Spiritual You Spiritual Me..!

Spirituality! What comes to mind when this word hits the cerebral cortex of our brain? We picture a tranquil place somewhere deep within the heart of a valley embedded by serene mountain tops flirting with low hanging clouds. This scene is most common and I totally agree with the connection one might see between spirituality and the place.

I was 10 years old when my father woke me up one Sunday morning and asked me to accompany him somewhere. Obviously having no qualms or the courage to have qualms as a young boy, I followed him. In about 20 minutes I found myself at a place where more than 50 people were taking different positions and performing some sort of unified physical ritual. I was still trying to deduce the meaning of all this. And while I was still scratching my head, an elderly person tapped me on my back. He pretty much reminds me of Gandalf now. This bearded soul explained what the gathering was all about. He taught me the art of Yoga. 

For years to come I indulged myself in the true spirit of Yoga. However along the way life happened and I zoned out of it. When I look back today, I realize it was a tranquil state of mind that I dwelled in. 

Having said that, I came across a few people during my days of Globe Trotting and these people pride themselves at being utterly spiritual. I asked them if they indulged in Yogic Activities. The answer no! I got intrigued and spent hours with these individuals learning what their understanding and essence of Spirituality was. 

It is beautiful to know how Spirituality can be found in the simple ways of life. For this one person it came from spending an entire lifetime recycling things for the cause of a greener world. A math teacher discovered her Spiritual self by giving Match lessons to economically strained children for no cost at all, although she spent thousands of dollars to learn what she was teaching now. If you ask me, I would say the purpose of our lives can easily become spiritual to us. This is because we are one with the causes we live for and what we intend to achieve. This unison of the mind and the soul is the elevation of our spirits.

I have read hundreds of books with the crux of the matter revolving around Spirituality and the joy of enlightenment. Life for me is that tutor who never charges you any money to teach the best lessons. I figured how soccer players are one with the game itself and find solace in doing one thing that they have made a purpose out of. This goes for any profession and this remains the key to finding your spirituality and more importantly, yourself!

We can all take hours of our days to sit and ponder upon what the term really means. Some of us may never decipher the true meaning and some of us would look for other ways to find answers. The day we understand ourselves to be particles of the cosmic universe, we would have found the true meaning of our purpose.

Mahatma Gandhi's efficacious efforts of single handedly uniting millions of people for one cause is widely respected. He was able to harmonize the minds and souls of such a huge number of individuals through the mere power of spiritual transformation!

Little things come together to make everything around us meaningful. One of them is positive manifestation and I have used the power of this freely available state of mind so many times and I kid you not, it has worked! I feel Spiritually enlightened and educated because of my positive attitude towards life. There could be a wide array of things that will lead you to a meaningful destination. I found mine and I hope you find yours.

Ragz

"Spirituality does not come from Religion. It comes from our Soul"

6ft something..!

There are a million breathtaking stories that we come across in a lifetime. How many of those have we lived ourselves? Many! Then again, how many of those have we revisited time and again? A few.

I am not big on writing fantasy engraved tantalising stories. But I am big on playing a part in many!

When I first met this 6ft something (too tall for most men with average heights, including me although back home I would be considered tall enough), I said to myself these very words "aww look at that innocent face".

Little did I catch the intricate symptoms of crazy, wild, super fun, and unpredictable madness that came with the package named Theodora Baos. Uh well I have never been good at prognosis! 

She said to me, "my name is Theodora but call me Teddy"..and that had a stern intent associated. At times you meet someone and the arteries that connect your heart just feel an inflation which leads to the vigorous supply of blood to your brain cells! No I am not talking about love or sexual attraction. I am referring to the mere feeling of knowing that this person is just the one you wanted to meet for a while now. 

A friend, a confidant, a compatriot, and just that person who will give and take blows for you!

She has this un ignorable persona which makes you want to know more!! Yes Ofcourse she is an attractive young woman who can also be your perfect wingman by the way. Anyway, Teddy always has a story to tell. She has lived in 4 countries, speaks 4 languages (fluently), has traveled the world on business trips, has maybe more friends (real) than I even have on my Facebook, loves attention (both giving and taking), is mostly Mexican but partly Greek, will listen to you for hours and then make you listen to her for hours, cooks like rubbish, though eats like a boss. If you meet her at a bar when she's drunk, you want to be close to a bouncer (who by the way has to be close to another one).

She's undecided about her life but knows exactly what to say about yours! She's a friend. A true one.

I told her as she left for another adventure, that she will be the God Mother to my kids (if and when I have) and she just smiled. 

And just like that, the million small talks, the drunken nights, the fights, the frolic, the frenzy, the chaos, the noise, and all embodiment of relentless fun and love just came to a serene and calm aftermath. She's left for another country to conquer more hearts and spread more laughter and love. That's her forte..that is Theodora Baos.

As we look back at how we have lived our lives at 70, we want to be able to be proud of stories. Stories that remind us of our existence, that inspire us, that make us laugh and shed tears at the same time, stories that define us. I have many a small stories to share with my grandchildren and this story about this 6ft something, 4 language proficient, crazy, full of life girl will top the charts.

For all those we met and lost in our journey..

"The strength of friendship that goes the distance will be unconditional love.."

Ragz

To Hell and Back..!

Snip snap chop chop..the way she goes on about her day..! 10 hours of relentless, back crushing, tiring, standing at the salon! Giving the likes of us a big reason to feel better about ourselves with our hair as we walk out. 

It's just flabbergasting how, the simple task of grooming has skyrocketed in the eyes of the commercial business-minded man and that this industry is churning out more money than the hair strands they chop!!

After a strenuous few trials with many salons across the ever so vibrant city of Toronto, I found eternal bliss as I stumbled upon this extremely chirpy, noisy, full of energy salon. Now not only was this place rich in history, but also had a state of the art aura to it.

The first time I went in, I was sent straight to Laura! This is what my story is about for those who are wondering why I would be interested in sharing details about my haircut.

Laura!! She possessed this calm energy which I have been seeking for myself for years now. She had the most electrifying look in her eyes and the way she accessorised herself, would give you an impression about her spiritual sensibility. She has this poise and vibe about her, which settles you down, even if you had a crazy day! 

In our dainty little conversations, she took me through her phenomenal journey which left me amazed, astonished, inspired, and in complete admiration for this gorgeous lady with mesmerising eyes!

She is a young single mother who has had quite a journey from being a Spanish descendant to being an industrious, independent, fearless woman, she is today!! Being wedded to the idea of "alcohol makes me happy and makes my worries go away", Laura did face some dilemma. Some call it mid-life crisis, whilst others just blame it on every day struggles! But her idea of life is way bigger than giving in to the pressure of a habit. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, she couldn't be with the one guy who gave her the most desired gift for a woman, her baby! 

Years later, when she finally found someone, who she could confide in, he was snatched away too! Through the thick and thin of these circumstances, she could have easily given up and gone back to her old ways. But here she was. Chirpy, happy, clean, spreading so much joy with just her beautiful smile!

She says, she found strength from within to withstand the evil temptations. What went through her mind, will always remain a mystery. I feel, she imagined of the look on her daughters face and that changed her. The point is, no matter what the reason we make it to be, crossing the threshold is the most important factor.

Fighting with yourself is tougher than fighting for yourself! It takes more than courage to be able to be positive each day knowing, tomorrow is another day of new troubles. All of us, have a lot in common. Some of us are fighting for our rights, for better money, for better living conditions, for better technology, for better education, some are fighting addiction, some for property, some are fighting crime, some are fighting for food, and some are merely fighting for survival!! No matter what your fight is for or against, it all has a meaning. If we look at such simple stories in life and draw even the tiniest bit of inspiration from them, our fight will weigh lesser.

I salute the everyday heroes like Laura, for bringing us to the juncture of sanity, and fighting spirit. 



Ragz..

You are why I am..!

"Son, you are always surrounded by your friends..you give them way too much importance.." My mum used to tell me this when I was a teenager. Wow, I never thought I would one day say these very words "back in the day when I was a teenager." Time trumps life. 

Coming back to my mothers analogy of being a little more self centred, I do get it. I know why my mum world say that. Not because she had any abhorrence towards my friends. It was more so to bring me to a juncture of self realisation that life does not work with having friends alone!!

I do not agree. It is probably a subjective argument. Let me ask you this, do you remember your earliest memory of a friend? That one kid, you literally remember being yelled at with, that kid whose lead was followed by you like he was the carrier of the beacon of your life, that one kid who you probably knew was so wrong yet you would stick around, that one kid who you fought with and still shared a lolly with, the cognisance of those days!! Flashes of your childhood and that one kid makes a whole lot of difference to the place where we are today because we laid the bricks to the monuments we are, a billion hours ago!!

Why do I remember 99.97% of my friends? I know that seems statistically impervious. I feel like every time some one uses numbers, it enhances the credibility of the matter. Regardless, the crux being, I remember not only the people tagged as my friends, but also the varied incidents associated to them.

My first ever buddy..Shantanu..who is a successful dentist today and has a beautiful wife, was the kid I wanted to be friends with. You mostly don't choose. Petty things like seating arrangement in a classroom can make a world of a difference in deciphering who you will grow up to be like. I feel friends are of paramount importance when it comes to who you become. Like parents and teachers, friends are an integral part of the architectural crew that moulds us.

My friendships have always taught me two things, first, find out the similarities, second, accept the differences!!

The preposterous pranks, the unconditional support, the study help, the covering up, the feckless laughter, the sand castles, the swing in the park, the first book, the sharing, the caring, the stories of how you like a girl, the secret keeping, the jealousy to not let anyone else be their friends, the going away, the coming together, the tears, the emotions, the gifts, the song, the birthdays, the break ups, the sex stories, the clothes that would disappear and found in her closet years after, that shoulder, that hand!!!!! No ma..my life has been defined by these people.

I am way past my teenage and my mid 20's and I still feel the exact same thing about my friends!! I make friends with the same intensity as I first made friends with Shantanu. 

The thing about life is that we are yearning for success and advancement every minute every moment in time. When did you last take a step back and think about that one examination in school which would have been monstrous mountain to climb if it wasn't for your friend who helped you learn or gave you the answers in your exam? How many times do we take that plunge into the past and think those people who made a difference? Almost never, not because we are bad people, but because we are lost!!

I cherish my friends. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Those who came and went, those who stayed and those to come. I owe my life to them as much as I owe it to my parents and my sister as they are as much of friends to me as my friends are!

I might miss out on names here but will never miss feeling gratitude and love for each one of you. Thank you my people!!

In memory of my friends Santosh, Harshad, Fayaz and all those who we lost along the way!!

"Walking with a friend in the dark, is better than walking alone in the light.."

- Ragz

Who are we..?

When she told me I should go with her to a convention named Revival of the Islamic Spirit, a sense of utter cynical thought hit me hard. I said to myself, " is this a mass forum to cajole the minds of different faiths into accepting another religion?".

I was ready to take the plunge at one point. Not exactly knowing what is in store. We enter this fabulous architectural structure and I see people. None of whom transmitted vibes of any one religion or faith. Ah! That's a pleasant welcome. We get our tickets and glide down the long escalators to the main arena. 

The first thing to catch my haywire attention is the elephantine hoarding which displays a picture of a young girl in a distorted state. It reads "I am a refugee". It is a piece of art made to create awareness about the 9.8 million innocent lives who now carry the burden of being tagged as refugees and some people have the audacity to call them outcasts. 

I fathomed the message, the theme, the vibe of the whole event in split seconds. This wasn't about Islam! It was bigger than just a religious consensus. It was about humanity.

It's a fair. A gathering of people from the majestic Islamic faith from different facets and corners of North America. These individuals get together for 3 long days from dawn to dusk. They display art, they provide food, they sell ittar (traditional Muslim musk), they sell books, they network, they collect donations (for building a bright future for the less fortunate ones), they pray together, they laugh, they shed tears for those facing atrocities around the world (regardless of the faith), they attend long speeches,  and they unite as one!

You see, there are scholars from across continents who come and deliver mind boggling anecdotes. They amplify the feelings of human gratitude and generosity through excerpts from the holy book of "Quran". Now, not once in their lectures or speeches are they trying to up sell their religion. You won't hear them say things like "Islam is the ultimate religion or your guide to heaven". They talk about life and it's varied trepidations and phases. They talk about youth, they talk about parenthood, about marriage, about how some people misconstrue the message of Islam and make others get involved in wrongdoing to humanity.

I was flabbergasted when one lean looking guy, who is famed to be a scholar of some level, came up to the podium and when he walked off in 9 minutes, he had convinced quite a few folks to contribute towards the state of Syria. Those 9 minutes resulted into a total net donation of 170,000 Canadian Dollars. It shows, not that people want to splurge. It shows that there is hope. Hope for humanity. You and I could be at the receiving end some day and if people like this lean scholar and people like those who loosened their purse strings on the night exist, believe me you, we will always have hope.

I went in a human and came out a better one. I left a burden of another cynical virtue out and I rejuvenated again. Life is so strange as it takes you through the most daunted and illustrious  examples in the most unexpected ways and forms. 

Religion I feel is just that rope we humans hang on to when we see other humans create rifts and conjure atrocities. No matter who and what you follow, or if you follow, places like these and events like these will go a long way in Reviving your spirit..!! 

Ragz..

Flashback..!

Ever wonder what is in store? I do. There is so much and there is so little. She would sit and gaze at the beautifully cascading horizon. The pure warmth of the setting sun beyond the shimmering water would mark the end of another ever so marvellous day of sitting back and loitering her fragile brain to the wondrous days of frolic.

And today here at 87, she would try to churn out the memories and battle herself to picture them. Some days she managed going back all the way to when she was 14. But that was the pinnacle. Never beyond! She would remember the fondness she had for her gorgeous mother. Her amazingly tantalising cooking. Her ever so strict upbringing. Her support. Her confidence in her that she would be someone and do something extra ordinary though she knew it was not a reality.

What can you say about mothers! Whatever you do, they think you are the best at it. And then she would race back in time to catch up with the fun filled memories of her father and her brother. They were a bunch of clowns. Always hilarious. They were also protective of her and pampered her to the point that she truely believed in princess stories.  

So much more. Friends, school, university, first job, the first kiss, that rainy day, the first exam, the taste of success, the first job, the parties, the fancy dinners, the long walks, her husband, her adorable kids, her grand children, the beautiful house, the fights, the games, the wedding, and so much more.

What's left of a lifetime of activities is embedded in a single 6 letter word.."Memory"..It's ridiculous how life works. First you strive to do things. And at the end of it all..all you are left with is 6 letters!! Then again, only the fortunate ones get to make good ones. 

We have no realisation of how soon things change. For the good or for the bad. A lesson is learnt every day. Big or small, doesn't matter. If we have come to terms with this analogy then we must act. Act to make good memories, act to give good memories, act to be good, act to be kind, act to succeed, act to remember, act to forget, act to forgive, act to love, act to be there and act to live life every single day as this very story could be the last one you and I read. Who knows what's out there! All I know is that I wanna go out smiling and having left amazing and fond memories.

"We don't remember days..we remember moments.."

Success is a Choice..!

100,000$. The figures struck his ears like someone just pierced them with the mightiest sword. On a day with blue skies, one would feel positive about such an astronomical amount. Although for him, it wasn't there for the taking. It was his target of sales for the month.

Sales!! It could bring excruciating pain to your mind or enormous amounts of joys. For those who do it and for those who are recipients of it. 

Out here the day starts before everybody else wakes up and ends after everybody else is breathing that sigh of relief as they look at their mushy pillows. As a sales person there ain't no resting!! You snooze you lose is what they say. And it is true as a matter of fact.

There are vultures around you..not people mind you..but vultures who would swoop in and fly out with your bread if you were to as much as blink. And rightly so as sales is all about perseverance, agility and focus!

The day he stepped into this awe inspiring office, he could feel he will either be trampled over by colleagues or his spirits being crushed by the ever objecting potential clients. Nothing that the trainers filled his lucid mind with, was an easy grasp. He would ask to himself, "why should I be manipulative in the way I talk?" Why should I sound confident when I am not? Why, why and more why????

Get your arse off the seat that you warmed enough to cook pancakes on. Those words..gosh did they feel rude..! Honestly, if it wasn't for those words, he wouldn't have ever felt the pain to be insulted. The zeal to pick up the phone and start pitching. That's the way the cookie crumbles. There is nothing more fearful for a sales person than blanking.

They fight, they argue, they retaliate, they whine, they cry, they beat each other and all of that. Though, at the bar they behave like a family. A family that runs like a well oiled machine to rake in moolah!!

If anything, sales taught him some of the most important elements in life. Money being the least of worries. It taught him respect, fighting spirit, the never back down theory and dreaming big.

Everybody at some point in life or more than that is selling something. Emotions, work, physical activity, intelligence, skills, craft, commitment, time, or anything under the sun. We all sell and we all buy.

He sits today at his beach house sipping on some chateau neuf de pape, gazing into the bewildering scene of the skinny dipping sun and thinks to himself.."Get your arse off the seat that you warmed enough to cook pancakes on and pick up the damn phone.." And so he does!!

Believe in this "either you run the day..or the day runs you.."

Ragz