SOULspace

It is almost surreal to think that we were there just last week (June 11th to 16th). My much awaited vacation, a proper one, with rooms booked, flights booked, not an ad-hoc drive down-and take-the-first-motel-that-we-can-find. The Himalayas, seductive beauty that she is, beckoned us and we gladly surrendered to her enchantment. We had  a dream stay at Manali Sterling Resorts called White Mist. Picture perfect, and at that time I thought, in perfect weather. The locals were complaining of the heat and on the day we landed it started drizzling, "perfect weather too" I exclaimed. Sweaters out, umbrellas out, what a quintessential Hill station! "I just died in its arms!!"      We did not realise the fury that was to be unleashed in the wake of our return. We escaped at every step, just managing to leave Kullu from Buntar airport on the only flight that flew that week and then again from Delhi, before the floods marooned the s...

Forgive me that I dont appreciate you enough Forgive me that I dont love you enough Forgive me that I hold on to thoughts that don't matter Forgive me for I cannot help myself Forgive me for what I do that may not make sense Forgive me I am sorry if I hurt you too much I am sorry I cannot be there for you I am sorry I pulled you into this I am sorry if this makes no sense I am sorry if I caused any pain I am sorry Thank you for all the abundance and excellence in my life Thank you for all that I learn Thank you for every wish and desire of mine is fulfilled Thank you for all the wonder and happiness that flows into my life Thank you for this beautiful world of family and friends Thank you Do you have any prayer of your own? This is mine that I tell and chant to myself every day...

My friend and co-host at most storytelling sessions is a little puppet who I named; Sukhi. To me he brings happiness,and that I believe he likes to spread to all ....through him with giggles and pats, he touches a face, a hand or a shoulder or sometimes even goes as far as to kiss a cute little cheek in the crowd. But something happened when I brought him out this time, I wanted to know whether the children of the village where I was doing a summer storytelling camp (at Kodanganallur) identified with this name or they wanted to take ownership and name him otherwise.  Oh Yes! they did! Voices yelled out, we want to change, we want to change... Lets call him Santosh,they said; short for "santhosham", the near translation of Sukhi the Happy. OoooLala... Santhosham Ponguthe ( happiness erupts...literally, but we can also say that means Happiness Abounds!) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------...