Alzheimer's & Dementia Weekly: Lewy Who?

Alzheimer's & Dementia Weekly: Lewy Who?: DOWNLOADABLE BROCHURE: Lewy body dementia ( LBD ) is a complex, challenging and surprisingly common type of dementia. It is often misdiagn...

remembering papaji

14th august, a decade ago, i lost the person who inspired me the most in my life. Papaji or Pops as i would lovingly call him.

Seems like time either has just stopped or passed away so quickly. His words keep ringing every time i think about him. Specially when i drive my car, Papaji's words ring clearly. He is the one who insisted that i learn to drive. Beta, he would say, driving by yourself will make you independent and give you sense of responsibility. If you are independent, you will be confident he said. Today i feel very independent and confident. He was the one who taught me to drive. I was scared not of driving but Papaji. He was a perfectionist. So wanted me to drive just the way he insisted. Even today i feel  his slap on my hand on the steering wheel if i don't drive his way.

Luckily for me, i did not give up learning from him. Whether it was driving or long discussions on our morning walks, i enjoyed every bit of our time spent together. From him i learnt punctuality, humility, modesty and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Spending time in the hills during summer vacations, still is something i am addicted to, thanks to Pops.

He was a disciplinarian, maybe a strict parent, but i loved the way he made up with us kids after his anger had gone. Papaji cooked excellent mutton curry and made mango ice cream in the wooden ice cream maker. Remember waiting anxiously till all of us churned the ice cream mix and let it set. Was he teaching hard work or patience. I think both.

I dedicate my thoughts , remember him and thank him from the bottom of my heart.

My book

As far as I can remember, I always wanted to compile all the strategies that worked with my special children. Whenever a student came to me, somehow I could exactly discover what would work and what would'nt. AsI tried out these strategies, sucess flowed with ease.

These thoughts got stored in my brain and I started jotting them down, hoping one day to put them all in a book. Over the years they got reinforced and more established.

Success stories, kept happening and in the past two decades, the young adults whom I worked with as little kids have far surpassed my expectations. When I meet them now, my heart swells with pride to be with their success and hopes.

My mantra all along with these kids was "never ever give up"  It worked like magic, because all special kids need is someone to believe in them.Since they lose hope, someone reinforcing it for them, stills faith in that person as well as themselves.

People working with special kids need to have faith in themselves, firstly if they want to transfer it to the kids. They need to have goals, however small, remained focussed and move. Self motivation, goes a long way, so unless we motivate ourselves to play our role well, sucess will elude us.

The book, helps me to be motivated further, and hope it does to everyone who will read it.

victory of bad/good in your self

Today is dussehra....Lord Ram killed Ravan and became victorious. We need to put this concept into practise in our lives. Both good/bad, wicked/virtous exists inside ourselves. Our ego does not allow us to understand this, since its job is to decide and be judgemental. If we can recognise these traits in us and work to overcome negative tendencies, then victory is ours for ourselves. If we cannot do good to others, the least we can do is not harm them in thoughts, words and deeds. The battle within us can be fought if we intend to. Ram and Ravan are both inside us. We fail to recognise Ravan, but assume that we are Ram. When the truth is that the battle is ongoing withing us. We have to be alert at every moment to kill the Ravan within and let Ram express. HAPPY DUSSEHRA

TRIBUTE TO MY FATHER

Father's day is not far away. Papaji waited eagerly to get my greeting card, and I always sent him one for years. My search was always for a card which expressed my true feelings for him. How could I fit him in a card? This blog gives me a chance to experience him all over again. Papaji was a perfectionist, a very disciplined man, a go-getter. He made it big. "A rags to riches true story" I listened with awe as he narrated his struggles on our morning walks. I learnt so much in that one hour. No one can ever beat Papaji's sharp business sense. His meticulous accounting left me dumbstruck.

My imagination got kindled with Papaji's regular reading of the Ramayan from Dassera to Diwali. All us kids listened with rapt attention as he read with intonation and expression. Till date Hanuman carrying the huge tree to cure Rama still is so clear in my memories. It fascinated me to see him read urdu (from right to left).

How can I ever forget Papaji churning the icecream machine (those days we had a wooden pail with a center churner, which made yummy mango icrecream). All us kids waited patiently as Papaji made mango icecream every summer. Not to forget his meticulously planned summer vacations. Whether it was mussorie, shimla, nainital, darjeeling, bhutan, nepal, kashmir, we saw it all.

Papaji was a worrier. He worried for us kids and our lives. Made sure we got the best of everything.
He was a compassionate, loving, caring, person. So many people benifitted from his benevolence.

The one thing we kids dreaded was his short temper and stayed away when he was in foul moods.
Papaji loved to watch my annual days at school, and I remember his proud look as I received prizes on stage.

Today what I am and have achieved couldn't have been possible without your guidance and support, Papaji. Remember you always. 

tribute to my mom

Mother's day is round the corner, 8th may to be precise. Life goes back in a flashback. My mom, my mentor,  confidante, spritual guide all rolled in one. She is not for this world.Wonder how she survived 83 years of her life, in the midst of all kinds of humans. Her life earlier when she was mobile centered around helping the needy and poor. Pictures of my mom with thermos filled with hot tea for leapers down the road, everyday shows her understanding of life at a beautiful level.

I remember her waiting everyday in the afternoons, for us kids getting back for lunch. Hot tasty meals. She was my tutor helping me with my studies daily and encouraging me for outdoor activities. They say you can take that much from your parents, how much you deserve.I am so glad i deserved it all.

Her day was filled with worthwhile activities, listening to helpers and servants, giving them solace, trying to get them jobs through whatever little resurces she had. Now with poor sight and just about managing her daily routine, she is well cared for by that same divinity who needed her to take care of others.

Mom's sense of humor has become subtle. Its lovely to hear her subtle references to mundane activities.She remembers past experiences with great details, though forgetting what she had for her meals. Her laughter makes my day and I look forward to conversations with her on the phone. Faith in Baba has kept her spirits high always. I can see HIM taking care of his bhakta with so much love and attention.

Mom I owe every bit of my life to you and Papaji. Learnt so much, hopefully have used it in my life.
Thanks for being my mom.

on the dentist's chair

The dentist chair never scared me so much as it has been doing lately. What seemed like a simple procedure has led to an experience beyond words. Peering down my mouth with gloved hand and a mask on his face, he seems like a demon ready to kill his prey. The drilling that goes on makes me weep, and I swear to myself every time I am there, never to see his face again. But it is seeming endless now , and I hope and pray that I am a dentist in my next birth and I can take rvenge on him...haha