Echoes in Joy and in Ashes

December is upon us again with its chills and there is a hint of joy around even in the cold. My own excitement for this month has changed over time. It is this time of the month that the cakes seems to be at their best. A decorated cake received is opened with much excitement. A plain cake is still an opportunity to have something to eat with tea. Of all the cakes, I remember a flavour which is now no longer received. The dear aunt who gives them is no longer around to celebrate with. I remember the rush to the card shop to choose and select cards: each picked with a person in mind. Cards anticipated,  given and received. The carols have faded away; carols where the whole lot of people went around singing and spreading joy. And there is the "cree" to be decked up. An old story in the Book tells of when one night an angel appeared to a group of common strangers. It says that the luminous glorious light of God shone around them. It is to this story that we owe all the celebrat...

An experience over childhood was to try my hands at different crafts and train them. These included the more leisurely folding papers to make aeroplanes and boats to the more serious "origami" and handicraft pursuits. I am probably one of those who grew up being given the opportunity to try a wide variety of making things (handicrafts). Though the case has not been one where these skills have developed into a more "professional" take. Growing up with a mother who insisted that we (I and my siblings) try our hands at almost everything, I have often ended up doing things that would be considered "unorthodox" for a boy - from picking pre-drawn patterns on fabric to knitting socks, to weaving belts and picking cross stitches (I bet I can do it better than most average people). By the age of 10, I was already on the way to a typing institute after school hours (for about 3 times a week, if my memory serves me right) to learn to type on the good old typewrit...

As I made my way through this last week, I reflected on what had happened exactly a year ago - my weekend visit and stay at home and my dad's passing away at that visit. This particular week (with its days and dates), this year too is lined up very similar to last year's and it has been a week of retracing last year's steps as I made my way home to be with the family. To our father who is now in heaven! A year has gone by and it has been an "unusual" experience to have to do some of the year activities without you. As much as we'd look forward to the visits to our home, the realisation that you're not there has been saddening. We have sat around the dinner table and felt "one more of us" should come only to realise it will not be so. We mourned and grieved, but the best thought has been that you're home and at rest. The Book tells of the ancients who passed on to the next life as being "gathered" to their people. That expression o...

A couple of days ago, a dear friend (also known as lil' sis) joined the world of blogging-a whole world of writing possibilities. She very graciously attributed the new venture to me. However, she had already entered this world of writings on another platform, just that it was deleted while trying to learn the ropes of operating one. So while the venture had already begun, the honour was given to me in the first post.  As I read that post again today, I thought of writing a post of gratitude but nothing seemed to inspire. But then as I thought, memories of some pictures sent to me came back. So in this post I use four pictures that she took (without telling her and I pray lil' sis don't sue me; it's for a noble cause, please just this once) through the course of her field trips as part of her study. These four pictures cannot summarize her whole journey, neither will it do justice. But still these are four pictures and the thoughts drawn from it will hopefully reson...

I have often heard the complaint "I am not living for others" most often in the context of an unpleasant comment (or right critique) that had been made. The irony is that we want the "other" for the praise and adulation but not the critique. While I will admit that there is a shade of truth in the statement, it is not "true enough" (to borrow the phrase a professor would tell us) to be a "foundational" statement to build our principles of social relations. Our unwillingness to acknowledge the influence of the "others" in our lives will in no way lessen the reality of their existence and the manner in which they relate to us. For instance, I may not live for others and pursue my own wild dream, but that does not negate or nullify the sound judgment of others who would want me to "tame" it a little. What I as a person could do with that complaint (that I don't live for them) is to attempt to rob the others of the opportuni...

And what you will read below is a write-up by a friend that featured in a local newsletter. These are nice thoughts on the idea of 'waiting' and hopefully it/they will resonate with you. Happy reading... IN THE WAITING Vikhietuonuo Rutsa Whether it's waiting in a line, waiting in traffic, waiting for food service, waiting to get a job or waiting for someone you've been expecting, we say waiting is the "hardest part" and this resonates deeply in my life. This time of the year made me retrospect how 2017 started for me and where I stand today. Surely in the process of waiting as my goals aligned one after the other, I had expected everything to fall into place but disappointment crept in. However with time, my perspective of 'WAITING' changed knowing one thing is certain- before God moves suddenly, we will wait. So the question is not if we'll wait, but rather how we'll wait. And I believe how we wait will determine how long we w...

In the midst of the many readings that come along, there are those that stands out for its own worth. Some because of the depth of thoughts, others the expressions and the command of language used, still others because of a desire it triggers and so on. It could be for a single reason or manifold for which they are noted. Here's one that is being posted for its simplicity and yet the feeling of "likeness" that it triggers. For all its simplicity, may it bring back to your memory the feelings that you have had similar to the writer's. Happy reading! The Exam Cycle Viphrünü   Funny how everything gets interesting when exam is just round the corner and you know that it is time to get serious with your books but still keep it for every “tomorrow.” Every little thing seems important, things that you have never done before suddenly becomes your favourite pass time. The “hi” and “bye” passerby becomes your best friend, going for walks appears to be the main concer...