Patients as a money making tool

COCHLEAR IMPLANT- Sounds of my child

Vowels taken out from my language and God still expects me to utter meaningful words...

When my son was 8 months old, we detected his hearing loss. As consulted by a paediatrician we went for a B.E.R.A.(Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses) test. We eagerly waited for the result to be negative. The next day was my birthday and I was praying earnestly.
My husband taking a break from his work came home with the report in his hand. It was indeed negative. We were at peace and enjoyed our day graciously.

After this episode, a very good news came to me about my husband's job transfer.We shifted our base to New Delhi, my tribe- my home-town, in a few months. I was extremely happy. But in the midst of all such happenings again we noticed my son was not able to respond to my voice, the calls, the rhymes that I sang to him. At first we thought just like any other child, he too is lost in his own world playing with his things. I was not at all coming to terms with my husband repeatedly saying  me to  schedule an appointment with a paediatrician again. It was too hard  for me to believe  and I completely brushed off his observation purely.  How can it be true as I spent most of the time with my baby alone while he was at work. I saw him enjoying his favourite channel BABY TV every day. He smiled when I sang songs and the poems.  At times he responded to his Nani (my mother) via Skype.

But this time my husband was right. Shifting to Delhi, the first thing we did was to meet doctors. We met  paediatricians', audiologists and E.N.T surgeons. My son completed his one year by this time. Putting my heart back together soon we made him undergo M.R.I., C.T. scan. I was literally inconsolable. How can it happen to my child? He is so tiny. I asked God daily. Being an adult I can bear all the pain but seeing your child go into all this is hell. In other terms its a form of a disability i.e. a condition that limits a person's physical or mental abilities. Its such a big and a worst kind of thing happening to me, that's all I was thinking day and night. 

In another three months my son underwent three more B.E.R.A. tests to check the severity of hearing loss. It was all same with not much difference.  At all the times he cried uncontrollably and vomited several times. According to the doctors in Delhi, the first report that came in previous city we were living in were actually incorrect. The graphs and the waves formed on the report were all wrong. That was quite unsettling for me. Am now having my biases and doubts for a repress or a crushed capital city of a state that has proven wrong reports that took my crucial time as a waste further. Ironically the clinic that did the test comes in one of the best areas of the city.

After that we got in touch with a doctor- a speech pathologist. I along with my son moved to my in- Laws place to another state for about two months for his audio-metric tests that were to be conducted daily for 20 minutes. It was quite a difficult period taking care of my son without my husband who could visit us on weekends due to work commitments. But he all the way travelled for us spending his weekends up and down travelling. I found little change in my son's hearing after a month. He started noticing loud sounds but not consistently which was one major factor. Plus he was on  Ayurveda as well as Homeopathy dosage too. With not much satisfying result I came back. 

Then as suggested by the audiologists in Delhi we started with his Speech therapy for two months. They tried games, he enjoyed; the dances, he copied . But the result was all vain. There was no improvement in speech.

In another month, we purchased hearing aids after consulting another ENT doc.  It was a very challenging task for us and for my son too. Often he would pull out those and it had to bear maintenance's.  By this time, we wanted a good speech therapist, hence admitted him for the classes that took place twice/thrice a week. In about three months my child started babbling. Sounds such as BA BA, TA TA, BYE BYE, MUM MAA, PA PA, DA DA, NA NA, dogs bark, tigers roar, he started with it. It gave me a boost that he may continue to pick the language with hearing aids. But soon it too started fading away. Yes the sounds were still there but were not constant. If somebody acted, he would do BYE  BYE or sometimes say TA-TA but will never 'say'  BYE on  hearing the word when somebody say so without using any sign language. Also, its seen that hearing aids cannot cover S and SHH sounds with severe loss.

It was during this time that we visited some pious beings. We visited Temples, Gurudwara, and Dargah. He was given Prasad, lucky charms, pendants, threads. I even followed directions showed by an auto- wallah while taking him to his speech therapy class. He asked me about the hearing aids and directed me to a Christian organisation, working as Healers. Visiting them made me change my views about them as instead of healing my son they were adamant in their ways making me convert. I don't understand some people after greying their hairs are still not matured yet to understand that God is one, that he doesn't need any rituals and rules that are simply man-made.

Regarding Pandits, lots of them have knowledge about the planetary positions and its effects on us just  the way we study a particular subject as per the profession chosen and become experts. They can surely guide for the perfect time to buy a house, or a time for a job transfer or even calculate a perfect marriage date. But a problem like this isn't in their hands, hands  filled up with gemstones. These people cannot even predict the next earthquake and saving millions of people from its effects, how can they govern my life. It was a  total waste of time. Have now experienced it altogether.

We consulted Pandits, Pastors,  Astrologers, Pranic Healers, Reiki healers in great hope but everybody was boasting and preaching the dos and don'ts.  Cooking up Karma stories, some were egoistic, some showing way for a pseudo guru, while some were money- minded while very few  genuine ones  told us to seek doctors advise simply.

From reading scriptures  and keeping fasts, I did everything. I recollect a line from a scripture that reads: "Meditate on me with your mind, body and SENSES" ?? So untrue. As long as God resides in my heart, no need for any other material or mortal forms .

And as all the resorts failed, I admitted him to a play school to see how he merges with the children and was hoping to see any change in his hearing while listening to rhymes and dancing along with them.

I waited for a miracle to happen.

This was the same time when a movie 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' came. Without watching any trailer or   checking any reviews we went for the movie. The end stunned me and the way the word 'MAMA"(mother's brother) was called I was speechless.  I thought the film is made for my child. I had goose bumps. I again started hoping  for something positive to happen.

Finally I made up my mind a month before Advitiya's second birthday. Right time for speech development would have lost if I would have extended the period. After  doing a one year long research, verifying all the aspects and lastly complying with my husband, parents and close relatives we moved further and decided for the surgery i.e. Cochlear Implant.

For those who do not know what it actually is - A Cochlear Implant or a Bionic Ear is a surgically implanted electronic device that replaces the function of the damaged inner ear. What Cochlear Implant does is that it bypasses the damaged hair cells of the inner ear (Cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain.

COCHLEAR IMPLANT  

               Source-Image:Internet, Video: You tube;Cochlear Americas

The sound he would be receiving now will not be natural, like you and me hear, but it would be an electronic one different from the natural sound. Though it will be accurate and clear. 

I checked videos of other CI recipients, read patients/parents reviews and even checked surgery videos. I was not still able to digest the fact that hearing aids cannot work on the level of the decibel he needs and that he is left with the only choice - the Implant.

Under the guidance of an acquaintance, who connected like a messenger to me, and also a recommendation from my brother we sought the best doctor in town.  His generosity and unselfish behaviour made us trust him for my son's future. The way he solved all my questions with vivid examples made me feel relaxed after a long year.

Dr. J.M.Hans, my son's doctor is a gem. He is marvellous in his work as well as in person. Whenever I get a chance to meet him I feel happy talking to him. With so many awards and experiences in his cap, this man is an angel in disguise. Am grateful to God, that after so many turbulence's since the last one year,(and coming back from Mata Vaishno Devi shrine),at least he has shown us his divine grace in the form of this Man.

Thankfully my son, Advitiya, was into the hands of a very brilliant pediatrician also(whom we followed at later stage) who detected his hearing loss and referred a set of tests to be done beforehand. The previous pediatrician of a very reputed hospital couldn't even detect the child's problem . I remember when we mentioned him about our observation, instead of checking him by ringing bells or something like that,  he referred us to some speech and audiology institute. But there are some pure and honest beings in the world who cannot bear to see the child who cannot hear. 

Luckily, now there is a cure for  hearing loss. The only problem in India is that people doesn't have much knowledge as well as information regarding this implant. The people who came to meet my son and those who didn't know what happened to him during his operation. They just know that its only a machine attached outside the ear. That's it. Neither there is any initiative by the government.  

Hearing or Hearing Loss concerns all.The ability to hear is such an integral part of our lives, the most important primary sense, that most people take it for granted. The importance of good hearing and the consequences of hearing loss are still UNDERESTIMATED.

Few days back I was travelling by metro for a hospital visit. I saw a woman complaining and whining about her little daughter. Standing opposite me, I was able to hear her conversations with another woman about the struggling period of taking care of one's own kids.

I pity those parents who talks endlessly about struggling with their child who can communicate to them. Who can be taught ways to learn the accepted norms, who can be moulded easily. Its rather difficult for a child to understand others and show his anger through sign language when not able to express things.

I love my son to the core. He is truly been gifted by God with an invisible power I am sure.  I will not call him special but extra-ordinary. Just waiting for him to hear sounds of the world through Cochlear nucleus 6 and make a stand in the world.

Just as, Lord Ganpati-the bestower of knowledge and wisdom- whose head was chopped and renewed to a new one, so has Advitiya's ears have been renewed by God himself. My son is his father's Einstein, always busy with exploring things and his mother's Sun, always glowing and shining without a single rest illuminating the whole world.

"Tomorrow, you will be reborn..."

My son underwent Cochlear Implant on April 13th,2016. He has now recovered fully and we are eagerly waiting for his reaction with the machine. He would soon be starting off with his classes and from now on we have to make lots of efforts in teaching him the Language. Yes it's going to be a hard work but this time I will not compromise with anything lesser than the best.

Last but not the least, the one year that went by was a nightmare. I struggled with a thing that I haven't experienced in the past nor in my family or genes.

I have learnt  few major things in this whole process..that, HEARING- a sense organ- for me is an important function. I am, day- by- day ,moving farther from the loud noises and away from the extra loud people. I am enjoying the nature in its full form, enjoying its light, soft breeze and peaceful Sounds. Life is not to suffocate ourselves, and most importantly our Ears or any other sense organ, but to enjoy God's beauty which is permanent and cannot be created by humans. I have understood the difference, that we were taught at school, between Natural and Man-made, completely now.

One cannot put a leaf back to its branch once it has fallen. Some things are pre-destined, takes shape  and gets revealed on time beautifully for a reason unknown as of  now.

 I from the bottom of my heart thanks my parents who supported us tirelessly and religiously day and night. My small 'thank-you' is too small for their deeds done. My mother is the most dedicated lady. Thankfully, I learnt the art of multitasking from her.
P.S. - Special Thanks to my Mami (a pediatrician) also. Without her help and advice, my precious time would have been wasted.

My heartfelt thanks to Dr. William F. House, Inventor of Pioneering Ear-Implant Device and to Dr. Graeme Milbourne Clark - the first person to develop the multi- channel cochlear implant.


A NOTE TO THE PARENT'S PLANNING FOR C.I. -
Few years back, nothing could be done for the Ears. 
If ever you get doubt about your child's hearing, don't hesitate to check your child for a simple B.E.R.A.test from a proper city or a government hospital. 
If the result is 'Profound to Severe loss', you can try  Hearing Aids for at-least two months rigorously or else go for the Cochlear Implant as soon as possible.
Please don't wait. The age of the child is much important. Lesser the age, more the development. 
Raise your baby calmly and happily. 

My son has received his Magical Ears now. He is now being trained by a speech therapist who takes his AVT classes i.e. Auditory Verbal Therapy. Slowly he will cover up the language gap.
I am ending my blog with a positive quote that I can relate to with my life.

Do your duty, come what may!

EVOLVE AND LIBERATE

                

Being Human in this world, Gosh! One of the biggest task given by the God. Sometimes I think we are walking on a very thin rope and time bombs are fitted on the ground. One wrong turn and we are OUT.

Going through the life day-by-day, learning new lessons and contemplating and experiencing it, this is the only practical wisdom gained by personal knowledge or action.

Life today, as it’s changing with the growing demands of modern day, is making people more envious of each other causing hatred and violence. Its difficult for a human, who only relies on honesty is forsaken by others. Having relied on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita, an honest person is unable to understand the ills of the society that believes in falsity and snatching the happiness of others.

I have many times pondered upon the state of universe, how we all are a tiny part in this cosmic beauty. The planets, Earth, land, countries, states, people; we all are so tiny and far away.

I have always thought about being on the Moon. Through internet, checking out the splendid pictures of the moon from the earth, I have always wondered how beautiful it would be to see the blue earth from the moon. This small, blue and beautiful earth on the internet and watching moon everyday fascinates me. And sometimes I imagine being on the moon. It makes me think of the growing population and demands of the people living on the Globe.

Dreaming of walking on the moon makes me at peace. Thinking about it makes a soothing moment. For a moment it takes me away from the noise of the earth, where people knows the language of capturing (lands, properties), snatching and killing.

“When you’re finally up at the moon looking back on earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you’re going to get a concept that may be this really is one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people.” - Frank Borman, Apollo 8, December, 1968

Off course, this doesn't only go in for countries but with the homes too. One is not able to understand the intentions of the people sometimes. Intentions are not just the words put in through messages written or spoken; but the person’s deed behind a particular thing.

Other thing is, Formality. Generally seen as a person’s personal motive behind it. These types of people don’t go by emotions rather than just expressing their not-so required formalities. So many things need not be taught, but things and views/ideas that come naturally or are acquired. Formality defines a casual nature of the being.

Well, time changes but people remain same.

I guess Manipulations has become a synonym with bad intentions. People manipulate victories. There will always be the battle between good and evil, courage and cowardice. It’s the weak people who try to show the world that they are strong, superior and good by heart, but their deeds (a secret from the world) will come out soon. In short, these people are losers.

They will talk sweet, please everyone around them will try to help others, basically jump into a situation without being called for and giving unwanted advises. These fake lads life is itself a LIE.

There are people who try to impress others. That’s their sole purpose in life. The main reason is that they lie to gain attention, to impress, to feel important and superior, and make others feel inferior. Some have done it for so long, that it just comes naturally to them, it becomes a compulsion.

Sometimes people lie, just to go along with others, because they fear conflict and want to solve their motive first. Some do it to boast, so they will be accepted by others, to appear more liked and admirable. They feed upon their own pride. These people will never accept TRUTH and criticism.

One of the major sins, according to Garuda Purana, is lying. People lie so plainly that the other person will not be able to notice it. These liars become an expert in the job. These hypocrites put on the fake appearance and even disrespect people who are pure and wise.

American psychiatrist M.Scott Peck describes an evil person who is consistently self-deceiving, with the intent of avoiding guilt and maintain a self-image of perfection. Psychologically projects his/her sins onto very specific targets, scapegoating those targets while treating everyone else normally. These people maintain a high level of respectability & lie incessantly and have a covert intolerance to criticism.
 

Think about it - The crocodiles, fishes and others, which from birth to death, dwell in the water of Ganga- do they become pure?

It will be hard if these people do not change themselves for good.

I feel pity for these people. Being a rebel in front of them does take time and patience. These people are hungry for everything be it respect, love or material possessions. They can easily steal away the things ‘deserved’ by others.

As truly been defined in the book ‘Manuscript found in Accra’ by Paulo Coelho; these people are like the pack of hyenas. They eat the leavings of a lion but don’t have the courage to fight with him. These enemies are the cowards who are put up there to test our weakness & not the courage.

These people generally works in group and by hook or crook including trickery and also black magick, and try to show themselves happy and grateful. I sympathize with these people, their parents and their environment that teaches them to be victorious by, literally, climbing ‘on’ people.

Their same behaviour/attitude, their mistakes will be repeated for generations to come and will be strongly condemned by he society one day.

Fooling people through trickery and plotting will have its repercussions. It seems that these people have a paroxysm of worry if they don’t fulfill their way of showing somebody down.

I don’t understand why people forget that their misdeeds done today may have its effects on their children in future. If they are powerful today, they should remember that Time is more powerful. And, today is not forever.

Cause & Effect through KARMA plays its role someday. God never, ever abandons those whose motive is pure. These true beings are only abandoned by greedy society.

Tables are turned on and there is BANG!!!

And the losers are swept away and there they go vanished. BOOM!!!

Can’t everyone live with purity in their hearts? Why do you need to conflict? Why are you not content with what you have? With hard work, patience, determination and time anybody can possess anything in its pure form.

Grace, good fortunes and blessings never goes in vain for the brave and honest person. He/she may be condemned today cause of her honesty and courageous nature but time will be her success result. As said truly “courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it”.

Everything happening in the world is part of the divine plan to restore Dharma and order upon earth. For a second, God does give us clue to choose between right and wrong. To remain on right side of the thing and not being tempted into evil ways. Being ignorant & egoistic, God drowns these wicked people through their self made selfish actions. These people use the name of God only with a selfish purpose without ever acknowledging it. These people take credit for the work done by others and rarely appreciate the things taught to them by others, therefore showing no gratitude and humility.

In the end, it’s the victory towards attaining Wisdom and Liberation, then to be a poser and attaining petty things. These people never EVOLVE. These posers exhibit themselves naked in heart and mind in front of God.

Beautifully defined by Devdutt Pattanaik in the book - Sita(Retelling of the Ramayana)

'Fear is a constant, and Faith is a choice. Fear comes from Karma, from faith arises dharma. Fear creates Kaikeyis and Ravanas, streets full of gossip, families with rigid rules and fragile reputations. They will always be there. Faith creates a Sita and a Ram. They will come into being only if we have faith that the mind can EXPAND until we donot abandon the world even when the world abandon us. '

What makes you H U M A N ??

Understanding a human being in today’s time is difficult. TRUST which is considered to be the biggest bridge in connecting individuals is shattering down.
This heavy word ‘Trust’ these days could be related with familial relations, friendship bonds, relatives, neighbours, to even government responsibilities, our maids/cleaners to even with a fruit/veg seller.

Trust breaks when the government we elect have no dedication towards the nation.

Trust breaks when people misunderstanding something, cause hatred and revenge, rather than talk with each other.

Trust breaks when the police show indifferent and unruly behavior

Trust breaks when our cricketers or any sportsperson plays for his/her vested interest

Trust breaks when a teacher shows partiality

Trust breaks when a doctor treats themselves as businessman and their patients as clients

It breaks when an educational institution charges extra fees minus the signatory receipt for proof.

It breaks when in a school competition, only one team leads the school and other students are not given a chance to learn to play minus the ‘competition’.

                                          ---------------------------------------------------------------

But one thing is for sure that Life really teaches us to grow in the form of experience(s), which makes us wiser, down -to -earth and which definitely makes the way for reaching enlightenment.

Human behaviour has become so rude, intolerant and selfish. 

I have seen people who can go to any limits to get the other person down

I have seen friends who feel proud in backstabbing others, and the surprising thing is that, they never reflect upon their behaviour, never ever and thinks their behaviour is correct. 

Then there are losers and cowards who never come in front to help their friends in need or at the time of action. These people have the power to talk, and talk , only talk, but there ‘Words’ show how feeble-minded these person can be.

And I am really FORGIVING you all people who made me hurt at some point in life. I am not the Judge of your ‘Karmas’. They belong to you. Thanks for inscribing few lessons that have taught me the value of celebrating Life much more:)


Then there are people who talk of women empowerment. But when the time comes, they are the ones who back them away, like for example –
 (I came across this following thing in my FB, posted by one of my friend)

You stay silent when your friend takes dowry from his wife's family,

You stay silent when your classmates sits at a nukkad whistling 'maal' at passing women saying it is innocent fun, 

You stay silent when a million women every year in this nation are murdered before birth 

You stayed silent when your boss hit upon a female colleague and you told her to grin and bear it because it happens everywhere,

You did not protest the lower pay that your female colleagues got just because of their sex,

You stayed silent when in a family discussion a woman’s voice was silenced by the cacophony of male voices,

You force a woman to wear burqa, 

You stay silent when females in a party are sent away to discuss 'childish' things even as you discuss 'important' things like politics and all in their absence,

You objected loudly when your girlfriend, wife wanted to put her life and career ahead of yours saying yours was more important.

And now suddenly you have become a man because ONE woman was brutally beaten and raped while you conveniently forget the hundreds of women.

Thanks to the serpent of your awakened manhood, that woman in Delhi will perhaps get justice. But what about the millions of other women in the country of different religion, region and sect united by their shared injustice who will perhaps never get justice precisely for the same reason - your manhood?


It’s been rightly said that family is your first ‘School’ and parents as the first teacher. When the foundation is strong with Values, nobody can ever, can ever touch your base. A child when interacts with the society, he/she find so many things that shake their mind, their mentality, behaviour, and their actions.

These above things also make an impact if the country’s governance is weak or strong, its laws are for the people or just a mockery of affairs just as the term ‘Entertainment ‘ nowadays defines itself,  even sometimes to fool people around.

The recent gang rape of a girl in Delhi bus makes our judiciary a mockery in itself. The persons involved in such brutal act have shown the world their low class mentality and their actions have turned them into demons. The way they escaped shows how coward they are. Later when arrested, they confessed that they had committed a heinous crime.

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People are - 
Escaping away from responsibilities
Breaking trust
Showing indecency
Using foul language
… and are spreading anger, hatred, cruelty and intolerance at every level. One cannot break the souls of pure -beings. The momentum can be just temporary but in the end it will break You down. 
Show compassion towards others and yourself in terms of thinking and behaving both. 


It should be only the Human Mind that needs to be in Control. That is the need of the world. When your mind is in control, your heart sings. Do good deeds, love everyone, take responsibilities, change bad attitude, and then only your true personality will come out. 
Be yourself, do not fake what you are not, behave properly, and never try to judge others. HAVE FAITH in the One who has created you as a human being. Be thankful of possessing a human body where you are able to use the mind to attain higher forms of knowledge. That is the true way to be coming OUT OF THE SHELL.

God has made our brains on the top floor of our body. So stop fooling others around you and yourself. Be the beautiful soul of God and then you’ll learn to capture the messages and miracles. This will be your test result.

                                                    BE HUMAN not INHUMAN


|| yada yada hi dharmasya
  glanir bhavati bharata
  abhyutthanam adharmasya
  tadatmanam srjamy aham ||

Meaning: wherever there is decline of righteousness, O Bharata, and a rise of unrighteousness, at that time I take birth in the World.


P.S. – Try to remember Draupadi’s episode in ‘Mahabharata’ 

AN INCIDENT AT THE WAGAH BORDER

Living in India seems hopeless sometimes. With the number of powerful people ruling us with no sense of responsibility for its citizens, no rules amended in its proper place, we the ‘common’, helpless citizens of India face the unwanted mindless torture.

I am writing this for an unknown person with whom I don’t have any relation but a relation of humanity. All this happened on September 10, 2011 around 5pm at the Wagah Border, Amritsar. 

First of all, there were No rules written on the board for women and men to follow queues. Secondly, in respect to the number of seats for the audience at the Wagah stadium for Retreat Ceremony more and more people were pouring in. Third, the security was worthless who didn’t know how to handle a crowd properly. They were the main culprits behind all such acts and thus am writing this blog in the form of a complaint.

When the large crowds begin to reach the stadia, which is few meters away, where the popular patriotic songs are played and the war heroes are remembered who laid down their lives for the country, here one BSF personnel beat a man. His only mistake was that he unknowingly stood with his wife and two years old daughter in the ladies queue. And that BSF guy beat him to death.  He was nearly choking. His chest was bruised badly. He and his wife were crying. I and my mother saw it and helped the couple. Later, watching all this, that same uniformed man came to check whether the man is dead or alive.I mean after doing this he is coming up to see him as if he doesn’t know how strong his hands can be for a civilian. He could have shouted, warned him but beating so badly, losing out his cool was unacceptable.  I can understand that managing and dealing with a crowd can be really difficult. But the purpose for which these men in uniform are guarded and the behavior one demonstrated was highly insane. 

…and after waiting for an hour in the ladies line, another thing happened. A group of foreigners came to visit the Wagah, and in a few minutes I saw those ladies with us joined the men’s queue with their people just because they were Foreigners.

Now look at the situation here. When an Indian goes abroad, there is a strict ‘Rule’ for everybody and here we Indians in our own country are treated poorly. Just because of NO RULES in order, all such things happen. Now why didn’t the men in uniform pull out them? 

I even complained the above hitting and beating incident to another BSF soldier but he said - being in a small position he couldn’t do anything. He also went on saying that these are the works of ministers, who have to be strict on it. 

But NO, this thing is impossible in India. 

So, does that mean they are carrying out the frustration on ordinary people, who are visiting the border for the first time with there families to salute and enjoy the historical past of their countrymen.

The worst thing could have happened that day was a ‘stampede’. I, in my last visit to the border, haven’t seen such a big crowd. Being a weekend, the Authorities should have managed. But alas, Rules don’t go with them. And this was the same week when ANNA HAZARE ended his fast.

Till 5pm the BSF soldiers gathers crowd when its time to enter the stadia. Why doesn’t people go and be seated on the first come first basis with there families. Families should go together and should pass the security checks too but here they have to be separated in such unruly crowd. We even arrived before time and still we didn’t get to see the Retreat.

That day the crowd rushed ferociously to capture the seats and later they were made to stand in the queues feeble-mindedly and then the security checks begin.  After that, people again were formed into a crowd where they again rushed for the seat. Till then the seats got filled up, the ceremony started and the rest of the people – kids, couples or families, who were unable to find a standing space went back hearing only the songs without watching the ceremony.  Can you imagine the rate at which some men touch the girls in the crowd? Can’t this be all managed? 

We were all lost and later united with our family. The whole Wagah trip got ruined.  While coming back I forgot about the unseen ceremony and prayed God for that man to recover fast. I still get to see the helpless images of crying couple and their 1 may be 2 yrs old daughter.

 Either the stadia at the border should be increased or the crowd should be managed properly. There should be entry ticket with minimum people’s entry (as per the seats available and free-standing position) without hurting people and Indian sentiments.

My pet - Jasper

My dog has been so protective of me

It’s been 4 years since Jasper came to us when he was a 4months old cute lil puppy.

This is his 4th birthday and this time I am not there to celebrate his birthday with my family together. I was remembering my days with my canine. Experiencing life with a pet at your home is a kind of adventure in itself. We get to know about an animal’s existence, their habits, and their moods just like a human being but in a different avatar. Pets really make life happy and one thing is true that a pet takes all the negativity from its owners and changes their moods making them more cheerful.

I was remembering that my dog has been so protective of me.

There have been several incidents where Jasper has protected me or tried to watch over me.

Jasper usually sits at the back door (ground floor) of the house facing the backyard.On the left there is a narrow lane for the commuter which is less crowded in the evening.

One such incident was when I went to meet my Jasper at dusk and I was playing with him sitting on a porch not knowing that few rowdy boys(must be 20+) were passing by and without waiting a second  Jasper came and sat on my FEET immediately. Then only I came to know what had happened. That was one such day which I can never forget. Animals have such innocent eyes, cozy fur and endless love in them.

Other time he generally barked at the commuters when I was around him without any of my brothers company or mamma’s either.

I remember taking food to Jasper during daytime.When I was done with putting food in his bowl and playing with him and then moving out and locking the door, till then he continuously watched over me that had I moved out safely. And when I got away from his eyes he then starts to have his food. 

And whenever mumma accompanied me, he never took task of looking at me or playing with me as for that time he only wants his food. 

Doggie Kiss ;)

After my studies got over, my waking habits totally changed. Daily I used to get up late and mom-dad got irritated by this. One day, mumma and my brother decided to bring Jasper in my room while I was sleeping. He in turn started waking me up by licking my feet and licked my forehead too and I got up instantly and there mum and my brother standing at the door were watching and laughing.

Don’t leave them alone

This is also very true that we all have our work, our entertainment, and our friends. But a dog has only us.

Even if he doesn’t understand our words, he understands our voice. He too wants from us is our time and company as no one in this world can live alone.

I always pray to mata rani for jasper’s safety. And share prasad with him so that he in turn get god’s blessing. 

He is Family :)

Owning pets/plants makes me happy 

Owning a pet is easy but taking full care of it is difficult. My mother is the one who takes full care of Jasper.

A pet can teach us to treat all of God’s creatures with kindness and respect. 

Nowadays people own pets as a part of ‘beautification’. 

I have seen people who come into this category, treats them poorly as in beat them and return them or leave them. This is so inhumane. These people who do this are the ones who turn a blind eye to human suffering too. I can bet it.

Owning a pet makes us closer to humanity as well. And loving them can be a spiritual way to meet God in a different platform. Sai Baba always saw love in animals and birds. Animals are more loving, soulful and less intellectual and that must be the reason why they have such a strong intuitive power.

 One last thing 

I often wonder ….

Do dogs know who their dad is or does a father know that it is his puppy??

I have often cried imagining such things as how can a living being could live without their parents but the below article has given me a relief.

I searched and found this article – 

“A basic principle of evolution is that the fundamental driving force for any species is to reproduce — thereby nurturing its DNA. Individually this means that a species will protect its close family members or others with similar DNA before aligning with strangers. You will protect your child before your sister, your sister before your cousin, your cousin before your friend, etc., because the closer the familial relation, the more of your DNA that person will share. Thus, by protecting him or her, you are protecting your own imprint on the world.

So it stands to reason that nature will set things up so it is easy for us to recognize who is close family and who is a distant cousin, whether by smell, sight or some other deeply subconscious method. Is it impossible that other species have the same ability? Why would nature set us up with a clear objective while limiting our ability to carry it out?

The answer is, it wouldn’t. According to the ‘Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training’ by Steven R. Lindsay, dogs are capable of recognizing their mother, siblings and possibly breeder if they are exposed to them during the crucial period between 2 and 16 weeks, reaching the highest point at 8 weeks. This makes sense not just for kin selection (the fancy term for favoring your closest relatives first) but also to keep the species from inbreeding.

What remains, then, is the question; do dogs feel any sort of longing for their family? Is longing a human emotion or does my dog’s mother long for her lost puppy? There are certainly many documented cases of animals grieving the death of their young. Is losing a puppy to a breeder or a rescue organization cause for the same grief?

Animals have secret lives that we as humans do not know about. I know my cats think and know things that I will never be privy to. While it’s easier for me to read my dog, Lulu also has her own thoughts and feelings that will always be just hers. I would like to think that her mother is happily living with a family somewhere, quietly enjoying what must be her old age. For now, it will remain a mystery as to whether or dogs think of one another or long to know how the other is faring.”

A lesson learnt 

“My hope is that animals will bring us back to our spirituality and soulfulness ¬to help us remember God loves us just the way we are. That's something I've truly learned from the animals. They never stand in front of a mirror discussing their appearance or asking to be shampooed. They just know who they are. We'd be concerned about how we look and what people will think. There's a reason we feel down on a bad hair day. It leads to depression and emotional difficulties. It's not just a statement. It literally means something. Animals don't have bad hair days. They don't identify and I think the process connects us with us our spiritual growth, with the idea that there's more than just this external appearance.”  - Bernie Siegel, American writer and retired pediatric surgeon.

Love you Jaspu

May u have god’s blessings in every life 

[Meaning of the word JASPER - "bringer of treasure", Jasper is one of the three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Jesus according to medieval tradition. It’s also a semi-precious stone].

Love can do miracles - please never abandon your loved ones.

In order to renovate the house, someone in Japan tearsopen the wall.Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls.

When tearing down the walls, he found that there was alizard stuck there because a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet. He sees this, feels pity, & at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail, it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built.

What happened?

The lizard has survived in such position for 10 years!In a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving, it is impossible & mind boggling.
Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years without movinga single step--since its foot was nailed!
So he stopped his work & observed the lizard, what ithas been doing,& what & how it has been eating. Later, not knowing from where itcame, appears another lizard, with food in its mouth.

Ahh! He was stunned & touched deeply. For the lizard that was stuck by nail, another lizard has been feeding it for the past10 years...
Such love, such a beautiful love! Such love happenedeven with thistiny creature ... What can love do? It can do wonders!Love can domiracles! Imagine? it has been doing that untiringlyfor 10 longyears, without giving up hope on its partner.
Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with a brilliant mind can't.
I was touched when I read this story & started wondering about relationships between family members, friends, lovers,brothers,sisters.
As information & communication technology advances,our access to information becomes faster & faster. But the distance between humanbeings . . . is it getting closer as well?I ask you...please never abandon your loved ones.

"When you look for the GOOD in others, you discoverthe BEST in yourself..."

.......PATIENCE in PRAYER........

When the idea is not right, God says, "NO".
No - when the idea is not the best.
No - when the idea is absolutely wrong.
No - when though it may help you,It would create problems for someone else.

When the time is not right, God says, "SLOW".
What a catastrophe it would be if God answeredevery prayer at the snap of your fingers.
Do you know what would happen?God would become your servant, not your master.
Suddenly God would be working for youinstead of you working for God.

When you are not right, God says,"GROW".
The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.
The cautious person must grow in courage.
The timid person must grow in confidence,
The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.
The critical person must grow in tolerance.The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.
The pleasure-seeking person must grow incompassion for suffering people.

When everything is all right, God says,"GO".
Then miracles happen:
A hopeless alcoholic is set free.
A drug addict finds release.
A doubter becomes a child in his belief.
Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and healing begins.
The door to your dream suddenly swings openand there stands God saying, "GO!".

Remember:God's delays are not God's denials.God's timing is perfect.Patience is what we need in prayer.

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa...

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. "All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm." The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me... I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God" she prayed, "Send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, "And while you are about it, would you please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know you really love her?"As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.. could it really be?.. grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon." Let's continue praying for one another: Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask you to give them understanding, guidance, and strength as they learn submission to your leading. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask you to renew them by revealing your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with you. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life... Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you to do these things in Jesus' name.
"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet."