On the Highway

Imagine buying your first vehicle. It could be your cycle, your motor-bike, your car, your van, your truck, or even your own bus. It gleams and shines while adrenaline rushes through your body.You cannot wait to be seated on or in it, resting your hands on the steering and driving/riding away to some place that makes you happy. You speed, you slow down for bumps, you accelerate again, you dodge puddles and potholes, brake, change gears, stop at traffic lights, swerve, take a u-turn, come back home, and park your new precious vehicle. And then you look for excuses to go out on it again....maybe.

Many of us get overwhelmed with life, its worries, its stressors, often wanting to run away from it all, wanting someone to come save us, wanting to move ahead happily. How many of us do that while driving, though? If we come across a bridge that is closed for the day, do we not turn around and find another way? If we come across a bump, do we not slow down and go over it such that we don't fall off the bike? If we fall off a two-wheeler or are in a motor-crash, do we not find someone to nurse our injuries, take the required rest, and go about our daily ways as soon as we are well?

Speed breakers are those problems in life that halt us when we are being impulsive or rash, often causing a dent in our plans. Potholes are those problems in life that often come unexpectedly causing us to detour or fall right into it. Closed roads are those problems that cause us to start everything right from the beginning, wasting precious time and energy. One-way roads are those problems that have you stuck in them once into them and there is no looking back. And then we have accidents where someone else's plan does not co-incide with ours and there is a crash, often causing much damage, to our mental health, relationships, stability, and so on. And yet, when these things happen on the road, many or most of us survive with some assistance or not.

Maybe, life is not that hard as we think it to be. Maybe, when the traffic gets too bad, we can take a detour. Maybe, highways are not always the best or the fastest. Maybe, its ok to take another route sometimes. Maybe, we need someone to lend us a helping hand when we are stuck.

This is what I was thinking this weekend as I drove 21 hours from Dayton to Houston for my final stint in my doctoral program. I am now in a new territory, on new roads, trying to find my way around. What road are you on?

Life or Death

Listen to the song on the sidebar. What does it talk about? Nothing but the positive contribution that death makes on life. We always view death to be something hurtful, painful, that which makes us nothing but a dead body from a once living being. Maybe, there is something that we can learn from death. Something that will make our lives worth living.

I am young, have never been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and have never had a close encounter with death. I believe that I have at least another 50-60 years to live in this world and yet, when I look at that number, it almost feels like time will fly by. I have already lived 1/3 of my life and I have no idea where they went!

People usually fear the end of their lives. What I fear is not living life completely before I die. What is living life completely to you? Buying your own house, earning a 6-figure salary, owning a Mercedes Benz, wearing only branded clothes, or mingling in a high-profile social circle? Is it being able to travel around the world, eating exotic foods from different countries, or going dancing, bungee jumping, skydiving? Or is it having a huge family, becoming a parent, and living a life full of love and kindness?

As I hear about the bomb blasts, violence, terror, around the world, I begin to realize more each day that life is uncertain. Though common sense and family history tells me that I will live to die very late, I might also live today to die tomorrow. I do not care if its a painful death. I do not care if its an early death. I do not care if its a lonely death. But I do care if its a death after having lived life the way I want to.

So today I hope and pray that I do not begin to take precious time for granted, do not leave things I can do today until tomorrow, begin appreciating life's little blessings more and more everyday, and live today like there is no tomorrow.

This was a class assignment, a journal I wrote that wanted us to talk about "death anxiety".
Sorry folks, been tied up with some stuff. Will come around to your blogs in a few days. Will also respond to my commentors in the previous post soon. Take care!

Precious Life

Fever. Ibuprofen. Cold chills. Nausea. Pain. Weakness. Skin irritation.

Clinic. Waiting room. Doctor. Thermometer. Temperature. Blood pressure. Urine test.

Shock. Concern. Panic. Instructions. Warning. Caution. Kidney infection. Prescription. Pharmacy. Tears.

Sleep. More fever. More pain. More chills. Headache. Guests. Liquid diet. Night. Nightmares.

Morning again. Worse condition. Emergency room. Nurses Admission. Doctors. IV. Saline. Morphin. Antibiotics. Blood test. Nurses. Doctors. 8 hours. Discharge.

Evening. Fever. Pain. Weakness. Guests. Flowers. Fruits. Night. Sleep.

Morning again. Nausea. Puking. Red swollen eyelid. Weakness. Get-well-soon card. Time. Slow recovery. Liquid diet. 12 pills. Guests. Evening. Movie. Night. No fever. Sleep.

Morning again. Doctor. Examination. Change in medication.

Home. Blogger. 100th post.

Life is precious. Health is wealth.

What Are You Complaining About?

Disclaimer: This product contains facts. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is not coincidental. It is intentional.

She was married at the age of 13, a widow at the age of 34, is currently 83.
She gave birth to 4 children, lost one a few years ago, and currently lives with her daughter.
She studied till the 7th grade but educated her children all the way through college.
She was born in a rich family but her father squandered all the money on vices. She worked as a maid to help raise her siblings, and later on her own children.

You dont have shoes to match your outfit.
You dont have enough clothes.
Your roommates suck.

What are you complaining about?

She was born beautiful and won several hearts.
She married at the age of 25 and was divorced at the age of 29.
Her husband abused her for four years and she decided to keep quiet for the sake of her family's reputation in society.
She is currently single and lonely because she is "divorced". Still beautiful.

You don't have a date on Valentine's Day?
You are 5 pounds overweight?
Your hair is too frizzy on a humid day?

What are you complaining about?

He was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 8.
He went through a bone marrow transplant every few months for several years.
He lost several years of education, normal childhood, fun and frolic.
His parents now live hand to mouth because they spent all their earnings and savings on their child's treatment. He survived.

Gas prices are too high?
You hate your professor?
You got a B in one of your classes?

What are you complaining about?

Life is too short and precious to worry about grades, a small checking account or idiotic people around you. Live like there is no tomorrow. Who knows, today may be your last day on this earth. Make it count!

It does not matter...

Yesterday, my client walked in and reported he was suicidal. Told me that he would give me no guarantee that he would not act on it. I had to do my intervention. The right one. There would be no second chances or trials here. After 45 minutes, though not very convinced, I was convinced enough that he would not do anything to himself. At least not that day. He promised to return the next morning to see me.

Today, my client did not show for his appointment, did not return my calls nor my emails. Not in the morning, not in the afternoon. And I panicked. Rightly so. I was not sure if my client was dead or alive.

And at that time, some things just did not matter.

It did not matter that I have put on weight.
It did not matter that I need a haircut.
It did not matter that my back hurts chronically.
It did not matter that my bank account is dwindling.
It did not matter that I dont have a new dress to wear on my birthday.
It did not matter that it took me an hour to drive to work today.
It did not matter my friend is hen-pecked.
It did not matter that my friends ganged up on me.
It did not matter that my friend broke my trust.
It did not matter that I got a B in an easy class.
It did not matter that I live in a boring city.
It did not matter that I dont like my car.
It did not matter that gas prices are so high.
It did not matter that I am going to miss my best friend's wedding.
It did not matter that it was so cold today.
It did not matter..did not matter at all.

All that mattered was my client's life, his safety, his well-being. All that mattered was human life.

My client called late that day. Reported he was alright, that he had only been so tired that he had slept through the day. That mattered. That phone call mattered.

May the Lord Bless...

• The maintenance staff at my apartment complex who shoveled the snow for me (without me asking him to) so that I could drive my car out...
• The man in the military uniform who sat by me until the ambulance arrived after my auto accident last year.
• The man who stopped on his tracks to ask me if I was doing alright and needed any help when I was crying in the middle of the street...
• The strangers who have helped me grab my heavy luggage from the baggage belt in airports...
• The pastor and his wife who gave me free accommodation on my first night in the United States when I had no place to go to...
• The group of boys who not only allowed me to stay with them, but also fed me, gave me transportation, huddled up in the living room at night, so that I could get the bedroom to myself, until my apartment was available to me...
• The neighbor who allowed me to drive his car for a week when my car was stolen...
• The friend who cooked and cleaned for me when I had deadlines without being asked to...
• The friends who have given me rides when my car broke down innumerous amounts of time, at very short notice...
• The friends who have stayed up all night helping me with my presentation, homework, or upcoming exams...
• The friend who made me macaroni and cheese out of the blue when I was feeling down...
• The friend who lent me his parking pass for the quarter because he did not want me walking in the cold to campus...
• The friend who lent me his laptop for a month because my computer broke down and I had thesis deadlines...

The friends who have lent me their ears when I have needed them inspite of their busy schedules...

Over and above, may the Lord bless..

Those who chose not to gossip about me when they knew my deep dark secrets, who chose to keep my secrets safe with them, who chose not to talk ill about me behind my back, who chose to take my backlash with a pinch of salt, who have come forward to make amends when things have been sour, who have waited patiently for me to return to my normal self.....those who have accepted me for who I am and love me despite my faults.

May the Lord bless all the strangers, acquaintances, friends, family who have crossed my path to impact me positively without being aware of it...I would like to appreciate those people who have long been forgotten..the strangers whose names I dont know, the acquaintances whose faces I remember but nothing beyond that, the friends who have walked in and out, the family that I have not chosen but been born into. You might not remember what you have done for me. But I do. And I will pass on the good will. So that someone else's life is impacted and they can do the same...

Thanks, and practice random acts of kindness.

What are you complaining about?

Disclaimer: This product contains facts. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is not coincidental. It is intentional.

• She was married at the age of 13, a widow at the age of 34, is currently 83.
• She gave birth to 4 children, lost one a few years ago, and currently lives with her daughter.
• She studied till the 7th grade but educated her children all the way through college.
• She was born in a rich family but her father squandered all the money on vices. She worked as a maid to help raise her siblings, and later on her own children.

You dont have shoes to match your outfit.

You dont have enough clothes.

Your roommates suck.

What are you complaining about?

• She was born beautiful and won several hearts.
• She married at the age of 25 and was divorced at the age of 29.
• Her husband abused her for four years and she decided to keep quiet for the sake of her family's reputation in society.
• She is currently single and lonely because she is "divorced". Still beautiful.

You have an acne problem?

You are 5 pounds overweight?

Your hair is too frizzy on a humid day?

What are you complaining about?

• He was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 8.
• He went through a bone marrow transplant every few months for several years.
• He lost several years of education, normal childhood, fun and frolic.
• His parents now live hand to mouth because they spent all their earnings and savings on their child's treatment. He survived.

Gas prices are too high?

You hate your professor?

You got a B in one of your classes?

What are you complaining about?

Life is too short and precious to worry about grades, a small checking account or idiotic people around you. Live like there is no tomorrow. Who knows, today may be your last day on this earth. Make it count!

Thanks, and be happy!