Friday Challenge: What is Important?

Twenty million. Two followed by seven zeros- that's how many people live in the city that I call Home. Walking is an occupation fraught with danger- the pavements that have not been claimed either by the buildings that line them, or by vendors, sport potholes that can swallow up a grown man. Pedestrians are forced to share road-space with vehicles, animals and numerous construction projects. Walking in Bombay is not for the faint at heart, and it is never something undertaken without purpose.

When Crazy Jane issued her Friday Challenge # 29, I am sure she did not intend me to risk life and limb. But I needed to clear my head, and since that is what she promised her Friday Challenge would do, I decided to risk it. I put on my sneakers, and went for a walk. To "not think of what you have to, should, might, or can't do. No doing at all. Just a walk to remind yourself of the most important thing." I had no idea what that most important thing would be, but I was sure I would discover it during the course of the walk.

I dodged traffic, I sidestepped people, I nearly stepped on the tail of a sleeping dog, but realisation of "what is  important" remained elusive. I found my way to the flower market. There were flowers of every hue and colour. Orchids and lilies. Marigolds and hibiscus. Roses and chrysanthemums. An overdose of colours and textures. Of shapes and sizes.

It was all very beautiful, but something was wrong.

Was it the blue of the orchids, which any child would tell you came not out of Nature but out of a bottle? Was it because traditional mango leaves didn't quite go with the exotic orchids? Was it because the purist in me disapproved of the strings of thermocol beads strung around the floral garlands?

I tried to remember Crazy Jane's instructions - "breathe in and out and notice the colours, the smells, the sounds and...". I was on my third deep breath when realisation dawned- there was an overdose of colours, but there there no smells and no sounds. I could not taste and I was not allowed to touch. It was only colours, and shapes and the indication of textures.

All of a sudden, I realised "What. Is. Important." It is important that you engage all the senses in whatever you do. It is not enough if you are only seeing, or tasting, or hearing, or touching- you need to do all of them.

But what is perhaps most important is that while doing it, you have to feel. Because without feeling, even the most varied sensory experience is meaningless.

See, smell, touch, hear, feel. And let each of them, overtake your life.
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A couple of days back, Debra: She who Seeks passed on the Prolific Blogger Award to me. Debra describes her blog as 'Random Thoughts on Random Subjects with No Real Purpose in Mind'. She may choose to say that, but her's is one of the most organised blogs around. Ever so often she picks a theme and analyses it to the smallest detail. Right now, she is dealing with Labyrinths, and if there is something about them that you always wanted to know, stop by her blog before you look anywhere else.

This is an Award I have received before, but that doesn't mean I can't pass it on a second time. This Award goes out to all the participants of NaBloWriMo 2010. Whether you have posted every day, or not, this Award is for you for having the courage to start.

Heart Work

I love the Friday Challenges that Jan comes up with. This week, she asked us to spend time on our heart work. To quote - "Think what (your heart work) might be - what is it you are scared of approaching - what is it that you would be working feverishly on if you knew your time on the planet was limited (and it is dear readers, it is!)". Her challenge was two fold - to determine what our heart work is, and to make it a priority in our lives.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a finger in several pies. There are so many books I want to read; so many books that are waiting to be written. I have running related goals, and adventure desires. There are places I want to visit, things I want to experience. I would love to have more time for my garden, and for photography. I am passionate about all of them, and I would love to be able to devote time to any of them.

But if I knew I had only limited time on the planet, the only thing I would rush to do is to spend more time with my kids. I would try to compress a lifetime of loving into the few days I have. I would get less irritated with them, and would excuse more of their shortcomings. I would be less of a parent, and more of an grandparent- tell less, indulge more. I would probably also write notes to them that they can read when they are old enough to understand and need them. And I would definitely read 'The Little Prince' with them, so when they are old enough to understand, they understand what I was trying to tell them.

But do I really need to be told I have limited time on earth before I do all that? As a parent, I have to lay down certain rules and make sure they are followed, but can't I show them a lot more love than I do now. I love them, and they know I love them, but am I hugging them as much as I could? Do I tell them, and tell them again and again, that I love them unconditionally, and will always do so? Do I tell them without being asked that I am their friend and that I will always be their friend?

I started last night. Normally, I use the time when they are watching TV to catch up on housework. Yesterday, I went across and hugged them both. "Are you leaving for office now?", the younger one asked. "No darling, I'm not going anywhere now", I assured them. But I was ashamed- ashamed that they associate a hug with parting, when it should be something they take as their due.

A couple of minutes later, they came across and hugged me. I almost asked them if they wanted something, but bit my tongue so the question would not slip out. If I could hug them without reason, why could they not do the same?

I can't find my dog-eared copy of 'The Little Prince' - I know I did not lend it to anyone, but it probably got lost in one of our moves. I'll pick up a copy of the book tomorrow, and start reading it with them. If nothing else, they are going to like the pictures!

Thank you, Jan, for making me think of my heart work.

Discover....

Jan Morrison at Crazy Jane has started what she calls the Friday Challenge. Every Friday, she's going to challenge her readers to do something different. Last Friday's Challenge was a walking quest - in her own imitable style, she asked us to "Get off ...(our)... duffs and walk somewhere", and bring something back to share (or not).
Since the world is round, and I am almost at the other end of it, I read about her challenge only on Saturday. Which was good, because though I walk a lot every day, it is only on Saturdays that I am not focussed on getting from Point A to Point B in the shortest possible time.

I hoped to find something new, something that challenged me. I even kept my camera at home, because I wanted to savour the experience of discovery without being constrained to view it from behind the lens.

I took a few roads that I had never taken before, but did not find anything that I hadn't seen before. But, what I did find was a government school that had just gotten over. What I saw were mothers and children. What I saw were children in uniforms. What I saw was one child being taken home on a bicycle by her grandfather.

I saw girls getting an education. I saw communities that would be transformed by the educated girls. I saw the future of my country. I saw the future of the world.

More than anything else, I saw smiles and hope. Could anyone ask for anything else?