LETTER FROM A MOTHER TO A DAUGHTER

"My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story

night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day... the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my darling daughter.

Source: Facebook

Photo: My Friend Shweta and the child. 

A Sense filled Love Song

My being tingled when I thought of you

Thy being enclosed my soul everyday

A fusion of being and soul

That knows no estrangement like twins

Thy touch stimulated my soul far and wide

‘You're precious to me’ said thy touch

Enkindled my soul like a smolder in the parched land

Longed for this touch but got never again.

Thy eyes shone forth to cast my soul to quiver

Eyes met with great blush soon turned into love

The sparkle in your eyes tantalized my desire

A desire to grasp you more, like a child longs to see its mother.

Thy ears untied wide to hear my song

A love song that never ends, like the sky above

Sound of your gentle steps harmonized my heartbeat

A heart that'll cling to thy step like a baby clings to mother.

Thy aroma penetrated my lungs and felt thy smell

Smelt your being breathing breathe of love

A breath that springs life into you and me

Let thy smell cast my-self like early mist casts the earth.

My being pined for thy tasty self

My lips yearned to meet thy soul

A taste that'll ever taste in my-self and thyself

Lets craft a taste filled love like mother prepares feed for child.

You're alive in me, in my all senses

But you're around me yet not with me

A sweet pain in heart to love yet to be far

You're the touch of my touch

You're the eye of my eyes

You're the ear of my ears

You're the smell of my smell

You're the taste of my taste

Thou art so near yet so far to show my love.

My good friends Pallu & Kutunu at Lethem, Guyana

Note: This poem is inspired a long time ago (Approx. 13 years). I had not published it because I could not find it. 

A Lake

Photo taken at Tiger Pond, Guyana

Soothing rays tranquilled my being

Sunny rays speared my crust

A mirage of rays echoed from the lake

Lake, a face of God’s grandeur.

A layer smooth and shiny

Bits of diamonds shining on to me

Diamonds moving as a gentle touch of breeze

Waves cast the diamonds onto shore.

Fishes floating along the shiny layer

A perfect home like a woman's womb

Myriad moves of fishes reflecting God’s greatness

Greatness that knows no bounds.

Karokaro, kiskadi, parrots, ducks, swans

Birds small and big gyrated round the lake

Sang delightful songs like mother singing for her child

A sure sign that God loves them.

All around lake crafted a theatre

Stage that bosomed creature small and great

Theatre of showing Gods enormous love

A love knows no bounds girdled my being.

Note: Poem inspired at a lake in São Leopoldo, Brazil. 

Bloodthirsty Beasts

Earth lays a battle field
Clothed with blood and corpses 
Violence at our door step to avenge our foes
Humanity's fury against the creator
within a Godless and senseless ring.
Heart coved with animosity 
Bloodthirsty beasts on look out
they devour the innocent blood
as vampires sucking the prey
Rivers as though flowing red
Shooting bombing a routine affairs
Death toll just another record
counted and forgotten
Life formed in someone's mother's womb
put to rest by an unknown predator
predating as though we've lost humanity.
Who am I, to take someone's breath away
their eyes sheilded dim and pale 
with splashed blood of the innocent.
Godless brood of vultures
looking out to consume the innocent blood
Humanity's sad story prevails every day
"we are created in the image of God"has no meaning
Equality and Fraternity lost its grip
A senseless ultimate epidemic of violence is spreading
Spreading like a wildfire in the dry forest
A fear engulfs every humans 
A fear of being slit one's throat
A fear of being shot at
A fear of being tortured to death
A fear of being terminated for no fault of your's
How long will this rule us, Oh Lord.
Are you blind and ignoring evil?
You created the universe and it looked good
Don't you want it to look good every day ever age
How long do I have before someone takes my breath away
and sucks my innocent blood?

Poem inspired after the Violence in Syria
Photo: Children stand near a hole created by the heavy shell bombing in Syria (Arab Times).

Revolving Around Ocean

Waters vast and blue
like a pregnant woman's womb
Earth emerging from the ocean
as a child from mother's side.


Trees and foliage swinging with joy
as a child waving at its mother
Clothed with greenery show forth bloom
gratituding the ocean's goodness
goodness that nourishes its child


Birds tiny and large, creatures crawling and howling
chirping as though praise its creator
Colour and texture display hands of the creator
hands that made you and me
hands that praise worthy every second.


Sun's grandeur immersing at dusk in the ocean
Scooping it to give it a rest
as a mother cuddling the child in her bosom
Moon sent out to cast darkness away
Shines forth to tell the glory of the creator.


Shining stars proclaim the wonders of God's expertise
Glowing unabatingly with its lustrous light
Light that cast away darkness in our hearts
and show case mighty deeds of God the Creator.


Poem inspired at the sunset in Barbados
Photo: Same place.  

A world within World

A world within world, an Ocean

A true creation in motion

Waving her might on the shore

Showing creator's mighty deeds more.

Every rhythmic turn of the tide

Tis a creator's unprecedented guide

Every wave tells a story

A story resounding God's glory.

Once my heart settled pale

Ocean encircled my heart with gale

A beauty dark and blue

made my being lark and slew

Nature's nakedness on play

a wicked beauteous display

Every sparkle of water shine forth

my thirsty being well worth.

Fibre of my being prickled

Every emotions in me tickled

Me euphoric in the cloud with ecstasy 

Until I egressed from buoyant fantasy. 

Poem inspired looking at the Atlantic Ocean at Barbados

Photo: Same place 

Betrayal

Betrayal

If Judas had lived longer,

(and not simply hanged himself or

become an forlorn exile)

or if he had abandoned

his conscience forever, selling it with

those thirty shining pieces of silver—

he would have become, in all probability

a very successful politician.

He would have sold scores

of saviours, grew rich and

a millionaire. And contended, lived his life

enslaving men, abhorring slaves—

and Mr. Judas Iscariot, would have

become a kind of star celebrity,

forever remembered. A History.

And to this day,

treachery flourishes—

The fate of Jesus befalls

every other messiah.

In this world,

there is a single critical risk:

even the kisses betray.

Source: I came across somewhere.

Meaning in Life: Journey into Oneself

Journey into oneself is quite a challenging process but it can be very rewarding too. Buddhism is a religion which makes a human being journey into oneself. To attain the ultimate one should withdraw from this world of thoughts, ideas, noise, temptations and one's own freedom. We can find the supreme being or at least we can access the supreme being at one point of our life and this is called Enlightenment.

Human beings are complex and limited. Humanity has survived for several thousand years with all his complexity and limitedness. How is it possible? Why are human beings not extinct like dinosaurs or dodo? Why are other species on earth go extinct? I think we have answers to these questions based only on our limited perception of the reality. There is something we cannot grasp because we are limited. Humans can arrive at some consensus because our experience can be through our five (some say 6) senses which are equally deceptive or don't agree with others sensual perception. Each one can perceive his own way. Therefore there is a problem in our understanding of the reality. How do we solve this perpetual and inevitable problem (issue)? Philosophers have tried to distinguish the reality which we perceive and the reality which is beyond our perception.

As I was walking down in healthcare in Wandsworth Prison, I visited an inmate who was bedridden for a long time. He was an Anglican and admired Christianity as a whole. He had suffered a lot in his life but he did not find any meaning in life until at last when he was behind the bars in some country where the condition of the prison was not very appealing. He realized that he had found meaning of his life in his own self not outside. One needs to go to the depth of one's being layer after layer like onion which peeled layer after layer you find the real crust. That is how Mr. X (aforementioned prisoner) found his real meaning in life and now most happy person in life.

Most often we tend to think the real life is outside us; others and other things give me joy and fulfilment in life. This is true to some extent. What if I have all the pomps of life and still I find emptiness within me like Mr. John Pridmore, about who I have posted earlier. I think we are the master of ourselves. No one can steer us but we need to be firm and steer ourselves. It is easier to steer others life, but harder when it come to ourselves. Real meaning of life in ourselves, we just need to peel each layer with utmost care and reach the crust or core of life and there we will find the ultimate meaning in life. 


Photo: Jerri Dias SJ, taken in Barbados

I am Sorry! beyond mere expression

I was attending mass at St Francis of Assisi Church in Barbados this morning to witness a couple clutched each others arms during the penitential service. It was a wonderful real imagery of a reconciliation between husband and wife. This couple, I think, was trying to tell each other "I am so sorry for hurting you directly or indirectly or in small or big way". Reconciliation is just that, reassuring each other that we care and love each other. In the case of this couple it was obvious that they wanted to assure and encourage their relationship whatever be their mistakes or misunderstanding till that moment. 

Now, how many of us try and do it during the penitential service of the mass? Is penitential service just another routine and boring part of the celebration? Most often we take for granted the wonderful and lovely gift of forgiveness that God has bestowed upon humanity. We have the ability to either forgive or vengeance. We have the ability to tell each other that we are sorry. But how many of us do it? Handful of us. Sometimes, we do it for the sake of doing it.

One example to illustrate aforementioned point that forgiveness is just on our mouth and not in our hearts: London is a city of politeness and sensitivity. The hight of politeness is so great that even touching a person accidentally can get a "sorry" and a smile. This is a wonderful thing to do, but I have realised over the years that this is just a routine and a cliche like expressions that we hear every time on trains, bus stands, etc. Do they really mean it when they say sorry? I have my doubts on this. Their sorry does not mean anything, its just being polite and showcase their sensitivity. I am not saying this is rubbish, but I am trying to say, a sorry should come from one's heart and not intellect. 

Same way our penitential service at the eucharist can produce no results or it will just remain a way of passing on to another bit of the mass, unless and until we really mean when we say, 'Lord, have mercy.' Thus we have the penitential service at the beginning of the Eucharist, so we are sorry and forgiven by God and each other after which we are ready to share the Eucharistic meals with each other. I have a suggestion which might sound hilarious; can we hold each others hands during the penitential rite and really feel that God is present in each other. 

Why am I a Priest? These quotes of John Paul inspire me to be a priest

"I am often asked, especially by young people, why I became a priest.  Maybe some of you would like to ask the same question.  Let me try briefly to reply.  I must begin by saying that it is impossible to explain entirely.  For it remains a mystery, even to myself.  How does one explain the ways of God?  Yet, I know that, at a certain point in my life, I became convinced that Christ was saying to me what he had said to thousands before me: 'Come, follow me!'  There was a clear sense that what I heard in my heart was no human voice, nor was it just an idea of my own.  Christ was calling me to serve him as a priest. And you can probably tell that I am deeply grateful to God for my vocation to the priesthood.  Nothing means more to me or gives me greater joy that to celebrate Mass each day and to serve God's people in the Church.  That has been true ever since the day of my ordination as a priest.  Nothing has ever changed this, not even becoming Pope." (Los Angeles, USA, September 14, 1987) "The priestly vocation is essentially a call to sanctity, in the form that derives from the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  Sanctity is intimacy with God; it is the imitation of Christ, poor, chaste and humble; it is unreserved love for souls and self-giving to their true good; it is love for the church which is holy and wants us to be holy, because such is the mission that Christ has entrusted to it.  Each one of you must be holy also in order to help your brothers pursue their vocation to sanctity." (Rome, Italy, October 9, 1984) "Your wish to become a priest, or at least your wish to discover if you are being called to be one.  And so the question is a serious one, because you have to prepare thoroughly, with clear intentions and an austere formation." (Rome, Italy, October 13, 1979) "His calling is a declaration of love."  Your response is commitment, friendship, and love manifested in the gift of your own life as a definitive following and as a permanent sharing in his mission and in his consecrations.  To make up your mind is to love him with all of your soul and all of your heart in such a way that this love becomes the standard and motive of all your actions.  From this moment on, live the Eucharist fully; be persons for whom the Holy Mass, Communion, and Eucharistic adoration are the center and summit of their whole life.  Offer Christ your heart in meditation and personal prayer which is the foundation of the spiritual life." (Valencia, Spain, November 8, 1982) "The world looks to the priest, because it looks to Jesus!  No one can see Christ; but everyone sees the priest, and through him they wish to catch a glimpse of the Lord!  Immense is the grandeur of the Lord! Immense is the grandeur and dignity of the priest!" (Rome, Italy, October 13, 1979) "Called, consecrated, sent.  This triple dimension explains and determines your conduct and your lifestyle.  You are 'set apart;' 'segregated,' but not 'separated.'  What would separate you, would be to forget or to overlook the meaning of the consecration that characterizes your priesthood.  To be but one more in your profession, in your lifestyle, in your way of living, in your political obligations, would not help you to fully carry out your mission.  You would betray your own faithful who want you to be priests through and through." (Valencia, Spain, November 8, 1982)

Source: http://thinkingofpriesthood.org/experience/thoughts-from-pope-jp-ii

 

Are Animals Superior To Humans?

I have long wondered whether animals have feeling: feelings of pain, sorrow, happiness, and grief? Do the animals mourn their dead? These questions have gone unanswered to my palest surprise. Scientists and psychologists have attempted to analyze and come to an answer albeit their answers are highly dubitable. Do I have an answer? Sometime ago I tried to unravel this mystery of animal feelings, particularly when animals mourn their dead through an example of crow mourning over a dead crow or a monkey shedding tears out of sadness or pain. However, I am not sure whether they really feelings because my cognitive perception of animal kingdom is limited. All the more, I am no psychologist or scientist to make a laboratory experiments which might give a precise result but with due benefit of doubt or exception.

My curiosity and search in regards to feelings of animals towards themselves and towards humans was aroused when I was watching a nail biting documentary, “Ocean Giants, Deep Thinkers” on BBC One on 20 June 2012. Their extraordinary and maiden revelation on feelings of humpback whales towards humans tantalized me to embark upon to the coast of Mexico. But sadly that would not be possible for now, however I can share the joy of the people who witness this extraordinary intimacy between these ocean giants and humans.

Two things stayed with me from the documentary; a) the unity and coordination of humpback whales to capture their prey. They have a unique way of hunting their prey. After swimming for 3000 miles, a few whales gather to hunt together with an absolute togetherness. They surround the shoal of herrings with a strategic tactic that allows the shoal of herrings to fall into their predator’s disk. Then with mouths wide open capture the herrings. Their mouths can contain nearly 500 kilos of herrings a day. What a wonderful example of unity, coordination and togetherness. The documentary makes it clear that these whales are no way connected because they had travelled from different parts of the ocean.

b) Humpback whales have awesome affinity towards humans. In the Mexican shores when I fisherman fishing found a huge humpback whales next to his boat seemed to his emerging to devour him. But to his pleasant and wildest surprise the whales just caressed his boat. He was completely taken aback by this gesture of the whale. He then stroked the whale and became friend with the whale. This shows that these mammoth ocean giants have feelings and they loved to be caressed and stroked. Scientists then experimented with these whales and come to know that these mysterious animals have feelings and possibly they would like to communicate to us but unfortunately our languages don’t match. Scientists have opined that these ocean creatures have spindle cells three times more than humans. Therefore their emotional awareness is much stronger than humans. Therefore they even can show their affinity and emotions to humans. Today scores of people go to this shore to witness these mesmerizing emotional activities of humpback whales.

Apart from elephants, dolphins are considered to be the most intelligent animal on the planet. There are instances where dolphins have helped people. When I went to watch the spectacle of dolphins performing unimaginable stunts at Duisburg in Germany, it occurred to me that dolphins are such a lovely creatures who can hear, understand, and act wisely according to the master’s requests (I am not using the word ‘command’, because in this show master was requesting the dolphins to perform a particular stunt). The aforementioned BBC documentary showed how dolphins could have a high level of awareness of them. They experimented through a mirror in which dolphins showcased their awareness just like humans. They looked at the mirror again and again with several angles. The scientists opined through this that dolphins have even higher-level awareness then us. They believe that in the future they would be able to communicate with us. How lovely dolphins speaking to me, ‘excuse me, or sorry or thanks.’

Finally, the documentary showed a remarkable group of Mexican grey whales, which seem able to empathize with humans and may even have a concept of forgiveness. Can it be true? Can they empathize with us? Can they have a concept of forgiveness? I am sure they do empathize with us like the fisherman caressed by the whale; a complete showcase of feeling with us. I am sure animal lovers would agree with me, that animals are violent as long as their hunger is quenched. Therefore, I think they don’t generally harm other creatures without a proper reason. This can even lead to have the concept of forgiveness. Scientists cannot know what exactly these mysterious creatures’ feelings.

Just to reflect on the God’s creation story a little bit: God, on the fifth day, created animals of all sorts. He blessed them and made them multiply and fill the earth. And on the sixth day, God created human. God gave human dominion over the other creatures but not domination; just a point to grasp, dominion is to take care of God’s creation not dominate it. But my point here is, God created human after he had created animals. Animals were created before man was created, God must have created them out of nothing: because God did not have any blueprint or a model to create the animals unlike the man, God created man in his likeness, hence God had a blueprint or a model for man. Therefore we can deduce from this above argument that God must have given animals some special attributes that were not in Himself, so He would have given them some kind of extra entities that were not given to humans. Now what are these special entities? I can presume that they are given some sort of powers or behavioral patters that make them tantamount to humans. Simple tangible example to elaborate this point is the shape and size of different animals is unique unlike humans who are generically looking alike. Here one can think that animals are superior to humans, but then, God created humans in His likeness. But why did God create animals before humans? This question remains a mystery for me. Dear reader do you have an answer for my question, scribble it.