MJ

Missed badly, the man and the destruction of the opportunity "To Be The Man". Immense talent wasted for nothing for 15 or more years.

We remember you MJ. Still trying hard to deal with "what You could have been" in spite of "what you were".

Patrick Swayze

Fondly remembered, on this Xmas the "Ghost" star.

The bond

No matter how far we go away for bread, the place of our birth remains close to our heart. The years just cannot take away that oneness of our being with the place where our parents and their parents lived.



Sweet, sweet Kochi.. our breath, our heart beat together.
Its air, its smell.. brought me back all those which I have forgotten for so many years, the moment I stepped on her ground again.
Perhaps, its unpardonable to look beyond her..even for bread.

Safe arent we??

Most of us fall apart, when troubles come in our life. Troubles and struggles relating to our bread, clothing and home. Even more troubled at heart are we when our relationship strains with our parents, spouse, children, at work etc..

Why so? Is it because we are not man enough for our troubles or our troubles are bigger than human capabilities?

Perhaps its all in our mind, may be there are no troubles in life which a man cannot deal with and win over. Perhaps it all depends on from where we draw our inner strength, from around us or from up above.

A picture for your contemplation with due respect and appreciation to the photographer who captured in this beautiful frame, how some among us in India risk their everything to commute, to live a day.. a day.

No tension, no worry, only a will to survive, to live.

Compared to that, our risks are perhaps nothing.

PS: I do not know the photographer nor do I have the permission to use this picture, this picture has been going around in the mail for a while, used here without profit motive.

Bungee jumping

My mother seeing my 'sad plight" these days often ask, "what do you have after working "away" all these years?"

Well, at first that adds coal to the fire of disappointment that is already burning in me. But then after a moment of reflection, I feel may be I do not have much to show off, still I do have something to think and smile about. More than working, infact I had enjoyed walking around the streets of Dubai on holidays.

Here is a glimpse from around the festival of 2008.





The Grand Dubai festival. There were so many things happening at so many place most of us missed a lot of things.

Here is a peek at the Bungee jumping. YES! they were here too, the sky breaking gypsies :) the bungee jumping crew with their towering crane and windbreaking tents.

Everyone who was 'light' enough to take the plunge into the abbra, jumped and felt the pang when the cruising belts from the crane reined the fall in, just above the water. Perhaps thats one single moment the AED250/- (the cost of the jump) spent was well worth it.

The rest of it is like hanging up there and saying wow! Dubai..upside down view from a blood shot eye...:) Some even think, if only their mama could see them hanging like that, at the mercy of the crew ::), with heart in mouth. Most of the jumpers were tourist visiting Dubai, though.

It was fun watching it..:) you may ask.. Did i Jump...:) No, not this time...:):)

Falling leaves

We do not have much of winter here, still as the season changed green leaves turned yellow and started falling down. November brings fresh green leaves and mango blooms.



It becomes a work to sweep up the fallen yellow leaves every morning, so much of them, almost all the green leaves which made the tree beautiful till yesterday..:)

Ambika Puram "Comprere" Feast

Fourty Years ago Govt acquired the land near Vembanat lake at Cochin to built the Shipyard there. Along with the land went the Varavukattu Church and the 220 families were relocated. Most of these families moved further away though the church was rebuilt as Ambikapuram Church next to the railyway line near the Ernakulam Railway Station.

The feast day on September 20 every year is actually the re-union day for all those 220 families. All the living from these families come for Mother's blessing on these two days.

It was indeed a special feeling to worship at the same place where our elders have kneed and bowed for years when they were alive.

Onam

Memories of a time, when love was in everyones heart and it showed in their deeds and words and glowed on their face, in their smile..

Everything was there for everyone..

A toast to those days and the Great King,

Be Happy Onam My friends.

The morning tea

St. Raphel's is across the river from where I stay. To cross the bridge we have to take the busy NH47 which pass by our small town. Few years ago, we used to enjoy this 20 minute walk. But that was before NH47 became so crowded. These days, we have to be really really careful not to become another martyr on our still building national infrastructure.

There is a one room cafe just outside St. Raphel's. Its run by an old man, I guess probably for more than thirty years now. I like his early morning tea and the fry snack he serve there. Cant help being disappointed on the days he choose not to open the cafe. Probably he is getting older and do not have much motivation, after all he lead a single life all these years. No children, no family. Off days are sadly becoming more frequent these days.

:)

ME

For a few days life,
How beautifully and nobly you are clothed,
How happy you look, you pinch me,
With the way you think.

Here I am, worried and in pain,
about the bread and home,
the clothes I would wear,
What others think of me..

You pinch me, pinch me right,
Make me learn, to live is..
to be happy the way we are..

Misery

4Autumn is over, yet the fool does no work; come the harvest, he searches and finds nothing.

Proverb 20:4


My situation and its helplessness stressed me out today. My faith is strong, but am not trying to break out of this shell of miserableness. My own fallen mind and its thoughts are burning the peace of my loved ones in the family. Something has to be done.

Spent a lot of time with Mary at Vallarpadam.

Lost

After I went down under the recession roll in Dubai, am still lost and without work. Awful I should say. The only consolation is the Vallarpadam church where I spent a lot of time these days. Do not have any where else to go.

http://www.vallarpadathamma.org/

Monsoon Fishing

The good news is the folks down the Kochi shore are happy. In the last few days they had some "awesome catch" which have helped them to face the rest of the monsoon without fear of loosing bread no matter how rough the sea gets.....:)

Monsoons

Monsoons, the real rain time in Kerala..those who live by shore are apprehensive, the winds and waves can literally take their breath away.

Landed, temporarily

Baptism

An old church baptism pond.

Candle

March 28, the Earth Hour. Almost every one in our neighborhood switched off their power and lit candles from 8.30pm as per the advice in the medias..:):):)

Not just the saving of power, candles reminded us of our life too.. to burn oneself and be light to the ones around us... especially in family and every where... without expecting anything...:)

Portugese stairs-Vallarpadam Church

Old Portugese windows in Cochin