road up to the plantation is pretty narrow....and has very sharp turns...you have to be extra careful and wait for cars to come down before you proceed at certain places....but believe me the view up there is worth the effort...its completely silent...cool and soothing...i could sit there all day...absolutely peaceful....

Some of the hundreds of colours and types of divine roses...at the Rose Valley at Brinchang....










Cant wait to go again :)