Let’s Plant a Tree in Every Festival Because Without Trees Being Part of It No Festivals Can Be Celebrated!!!
INDIA
What are the things that comes to our mind when we hear this word India? Within a moment the silver screen of our mind rolls down the images of our variety culture, the ritualistic traditions the colorful celebrations of different festivals, & the beautiful co-existence of paradoxes, contradictions & incongruities. A culture of oxymora !!Not only that, ours is the oldest cultures and traditions in the world too. Moreover, we never hesitate to accommodate new things, new ideas as well. And the best thing is, we have the guts too to discard outdated notions & obsolete concepts. isn’t it?
Festivals, out of all, defines India’s soul. We Indians love to celebrate every small thing. And guess what, our festivals are mostly connected to Nature. And if I am correct then Trees are the most important part of almost all our festivals, rituals, or traditions.
For instance, Let’s think of an Indian festival where the plants or trees are not part of it…can we find one? I guess…rarely so? So, if tree or plants are always an inseparable part of our festivals then how about PLANTING A TREE While Celebrating Every Festival!!!
Let’s Plant a Tree In Every Festival!!
This year, fortunately I was invited to be a part of a Plantation Drive By Lioness Club, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai by my friend Madhu Shankar on the day of LOHRI!!!
It is believed that the festival LOHRI commemorates the passing of the winter solstice. Lohri marks the end of winter & is a traditional welcome of longer days and the SUN’s journey to the northern hemisphere.
One of the important parts of Lohri celebration is worshiping bonfire. Why do we burn fire on Lohri? Folklore of Punjab believes that the flames of the bonfire lit on the day of Lohri carry the messages & prayers of the people to the Sun God to bring warmth to the planet to help crops grow. In exchange, the SUN GOD blesses the land & ends the days of gloom and cold.
Not only Lohri, whether its HOLIKA or Havan, Diwali or Death or Wedding or Cremation, for every ritual or festival we believe in Flames of Fire. And a tree (read part of a tree) is lit to flame that pious fire & exactly that’s where I feel that “We Should Plant a Tree” in the same day when we use it as a part of our celebration.
Moreover, Trees are a link between the past, present and future. With exponential diminution in forest cover worldwide because of our ambitious idea of lifestyle, the only way we can save trees is by consciously acting towards environmental conservation.
Looking at the perilous impact that rampant deforestation, fuelled by development and infrastructure projects, has over the environment, it has become a necessity, actually a dire need to Plant More Trees anyways.
And what would be the best occasion when we celebrate our favourite festival. By Clubbing Festivals & Rituals with Trees, not only we can change the Face of India & the Entire Globe But also, we can change the Fate of the Planet Earth!!!
Therefore, I Feel LET’S PLANT A TREE IN EVERY FESTIVAL OR OBSERVING RITUALS TO CELEBRATE IT IN TRUE SPIRIT!!LET’S TAKE IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF CELEBRATION!!! And Trust me It’s Immensely Soul Gratifying Also!!!
Overthinking is precisely the art of thinking of a news-headline where the news is yet to be a news!! Thinking is good but Overthinking means Just creating a mess!!
We are all acknowledge adults. We know everything. Yet we at times do overthinking. I do – I agree. In fact, it happens. Sometimes it becomes a habit. I was through it. I had a feeling that I could never get rid of this habit.
What happens with a lot of us is we get conditioned to live our lives in certain ways. It becomes a part of us, a habit, we become conditioned to it and it is very difficult to come out of that particular habit and in this case the habit being overthinking.
There was a lady egg seller. Every day she would manage few eggs from a poultry farm with the meagre money in her hand, sell them & buy the daily ration for her family. That particular day it was the foundation day of the farm. The owner had decided to give a Big Basketful of Eggs to all his daily customers as a gift. The lady was in seventh heaven as she got the Big Basketful of Eggs, free. She carried it on her head and walked to the nearby town to sell them off.
She was excited for the extra earning…err…really a big extra earning out of that those eggs. She was lost in thoughts while walking, planning about the extra money.
“I wouldn’t spend all the money today, will save a big part of it. Tomorrow, I will again buy a basketful of eggs & sell them. In this way I would earn more everyday and save more & more. Once it’s enough, I would go for my own Poultry farm. Soon, there would be more profit. I would go for a big bungalow having all luxuries. I would be having servants at home to serve me and my family. I would be enjoying sitting on my bed & watching my favorite movie. If my children would come to disturb me asking for the dinner then I would say, “NO I WON’T, WHY CAN’T YOU ASK THE SERVANT TO SERVE YOU””
And in a hit of thought she really SHOOOOOK her head & the Egg Basket Fell down, all eggs being broken…. 😉 😊
So basically, Overthinking doesn’t earn us anything but precisely makes our present a mess. If you are through it then it’s very important to get rid of it. It’s not easy but then not impossible too!!
How to Overcome Overthinking!!
We must understand no matter what Overthinking is a habit & a habit is can always be changed or stopped
We often think a lot when we do not have enough to do. Basically, when we are not occupied with things outside then we are a lot occupied with the mind inside. Simply we need to involve our mind in something.
We should occupy ourselves outside, in our work, family or friends, communicating or doing things.
It’s a great help if we take up something to learn new. That gives a pause to the “Loop of Overthinking”. It works as a distract to make the mind focus on something else, reducing the Loop Timing.
Stop feeding the thought. See, if you feed your dog more & more, it will grow fat. Anything fed in excess grow in excess. So also, Thoughts. If we keep feeding them, they would just expand taking more & more of your mind space.
Stop Paying attention to the mind. See mind is like a child.
The mind is like a child, the more the child cries and if we pay attention to the child, the child starts crying more. If you ever see a child that has gotten hurt, you will find that the child starts making a ruckus. The child starts crying to get attention from the mother. If the mother pays attention of course if it is something serious the mother must pay attention to the child and nurse the wound; but sometimes it’s not even a serious wound and children are just creating a scene to get attention from the mother.
Now if the mother pays attention to such a small thing you know that the child is going to increase the volume and intensity of the cry. It’s a drama there. And therefore, if the mother ignores the child in a situation which is not very serious and the drama is unnecessary, the child’s intensity and crying will drop down till he or she stops crying. If you notice, this does happen. Therefore, the mind is exactly is like that. It’s a DRAMA QUEEN. The more we pay unnecessary attention to thoughts that don’t need attention at all the more we get pushed into the loop of overthinking.
So therefore, we should learn to neglect such thoughts that don’t need attention.
Meditation & Mindfulness also helps a lot. It’s not easy and really difficult in the beginning, but slowly it catches up & sprinkles water on the wild fire in your mind (Read Thoughts).
Meditation not only stops overthinking but also destroys the fertility of the mind for these unnecessary weeds to grow, It makes the mind a fertile ground for the things to grow that are better for your highest good.
Obviously when a DRAMA QUEEN is stopped from unnecessary drama, it would put its energy to develop a Beautiful Script…Right!
These things worked for me…. I hope it would work for you as well!! Let me know…
I know you are different from a teacher because, a teacher teaches a lesson first and takes the exam next but YOU take tests first and then teach a lesson. In fact, you are just an Institution in Yourself and I am a Student of Life. You are the Syllabus, You are the teacher, you are question and you are the answer paper. You are the lessons and you are the certifications. You give equal opportunity to everybody, no matter from where one has to start or one has to end.
Dear Zindagi,
With you I have learnt that Life takes a number of turns throughout its entire span. It may not be kind to anyone all the times. So too with me…! And that’s where I leant many things. There are tough times which really tested my courage, my abilities & capabilities of facing unfavorable situations. At times, I was done. But with your soft approach from within I learnt to be a strong nerved person.
Natan Sharansky – is an Israeli politician, human rights activist – was a Jew living in communist Russia in 1970s. However, for some reason he was accused of being an American spy and thrown into the jail by the Russian Government.
The conditions in jail were very bad. Adding to that for 400 days he was in the Siberian jail, the worst of them all. His prison cell was 4 feet by 3 feet, where he used to live. Pathetic…isn’t it?
Now in such a place your body will start deteriorating for the lack of exercise and the brain will also start waning too. But he had a strong will to not only survive but also to remain alright. It was really tough but he didn’t want to give it up. Of course, for his body he would do anti-gravity exercises, but “what to do for the brain?” was the question.
As a child he was very fond of chess, so he decided to play chess in the mind. Now to keep 64 squares in the mind, naturally is a big mental gymnastics in itself. Isn’t it? But he started playing chess. Then the next question was “with who to play with??”“Why not play with the World Champion?” He thought. The world champion in those days was Garry Kasparov. So he DECIDED… he used to play chess with Gary Kasparov in the mind, everyday.
He stayed in jail for 12 years. After 12 years when Bill Clinton became the President of USA, he made an appeal to the Russian Government and the Russian government released him. He went out of jail and travelled to live in Israel, where he became a cabinet minister eventually.
Once Garry Kasparov came on a visit to Israel. As we know the Grandmasters and World champions play demonstration matches with budding players of the Countries they visit.
In the demonstration match they would take on 5 players at a time or even 40 players. Now on this day, Garry Kasparov was playing against 5. One against 5. He defeated 4 of them, but he lost to one person. And the person whom he lost to was Natan Sharansky.
Surprised to the core, The reporters asked him, “Sir, how did you defeat the World Chess Champion? You are not a grandmaster or anything of the sort.”
He said, “You know, for 12 x 365 days I was defeating him every day in my mind. So, I had got programmed. To defeat him was the most natural thing for me. Like as you keep typing, it becomes natural for you.”
Everybody was surprised and awe-inspired by his story.
Now, what does this story teach Us??
The Power of Strong Will – When You Have a Rock-Solid Will Power, you can really move a Rock.
It’s not the Circumstances that make Us weak, It’s WE become weak against circumstances.
To be Weak or Not is a CHOICE in any given situation & not a Compulsion.
An last & the most important thing is THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION!!!
Natan Sharansky was able to defeat Garry Kasporov was the most natural thing, because he had visualized it again and again and again in his mind. He had programmed his subconscious mind for victory against the World Chess Champion. And he in reality he did so. That was the seer power of Visualization.
A Picture speaks 1000 words. When we want something, it’s said that repeated affirmation leads to the law of attraction. However, if we Visualize it, it becomes a picture in mental screen which is equivalent to 1000 times affirmations at once…it’s that simple!! It becomes natural for the things to come to you….!!!Isn’t it AMAZING!!!!
MAGIC APPLE!!!…Sounds weird…Right!!!Well I think everyone of us is looking for this Magic Apple; because An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor away 🙂 And who don’t want to stay away from Doctor ??
We all have heard the proverb, “An Apple a day, Keeps the Doctor Away.” This proverb is actually believed to have originated in Wales in the year 1860s. However, when first used, this proverb had a slightly different form. It had begun, “Eat an apple when going to bed; you will keep the doctor from earning his bread.”
‘Bread’, in the above phrase, in general means ‘salary’ i.e., ‘you will stop the doctor from earning his salary out of your upset health. On a lighter note, like any woman, I have also teased my friends who have doctor spouses, “You must not be eating apples…right.”
Well, I must say I always wondered, how come a simple fruit like APPLE can keep us healthy forever. And if so, then I can understand people who can’t afford this slightly costly fruit, having health problems; but what about the wealthy people?? They can always afford an APPLE a day and keep away themselves from doctors evermore.
But then, it never happens like that. In fact wealthy people tend to have more complex health issues. And it wouldn’t be wrong to say that a large chunk of a Doctor’s earning actually comes from the rich and wealthy people’s wallet. Isn’t it?
Moreover, once I met a person in a posh hospital, waiting for his turn for appointment with the doctor who had his own apple yard. I asked him, “Didn’t you eat an Apple a day when you were growing them in your back yards?” He only smiled sarcastically.
Since then, I was in an eternal search for that MAGIC APPLE…However, recently I really found it when I realized the actual truth of it.
Before that let me tell you something…
Anta Tikta, Danta Lun, Peta Puriba Tini Gun, Mathe Pagoda, Pav Tel Baida Sange Kariba Gel….
The above lines in Odia are basically an ancient way of lifestyle; that was believed to be important to keep people healthy till their last breath and live a long life. It’s meaning is…
Every morning, take something bitter in empty stomach,
apply salt in teeth regularly,
eat up to ¾th of your stomach (never eat stomach full),
always cover your head and message oil in the feet before going to sleep.
If you do these things, you can challenge any doctor in the village, assuring him that you would never take his consultancy.
It’s only when I literally had to play a “temple-run”, precisely running from one doctor to other, to address my different health problems, I realized how a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE is imperative for BEING HELTHY.
LIFE itself doesn’t come up with any health problems; it’s the LIFESTYLE we lead, that brings us the health issues.
That’s why since time immemorial, whenever we get affected by any disease or health issues, doctors advise us to adopt some Lifestyle changes; sometimes for a temporary period and sometimes permanent changes depending upon the health ailment – along with the medications. Sometimes we are advised to add few foods to our diets and sometimes to remove few things too. So, while dealing with health issues, doctors invariably ask us to change and espouse a better lifestyle.
Also, this proverb, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, has both a literal and a broader meaning. Literally, it suggests that eating one apple a day will mean that you do not need to visit the doctor. More broadly, it is about getting into a healthy daily routine. It might involve healthy eating habit, more generally, a healthy lifestyle.
So, after realizing the “CAUSES – The Wrong Way Of Living” that creates health issues, especially, I understood what that MAGIC APPLE is. It’s nothing but “A Set of Habits and Dos and Don’ts” that helps us keep our health, both Physical and Mental, in good shape and condition. These are as follows…according to me
A – ACCEPT, AMEND & ADOPT Accept your weakness & wrong habits, amend them, & Adopt Good habits
P– PLAY or take on a Physical Activity for Physical fitness and Pursue Your PASSION for Mental Health.
P – PRAY, PRACTICE Meditation and Believe In POSITIVITY
L – LAUGH Out loudly, LOVE Yourself, LIVE Life
E – EXPRESS Gratitude for Everything You have, ERASE Bad Vives & EVOLVE Energized!!
Well…APPPLES have always been very magical, whether it is…ADAM’S APPLE or NEWTON’s APPLE or STEVE JOBS’s APPLE and Now This MAGIC APPLE
I swear, if we incorporate the above things in ourselves, chances are that, may be Doctors will soon start for looking for different means for earning. Trust me.
NOW isn’t it the real MAGIC APPLE…?? STAY HEALTHY AND HAPPY!!!
On Mahashivaratri often the staunch devotees of Lord Shiva Chants the Mahamrutyunjaya Mantra which is as follows.
Aum Trayambakam Yajaamahe
sungandhim pushtivardhanam
urvaarukamive bandhanaat.
mrityormukshiya maamritaat.
Mahashivaratri: The Legacy Of Lord Shiva & Environment!!!Lord Shiva, as we all know that he is the God of the Gods, Devon ke Dev, Mahadeva – The Ultimate Savior of Universe. And Mahashivaratri, is one of the most auspicious festival that holds very high regard for his devotees across the nation.
On this auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri I was privileged to be invited to a Plantation drive by Nature Care Foundation, Vashi. It was carried at Vashi, Sector 12, Jogging Track Area. What’s worth to be mentioned here is that, in that particular occasion, at least 100 coconut trees were🌴 donated by Mr.Kamlakar Patil, a resident of Vashi, in the Loving Memory of his Father Late Panduram Kanha Patil, on the day of his first Punya Tithi (death anniversary). Mr. Patil himself is a nature lover & a concerned green activist.
Mahashivaratri is celebrated not only as the anniversary of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati but also as a day when Lord Shiva had saved the Universe from the pot of poison that had emerged from the Samudra Manthan.
Mahashivaratri, Samudra Manthan – Churning of the Ocean of Milk
Samudra Manthan – Churning of the Ocean of Milk (Khshirasagar) by Gods and Demons is one of the best-known stories that most of us have grown up hearing it. It’s believed that along with many spectacular things that was well distributed between Devtas & Danavs, a pot of lethal poison was also released during the churning process which could have destroyed the entire creation. None of the Gods or Demons dared to handle it, instead everyone was scared of it. Then Lord of the Lords, Mahadev appeared as a savior & drank it entirely to save the world.
Samundra Manthan – How I See It!!
However I see this episode in an entirely different prospective. For a moment, let’s look at this episode from a rationale stance. I feel, the entire Samudra Manthan episode & the lethal poison pot releasing at the end of it itself speaks a lot about the “Over Exploiting Attribute of Us.”
Probably, as I believed or you can I understand, water as a resource was overexploited that time which had led to a serious pollution which could have destroyed the entire water content of the globe leading to a severe destruction & imbalance. Water Elixir of Life. If it would have poisoned then how could life sustained on the Earth? I don’t know how or what power Lord Shiva had but it’s well documented that He saved the world during that time. Let’s put our believe in that.
What are we doing now?
Now, coming to the present situation, what are we doing now? Aren’t we destroying the natural resources for our over ambitious idea of living? We are all well aware, how we humans, in search of better living in terms infrastructure and development, have blatantly abused nature. We have cut trees, reduced forest lands and polluted water bodies and air to accommodate more humans, projects, and factories…etc. That has imbalanced the Ecology.
Aren’t we destroying our own planet?
For instance, deforestation alone has made many living species disappear. Pollution has eventually become uncontrollable posing a great treat to our health in particular and life in general. Global warming is lurking with its evil eye casting a deadly threat on the entire living world. In short, the bottom line is we are here with a “Pot Of Lethal Poison” which has been released after our over exploitation of natural resources. And what we think? Lord Shiva will again come and with his unique power make the biosphere pollution free?
Come on, Let’s not live in the Fool’s Paradise. It’s now our responsibility to save ourselves, our environment. And I think Planting a Tree is the first step towards it. In fact,
If we really have highest regard to our Lord, then it’s time to take his legacy forward to save the world. So, by Planting a Tree on the day of Mashashivaratri is one the best way to show our reverence to the Lord. Isn’t it?
Mahashivaratri: The Legacy Of Lord Shiva & Environment!!
Also, the day we were born, we were provided with free oxygen which is given by the trees that’re planted by our ancestors. What could be the best thing to offer to our ancestors than Planting A Tree in their memory!!
Let’s Show Our Love & Respect To Our Ancestors By Planting A Tree In Their Name!!!
I really highly appreciated the efforts of Nature Lover & Concerned Green Activists Like Mr.Kamlesh Rajpoot, Mr.Vijoy Gore and other members of Nature Care Foundation for their initiative for providing a platform for such noble participation and people like Mr.Pravakar Bhoir for extending their support to such endeavor.
Mahashivaratri: The Legacy Of Lord Shiva & Environment!!
At last I feel, we can really follow such ways of showing our reverence & love towards our Gods and ancestors. It’s a need of the hour too!!!
Celebrating Seasons – Chaitra Navaratri!!Happy Chaitra Navaratri!! Let the Divine Feminine Shower Her Blessings on All!!!
Chaitra Navaratri!!
This Particular Article is written by Panchami Ma’am Madam Panchami Manoo Ukil is a gold medalist in Economics, a renowned birdwatcher & bird photographer.
Celebrating Seasons – Chaitra Navaratri Chaitra Navaratri or Vasant Navaratri commences today, Chaitra Shukla Pratipada in the hindu almanac. This Navratri is also known as Rama Navaratri as it culminates with the celebration of Shri Rama Navami.
Types Of Navaratri!!
There are four Navaratris in a year – Aashaadh Navaratri, Ashwina Navaratri, Maagha Navaratri and Chaitra Navaratri. Of these, Ashwina and Chaitra Navaratris are observed by householders and non-householders while the Aashaadh and Maagha Navaratris, being more esoteric in nature, are known as Gupt Navratris and observed by occultists and aspirants.
The Agni Purana mentions that the months of Ashwina and Chaitra are like the two jaws of Lord Yama. By observing the rituals of these two navaratris, one is protected from the disfavour of Yama. Chaitra Navaratri observation and rituals is believed to act as a shield from “pitru dosh” or any shortcoming in oblations to forefathers and believed to be the only ritual that has the potency to negate any affliction caused by any planet, bestowing the seeker with “riddhi & siddhi” – prosperity and spiritual evolution.
Reason Why Celebrated!!
Just as in the more famous Ashwina Navaratri, in the Chaitra Navaratri too, Goddess Durga is invoked and venerated in nine forms. Originally, Navaratri was observed by householder devouts in the month of Chaitra. However, when Lord Rama went to war against Ravana, he invoked the Goddess Durga for nine days seeking her benediction and grace. Since then the Ashwina Navaratri became the major Navaratri. This in fact is the reason why the Ashwina Navaratri is also called ‘Akaal Bodhon’ or untimely invocation by the people of Bengal.
Science Behind The Celebration Of Festivals!!!
The Navaratri rituals entail fasting through the day and breaking of the fast in the evening. It’s with a simple diet consisting of fruits, milk, roots and some specific grains. I have always believed in the science behind our celebrations and rituals. While I was in Delhi, I was introduced to puris made out of “singhade ka atta”water chestnut flour during navaratri. Water Chestnuts have huge cooling properties and widely prescribed as a nutritious and low-calorie option during intermittent fasting.
By weaving in personal fulfilments like placating of Lord Yama and oblations to forefathers in this case, our seers and wise men induced common folk to follow healthy practices. Navaratris are periods of change of season and the prescribed fasting is meant to prepare the body for changes in temperature. Some devouts observe silence, humility, honesty and servitude in the daily chores. Some adopt more rigid disciplines, the purpose of all rituals being a natural physical and mental detox.
My basket of flowers and leaves for the Great Goddess is ready! Wishing you all a very blessed Chaitra Navaratri
HERE is the Link for the Post That has been already published on her Facebook Timeline!!!
A Ball Point Pen!! When was the last time you had bought one? And what does it bring to your mind? For me it reminds me one of my most important life lesson.
It was way back in my childhood. My family was like that of Simran’s family, (Kajol) in DDLJ. Father was the ultimate BOSS of the family…. not less than Hitler. And my mother was as usual as most women to such people, a dummy in the family.
Father had a peculiar habit of setting norms for all his children. It was just “His ways” & no other ways. We were well programmed to behave and adhere to rules. I don’t know why fathers are so strict, often.
Those days, writing with pen in schools used to start from standard three onwards. Till then it was with Pencils. Once we enter 4th Standard, Father had set the rules that one fountain pen (Ink wala) per year will be given to us. We had Ink bottles as much as we need & could ask for extra nibs given to fact that it used to break with every fall. But no extra pen.
However, I used to be very fond of pens. Collecting them was my passion, and I had already started it. I used to ask for pens whenever there was any occasion for gifting something to children. And I had a great collection too.
I was in fifth standard then.
One evening, I noticed a pack of “Four Ball point Pens” on the Table of my father. He had kept it when he had returned from the office. Probably he had been gifted by someone in his office given his position. The pack was really lovely & enough attractive to hold my attention. In fact, I was having a strong urge to open it. But the thought of the father was curbing my impulse. Nevertheless, no more I could control & finally my urge won over the fear. I could not prevent myself from opening the pack and having a glimpse of those Ball point pens. They were really striking in terms of colors, Blue, Green, Red and Yellow. Quite fascinating to the core.
I wanted having one of them but the thought of the face of my father with the anger painted on it fade away all my fantasy. I was too meek to ask for one as well…because I was well aware of my father’s nature.
I could not sleep that night for that fantasy. The impulse was too much. So, the next Morning, while my father was still asleep and mother was in the washroom, I slowly got into their room & took out The Blue one from the pack and kept it in my school bag.
The whole day passed. I had taken that Blue Ball Point Pen to school and showed it proudly to my classmates telling them that it was gifted to me by my father. I lied but as a child it was quite normal…isn’t it? I enjoyed all the attentions of my friends & felt very good about my possession. I was happy and proud as I had that with me.
However, In the evening, my father enquired about the missing one. The bubble of my happiness burst & slither. Everyone at home, my siblings refused to have any idea of it. Even I could not muster enough courage to say about it.
I knew very well how father used to react if anybody touched his things without his permission. And I had taken the pen from the pack, means not only touched but taken it without his permission. I could imagine what my fate would be if I admit about it. So, I felt better not to talk about the truth.
Thank God!!! Father was not that serious or was busy in something more important. So, he ignored it.
I was in bed, but not in peace. An intense feeling of fright had already taken over me. A chill was running down my body with thought of “Consequence” of “being caught”. I don’t know how I was feeling as if father was looking out for his pen particularly in my school bag.
Believe me…that time I was not happy with that Ball Point pen. It was something like that of a monster haunting me throughout the night. The bag looked like a laden monster as well. I took the school bag and kept it aside my pillow. A mixture of fear and guilt was holding me from inside hounding me terribly. I was really done …felt like throwing out both. I decided that the first thing I would do the next day…I would throw that Ball Point Pen somewhere on my way to school.
The next morning…I woke up with a gentle touch. Still afraid but holding my emotion as much possible as I can. I saw mother was waking me up.
My mother asked,” How was your night? You were quite disturbed.”
I looked at her with a question mark on my face saying “How do you know??”
“Mamun, go and say your father that you have taken the pen.”
I was shocked & surprised. I fumbled “Mmm..mmm..Mum…but…I mean!!!
Come on Sweetheart…I know it’s you. That is why you had a very troubled sleep last night. Isn’t it??
No point in pretending or acting now. Mother had caught me. I surrendered to her with my face down and tears rolling out.
My mother affectionately hugged me and then said….
“See beta, you already felt how it feels to be guilty and afraid in the whole night. Isn’t it hell…? Now if you do not admit and accept it before your father, you will never feel good about it in your entire life. Just Go and Confess”
“Father was not very serious about it. But that is not the point. the point is you need to learn how to confess your mistake. So, you must. Dishonesty never gives solace. Doing wrong is not wrong, but not admitting and accepting the same definitely is. Remember…when there is No honesty it means…it is all hell, hell and only hell….!!
It is not just about the pen; it is the act that involved you for that pen…that is important. I nodded and got ready to face the inevitable. (Did I have any other option??) After a while…
I was standing before father. Thankfully my mother helped me confess my guilt before him. Thank God, father was in good mood. To my surprise not only he said it’s okay & take his permission next time, but also, he gave me the whole pack……!!!!
Was it scripted by my both parents…? I still wonder
But anyway…It was such a wonderful day. I felt so relieved. Got my peace of mind back. That was more than the “Possession of Ball Point Pens Pack” now. Got those lovely Ball Point Pens. Moreover, may be for the first time got my first lesson on honesty from my loving mother!!
I don’t remember I have done anything like that after that incident of my life so far……!! Till today…even if sometimes things happen unknowingly…I accept it and do corrections and vow not to repeat it again. Never knew A Ball Point Pen would taught me the first lesson of honesty & Facing the Consequence of my Action!!!
I have observed in my life that it is the honesty that helps you sail easily through the most difficult part your life. Because if you are honest…you surely have the Guts and that extra edge of courage to face the world!!!
Honesty is not only speaking truth and not touching or accepting things that doesn’t belong to you but it is also the ability to tell the truth to yourself, to accept your mistakes and admit your faults as well.
Without honesty a person cannot find peace and solace in this quite complex world. Honesty is the only thing that makes your life easy and keeps it simple. Definitely Honesty is the Best Policy!!!
Well, one thing I must say, even though nowadays no more I write in pen & paper and keypad has taken the place of pen, I still love pens, still they never stop grabbing my attention. I still love collecting them. 😊
Honesty Makes Life Simple In This Complex World!!!
