Gift a smile...Vishu message

SHARED THOTS...11.04.09. ======================== HAPPY VISHU TO ALL FROM KERALA. For many years while I was in Cochin, joyous occasions meant, we had to share the joy with those less privileged.. being a Lion member then, we used to go to old age homes or orphanages to donate a lot of goodies and physically be there to serve food to those kids or elders. The glow of happiness the weary old wrinkles used to light up in those distant eyes was itself a reward and a silent “thank you” for our gesture and more importantly, our Time spent with them. Each of them has their own tales of woes as to how they landed up in the old age home. But the common factor in their plight was that each of them had children very well off in some distant lands. For the ‘kids’, peace of mind was if they did not have to take care of their ageing parents or single surviving parent under their direct care. In their world, parents have completed their respective roles and were redundant to a great extent. Until in recent times, the concept of well-to-do senior homes was not there. Old age homes in the 80’s painted a negative picture and those who took refuge there were usually ‘dumped’ there unceremoniously against their wishes, leaving them with a clear message… “that’s it”, to any more of family ties.    Within the confines of expat lives, it is easier for me to sponsor a lunch or food for a day, to some of the old age homes, which is no substitute to however small a time we can spend with those residents in person, reminding them of their own loved ones. Gift a smile in any way possible. By any means. An unexpected gift to someone who can do nothing for you is ideal. What this means, is something sacred... it is by these acts, we experience Godliness…we experience true joy... in giving our time, expecting nothing.. as this remarkable incident illustrates... Just Stay !!!   The nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. 'Your son is here,' she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened, Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.  Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.   He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, he cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her. 'Who was that man?' he asked.  The nurse was startled, 'He was your father,' she answered.  'No, he wasn't,' the Marine replied. 'I never saw him before in my life..' 'Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?' 'I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here.   When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.' The next time someone needs you ... just be there.  Stay.   THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO DO ANYWAY.  RIGHT ?   HAVE A GREAT DAY AND BLESS SOMEONE ELSE IN SOME LITTLE WAY TODAY!  GOD IS SO GOOD. ================================================= Time can make us forget some memories, but there would be some memories which make us forget the time and those make the life worthwhile.. ... -------------------------------------------------------- Don't go the way life takes you but take the life the way you go. --------------------------------------------------------- Remember you are born to live and not living because you are born... ==================================================== You Choose How You Live. All men and women are born, live, suffer and die. What distinguishes us one from another is our dreams. Whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about...We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, We do choose how to live. ~ Joseph Epstein ~ ============================================================== Don't wait for some distant day to come,                                                                               it may be too late before you've even begun. Not everyone will agree with all you decide. First and foremost, be true to yourself. Realise that the only important thing in life is what you do with the time you spend here on earth. (and doing things you've always wanted to do) =========================================================== Have a great weekend. Enjoy Vishu with a good sadhya..... Thank God for all the Blessings received, make one other person happy...if you can. ============================================================ MOHANDAS. KP. http://mohandas-sharedthoughts.blogspot.com/