Embracing New Family Ties

 

Family is a tapestry woven with love, shared experiences, and an unbreakable bond that ties us all together. As a mother-in-law, I am blessed to welcome not just one, but two incredible women into our family. This blog is a heartfelt message to my cherished daughter-in-laws, a reflection of the love, understanding, and unity that we strive to build together.

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Chapter 1: A Warm Welcome into the Family From the moment you both entered our lives, you brought a spark of joy and happiness that has enriched us all. Every family grows stronger through the threads of love that newcomers weave into its fabric. I want you to know that your presence is not just acknowledged but genuinely valued.

Chapter 2: Embracing Diversity and Unity Our family is a beautiful mosaic of different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. Just as I have so much to share with you both, I am equally excited to learn from your unique perspectives and traditions. Let’s blend our stories and create a rich tapestry that reflects the strength of our unity amid our diversity.

Chapter 3: Building Bridges of Communication Open communication is the cornerstone of any harmonious relationship. My dear daughter-in-laws, I encourage us to create an environment where we can freely express ourselves, share our joys, and seek comfort during challenges. Let’s make room for laughter, deep conversations, and even those moments of vulnerability that only strengthen our bonds.

Chapter 4: Honoring Traditions, Creating New Memories As we navigate through family traditions, let’s also create new memories together. Our shared moments are the building blocks of a legacy that will live on for generations. Whether it’s celebrating festivals, sharing recipes, or creating new family rituals, your input is invaluable and will shape the traditions we pass down.

Chapter 5: Supporting Each Other’s Journeys Each one of us has a unique journey in life, filled with dreams, aspirations, and challenges. I want you both to know that our family stands as a rock-solid support system for each other. Chase your dreams, pursue your passions, and know that we are here to cheer you on every step of the way.

Chapter 6: A Place of Love and Acceptance In our family, love knows no bounds. I am immensely grateful for the joy and warmth you bring to our lives. This space is a haven of acceptance, where you can be your authentic selves without fear of judgment. Remember, you are loved for who you are, and your happiness is our happiness.

Chapter 7: Looking Forward to the Future The road ahead is filled with adventures waiting to be discovered. As we continue this journey together, I am excited to witness the growth, laughter, and shared moments that lie ahead. Our family story is just beginning, and I am eager to see the beautiful chapters we will write together.

Conclusion: To my dear daughter-in-laws, you are not just an addition to our family, but an integral part of its very essence. The love, respect, and unity we foster are the pillars that will support us through all of life’s twists and turns. Together, let’s build a legacy of love that will shine bright for generations to come.

Stronger Together

 In a fast-paced world where priorities shift and time races by, one constant remains: the importance of family. Family ties are more than just connections; they are the foundation upon which we build our lives.

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In this blog, we’ll explore the significance of family ties and how they shape our identity, provide unwavering support, and serve as a source of enduring love.

1. The Bonds That Define Us: Family ties are the threads that weave the tapestry of our lives. They help us understand our roots, our heritage, and our place in the world. Through shared stories, traditions, and values, family ties provide a sense of belonging and identity.

2. A Support System Like No Other: In times of joy and sorrow, family is often the first to stand by our side. From celebrating achievements to offering a shoulder to cry on, family members form an unbreakable support system that guides us through life’s ups and downs.

3. Lessons in Love and Patience: Family ties teach us patience, compromise, and the importance of understanding one another. Living with diverse personalities under one roof provides countless opportunities for personal growth and learning to navigate differences with love.

4. Preserving Traditions: Family ties keep traditions alive. Passed down from one generation to the next, these customs and rituals connect us to our cultural and familial heritage. They remind us of the values that have shaped our family over time.

5. Sharing Milestones: From the first steps to major life achievements, family ties provide witnesses to our most significant moments. The cheers, the tears, and the heartfelt conversations become an integral part of our life’s journey.

6. Creating Lasting Memories: Whether it’s holiday gatherings, summer vacations, or simple family dinners, these shared experiences create memories that last a lifetime. The laughter, inside jokes, and unforgettable moments become cherished stories to pass on.

7. Overcoming Challenges: Family ties are tested during challenging times. It’s during these moments that the strength of these bonds truly shines. Supporting one another through adversity fosters resilience and reinforces the idea that we are never alone.

8. Celebrating Individuality: While family ties bind us, they also allow space for individuality. Each family member’s unique qualities contribute to the rich tapestry of the family unit, fostering a sense of acceptance and celebration of diversity.

9. Lifelong Learning: From grandparents to siblings, every family member brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. The exchange of ideas, stories, and life lessons becomes a lifelong source of education.

10. Passing the Torch: As time goes on, family ties take on a legacy-like quality. We become stewards of the connections that have been nurtured over generations, and it becomes our responsibility to carry them forward for the benefit of future family members.

In conclusion, family ties are the heartstrings that connect us to our past, ground us in the present, and guide us into the future. They are the safety net that catches us when we fall and the cheerleaders that celebrate our successes. So, let’s nurture and treasure these bonds, for in doing so, we build a strong foundation for ourselves and the generations that will follow.

(Chat GPT generated this. I could not have said it better so posting it as generated)

Communicate

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Growing up in the 60’s, life was so simple. Read my diary. You will see. The Above picture has all my siblings and cousins from dads side and I love all of them. And I can say with conviction that they love me and I can count on them.

How did we complicate it?

Is it all because of mobiles and social networking? Is it feminism? Is it our individualistic mindset? Are the comforts to be blamed?

We knew that life is not meant to be perfect. We had struggles but we overcame them. We did not need psychiatrists. Sure, we felt like dying but we had hope and love and trust. Our struggles made us stronger. We struggled within ourselves, our life was not broadcast, we did not need to always have a happy profile. We fought and made up and understood and tried to understand.

In my marital adapting, I learned after few years that communicating your feelings has a profound impact on the relationship. I married my husband after knowing him for 15 days. And then moved to America. Of course, there were struggles. I will not say that the D word was not thought of. But we endured.

And now you say, why did you? We did it for you. And of course, we did not have financial freedom, so we latched on because of that too. It was so much better handling the burdens together. After about 45 years of togetherness, we are comfortable with each other. And right now, we are bearing the fruits. Do not tell us we did it all wrong when we have just learned to turn our reflexes off.

There must be some reason you liked your partner. I say again, communicating is your best aid. Who has not heard ‘Men are from mars, and women are from Venus’. In order to bring both to earthly terms, communication is the key. They do not understand why you are sulking. Unless you tell them so they can improve. It is hard, I agree. But believe me, I have seen over years and experience, the other choices are harder. Strive hard, work for your beliefs, communicate harder, stay strong and work for what you think is right.

Live the life you have imagined. I agree that the younger generations can have better ways of doing things but do it with respect. Do it with empathy. Do it with understanding. If elders do not understand, communicate. Maybe you will learn from their experience while they learn from you.

Whichever way, always keep the door open for communication. Again, I reiterate, life is very simple. You get what you give. If you have earned it, the whole universe will work so that you get what you deserve, may it be bad or good.

Borders – A Novel

Our world is so small. At any point in life you are bound to run across people from different parts of the world.

There are so many struggles and conflicts going on in the world. We will never know what those people are going through.

Wouldn’t it be nice to feel closer to these people while reading realistic stories about them. Or much better having the people from all over the world trying to collectively find solutions to the problems of the world.

That is what the series of books starting with ‘Borders’ does.

Read the book in Kindle : Borders : Among Taliban

Smashwords : Borders : among Taliban

 

Three students of the ‘Borders’ school, a United Nations Accredited Institution, which has 27 kids from all over the world trained for diplomacy, launch on their first expedition to save a colleague’s friend who has been kidnapped in Afghanistan.

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Join Phil from the USA, Zeina from Saudi Arabia and Ismail from Jerusalem as they go on a journey to Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas to search for their friend.

Join them.

Travelling Log

[2004]

My husband and I agree that our favorite place is Death Valley in California. It is about 1 ½ hours away from Las Vegas. The first time we visited that place was at nighttime. It was not a good idea as there are very few lights and absolutely no civilization around. A man we met on the road said “Who needs lights when there is this big light (he pointed to the moon) to light your way”. I fell in love with the place in the morning when we saw the sunrise among the mountains. We were surrounded by mountains and the hotel was the only civilized place for miles. Whenever we are here (we have been here 3 times after) it always feels that we are far away from urban life. When we retire (I mean when we do not have to worry about our kids entertainment, though they also have loved the hiking and the desert and the wildlife) this will definitely be the place we will come to rest.

If you ask my 11-year old son, he will say that the Everglades in Florida is one of his favorite spot. This is surprising as he must be 6 years old when we were bicycling on a trail there and were swarmed by mosquitoes and our only way to get out was to cycle fast at the same time swapping at the mosquitoes. On that trip we saw crocodiles just inches away from us. At Everglades it is very peaceful. My most memorable moment was at this place where everything was so quiet and peaceful and I just stood there against the railing enjoying the effect. I was looking at couple of lazy crocodiles and the turtles and the long necked birds. I remember taking a boat ride to go further down in the river to see the wildlife there. It was very peaceful and quite there. On our way back the dolphins followed us. The most adventurous thing we did was take a boat ourselves and went canoeing and us being between lots of birds. Thankfully we did not see any crocodiles. Everglades is fun.

 My 14-year old son would advise you to go to Puerto Rico. The water is so good with huge waves. The kids took surfing lessons there. We had this hotel, Villas Del Mar Hau, right on the beach. You can walk from your balcony right onto the beach. The kids loved the water and the waves. So did my husband. I do not swim but I was fully satisfied with my long walks, water gazing and my book. The food was great, my son could practice his Spanish, we saw a new culture and were happy to be among friendly people. We found a shop on the road which made our luggage much heavier then what we wanted.

[2016] 

Have visited Guatemala when Romil did his summer there at a village health clinic (2008). Loved the  mountains and the ponds in the mountain. Very green.

We have visited Peru (2004) also which I should mention here and loved the greenery of Machu Pichu

Egypt and Greece we visited in 1997. Nothing beats the history of Egypt and Greece.

When Romil was doing Scuba Diving we visited Cayman Islands (resort was cool), Honduras (loved the food) and couple of other beach places. We had gone to one of the islands of Indonesia and I will always love to remember the peaceful ride back on the boat sitting on top.

When Ruchir did internship in Singapore, we visited Singapore along with Cambodia (Ang Kor and learnt about their bloody past which has left only young people) and Thailand (walked and petted the tigers at the monastery)

We love to travel so much that we have sold our house in Rhode Island after the kids left for college and are on constant vacation. We go to India for five months to do our duty to parents and the rest of the time we are either with Ruchir (25 – houston) or Romil (21 – chicago) or somewhere in between US and India. On Dec 2014 we had a 45 day trip to Italy(relived our honeymoon)-Turkey(kids joined. saw mountain caves, walked up waterfall mountain, historical cities)-Jordan (the best was wadi musa tent sleeping in desert, petra was super specially the 1 km entrance)-Israel(old city was touching)-Dubai(fourth century buildings).

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In November 2015, we went to South Africa and visited capetown (table mountain), Knysna (mountain, greenery and beach. We saw a mother and baby whale right from the shore), Kruger National Park (we drove ourselves to see the animals and were scared by an elephant who came marching at us and I had to back up for about 1/4 mile. Nothing beats the fun of driving around and seeing a leopard waiting for us by the side of the road) and to Lesuto village in Johannesburg to see tribal life replica.

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We also did a slight enroute trip to see victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The falls were not in its full form but were still super. Would love to see them from feb to June when they are at their best.

 

Spiritual Healing

I have never liked taking medicine. Nor have I ever liked to give it to my kids.  When the kids were young, I would prefer to have an argument with my husband than to give them medicine without need.  I believe the right way to cure any disease is to allow the body to take care of it and to help the process by good food, rest and exercise.

Thus, when I came across this book ‘Heal thyself – An explanation of the real cause and cure of disease’ by Dr. Edward Bach, I agreed with his views and would like to share it with you all. The book is a 56 page book and I believe the author is from England. The book is dedicated to all who suffer or who are in distress.

Dr. Bach says that modern medicine usually only treats the symptoms of the disease. Disease is in essence the result of conflict between Soul and Mind and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort. He also states that disease, though apparently so cruel, is in itself beneficent and for our good and, if rightly interpreted, it will guide us to our essential faults. If properly treated it will be the cause of the removal of those faults and leave us better and greater than before.

He further goes to explain that our Soul guides us through life and we are fine as long as we listen to it and we are in unity with the world.  The two great fundamental errors: dissociation between our souls and our personalities and cruelty or wrong to others brings conflicts which leads to disease. This pain and suffering, Dr. Bach explains, can be easily cured if we understand and correct our errors.

The real primary diseases of man are such defects as pride, cruelty, hate, self-love, ignorance, instability and greed.

Dr. Bach, further gives examples:

1) Pride, which is ignorance and rigidity of mind, will give rise to those diseases which produce rigidity and stiffness of body.

2) The penalties of hate are loneliness, violent uncontrollable temper, mental nerve storms and conditions of hysteria.

3) The diseases of introspection – neurosis, neurasthenia and similar conditions – which rob life of so much enjoyment, are caused by excessive self-love.

4) When ignorance and lack of wisdom are allowed to persist, short-sightednes and impairment of vision and hearing are the natural consequences.

5)  Instability of mind must lead to the same quality in the body with those various disorders which affect movement and coordination.

6) The result of greed and domination of others is such diseases as will render the sufferer a slave to his own body, with desires and ambitions curbed by the malady.

Dr. Bach further goes to explain the ways you can cure yourself from these diseases of mind. He explains about our role in this world, the true relationship between parents and children, the faults of modern materialistic world and how to come out of it unharmed. He believes that one of the reasons for today’s unhappiness are boredom and loss of real inner happiness. He asks us to solve this by enjoying every moment of life and live life in the present. He advises us to keep our bodies clean, externally and internally. He encourages us to be cheerful.

I could not agree more with Dr. Bach.