Are you healthy?

The first wealth is health ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

We all want to be in the pink of health and do everything to stay hale and hearty and falling ill is the last thing anyone would want on their wish list.  But yet every once in a while nature rings a bell, that is unavoidable if not impossible. Today mankind has almost got a cure for all the dreadful disease that has plagued the human existence. Every moment there is a discovery of some magical potion which would give humans a new lease of life. My question is why do only humans need medicines? Never seen a dog taking a cough syrup or a lion with a toothache or any other species for that matter? Is it coz we are the higher species than them? Or is it because we have forgotten to accept nature? And what exactly is being sick? Do its precincts last only till physical body or does it go beyond? What defines health?

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of disease or ill-health. Yes science has proved time and again that the reason for falling ill is primarily stress in way of emotional, psychological, physical and mental. The logical explanation is that when there is an imbalance of any form in your system, your body decides to give you a break, whether you fancy it or not. That’s nature’s way of repair for the wear and tear that we put ourselves through. Sometimes it’s a jolt to wake up and realize that we also need to be concerned with our well being. We need to treat our body, mind and soul with respect!  We need to heighten our awareness about what we eat, drink and incorporating some form of exercise is a must. We all are food lovers but binge eating, unhealthy foods, is what we need to look out for. Anything in excess is unhealthy. I recognize there are certain things which are inevitable in the kind of lifestyle we lead or career engagements and keeping up with the fast paced life of the city. But we need to make a commitment to ourselves, since being healthy is being content too!

Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body ~ Cicero

Many of us can handle physical stress, but what about the mental, emotional and psychological stress that is out of our control. But is the one that hits us hard. Science has also proved that most of our illnesses are majorly caused due to disorderly mind and disturbed emotions. Modern man has been juggling this tricky job for a lifetime now. I guess most of us today would have at least 2-3 symptoms of a stress disorder, which given our standard of living have become quite common. There is a solution to everything in life, but all we need to do is incorporate it. We all are fighting our own demons of expectations that we have set for ourselves and that others have set for us too. So it’s about time that we go easy on ourselves and not get weighed down by unrealistic aims and dreams. 

And it’s only when we are unwell that we do get a chance to recoup on the lost energy. Sometimes it also is a blessing in disguise, as it gives you time to introspect, appreciate and value the life that you have been sanctified with. And it’s in these moments that I have learnt to accept circumstances which cannot be changed and enjoying what life hands out to you. As there will always be things we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn and people we can’t live without but have to let go. So the manra for good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately and laugh whole heartedly!

 Like they say if life gives you lemons, make lemonade and if you are a bit too adventurous tequila would be a best shot!

“If you reveal your secrets to the wind you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

Want to know a secret?? Sure every one of us wants to know a secret whatever it may be. So what’s your deepest, darkest and deadliest secret? We all have a well kept secret, whether shared or shoved somewhere deep in the recesses of our minds and hearts. Our whole life is a journey, where we meet our fellow travelers, in the way of friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers. And in this journey irrespective of whether we arrive at our destination or not, we encounter many experiences, situations and accidents… good, bad and ugly… of which few become our secrets. All of which affect our learning curve in this lifetime. And don’t we all love secrets especially when we are not the ones revealing it ;)

Life tosses us random circumstances, pleasant and the not so pleasant too, which become a part of our deeper self and turn into a ‘secret’. There could be immense possibilities and sorts of secret, the ones you could possibly share with a stranger but not your best friend and the ones which go with you to your grave, unspoken. Some those bring fond memories and some wrenching pain and fear and make you wonder why it happened to you... Some are those goofs which we want to forget and then there are those trade secrets kept at work… Then there are those life altering secrets that haunt your existence and are best forgotten. So why is it that a ‘Secret’ about a person intrigues us? Is it the power we get over the person that we now recognize a vulnerable part of him? Or just knowing that we are trustworthy?

 “The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man with no secrets to keep” ~ Edgar Watson. Why do we need to keep a secret? The reasons could be many, but rightly said, it’s wiser to keep your secrets. The only time where you could let your guard down is when they overpower you. Although my life has been an open book most of the times, there are those chapters which are best not revealed. The secret here is to conceal your own and never let down those who reveal theirs to you. And some times secrets are best kept, to treasure the mystery behind every person.

"If we knew each other's secrets, what comfort we would find."
— John Churton Collins

 

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Author unknown

This holds true when you are in one of his marvelous creations called Goa!

Goa... a land of sun, sand and beaches and may i say the rains too!!! This beautiful destination conjures up memories for almost everyone who has managed to lay feet on it… a one stop destination for fun, frolic, adventure, romance and peace too.. This laidback state almost has infinite facets, just like the Pandora’s Box you never know what you will find. As a child most of the vacations to this dreamy land have almost been memorable and till today it never fails to surprise me. At times it’s a proud feeling that this land is my native. It never fails to live up to its image of “susegadh” which means relaxed.

The journey to this mesmerizing terrain has also been memorable… whether it’s the bus or car ride which takes you through ghats exploring the mountains and gauging the depths of valleys. Or it’s the view from the top, from the aircraft, which showcases the stretch of coconut trees and the never ending expanse of the Arabian Sea… absolutely breathtaking. And there is the konkan railway… which takes you through the lush green fields, gushing rivers, mud houses, cattle grazing and if it’s the rains, the view becomes magical even more magical with the clouds hugging the mountains, the breath taking water falls, and the sweet scent of drenched mother earth.. Priceless!!!

Almost everyone has their own unique plan when they holiday here. It satiates every tourists fantasy… tourists who come to enjoy the sun, sand and beach, tourists who seek adventure in the water and adventure sports… tourists who just wanna eat, drink and make merry (this is the prime oneJ)… tourists who wanna party hard and get on the wrong side of going ‘rave’… besides this there are those who come to satisfy their spiritual thirst, to meditate or just visit the beautiful churches and temples that grace this place.  Above all there’s the vast stretch of beaches that begins from Terecol to Cancona down south and those who want to get away from the frenzy, there are those virgin beaches and unexplored forests which beckon every wayward traveler. Each beach celebrates its own inimitable splendor & gait, beckoning you to do the same. Whether it's a swim in the sea or lazing on the shore with your feet up (with a book to read ;) ).  For people who love to wine, dine with some soulful music, you have to look no further. With restaurants offering finger licking fare for your taste buds and music for your soul. And a few like me who just choose to go with the flow and open myself to whatever this mysterious and enthralling place has to unravel. And it has never let me down J…

One of the most captivating quality of Goa is that it is 'non judgmental', whatever you wear, drink or do, there is no stopping you, pure fun and freedom in every moment is what you savor. This encapsulates this awesome tourist destination that has mesmerized millions and will do so for years to come!!!

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.  ~John Lubbock

"To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Acceptance this word holds many a different meanings for different individuals and different circumstances. Life puts us through numerous trials and tribulations. Sometimes we fight it out, and emerge victor or sometimes the situation changes for the better. But there are those times when no matter what we do, no matter how much you fight it out, there seems to be no way out. No answer, no solution and no respite. What do you do then, get depressed, blame someone else for the misery, shut yourself completely and drown in your sorrow.

It’s in despair that we find respite, its time look deep within ourselves and do some soul searching. But most importantly it’s imperative that we accept everything in its totality. Immense peace is the effect of unconditional acceptance. It’s the trickiest thing but not impossible, especially when the grief and loss is abound. But take heart and it happens, all troubles seem to fade away and you will see light at the end of the dark tunnel.  All tunnels have to end and this one will too.

But the most important thing here is about accepting your own self, loving yourself as you are, and respecting it. If you aren’t happy with yourself you won’t be tolerant of the other. Every relationship is a mirror where the other reflects a part of you, if you dislike something; you reject a piece of you too. Accepting your uniqueness and being tolerant towards others differences is your ticket to bliss.

~ You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt