12/13/08 Saturday: I reached Manila at 1400 hrs and had to rush for a meeting with Mike, COO of IPCCO in Eastwood, it was a nice and fruitful meeting and hopefully things will happen sooner than planned (will write about it once they happen). After the meeting i headed straight to the temple, and luckily after beating the Saturday evening traffic, i was in time for the Evening arti. It was a wonderful feeling to be back in the temple, the atmosphere and the aura were so welcoming. Their lordships were dressed in beautiful pink outfit and were showering blessing on everyone present. After the arit, i met with Sham and Mahendra prabhu's, it was like meeting old family members. I was a bit tired and decided to rest early, hence went home after dinner.
12/14/08 Sunday: I over slept and wokeup around 8am, after doing my puja i went to the temple to help with Sunday Love Feast. Ananda and Jayadeva were cooking and i started to help them as it was already 1030am, and we only had 1 hour to prepare the feast. With Mahendra prabhu's expertise and speed we managed to finish cooking right in time. We had around 60 guests, Sunday feast are always nice as one gets to meet and catch up so many devotees. Sunday is a day when everyone forgets their office or business tensions and spends joyful time with family and friends. After the feast I spend a pleasant evening with one of my closest and best friend in Manila ( :-X).
Sugar in the gourd and honey in the horn,
I never was so happy since the hour I was born.
I never was so happy since the hour I was born.
12/15/08 Monday: Today i woke up at 0330 am, and went to the temple for Mangla arti, since the time i started visiting ISKCON temples, Mangla arti has always had a special place. Greeting the lord at 0430 am is an such an intense experience, with dew filled cooling breeze and golden silence prevailing outside the temple and inside the temple, enchanting smell of incense clubbed along with echoing sounds of conch shell, kartals and kirtan. Radha Madhava were dressed in a sweet yellow colored dress and were looking fresh as a rain cloud. The morning class was given by my god brother Janardhan from Vrindavan, the main theme was how to perfect our chanting. After the morning breakfast i went to meet my boss Mohan (CEO IPVG), we met in his house and after the meeting we had lunch, Post lunch we had another meeting in our office. After the meeting i went to Megamall, and did some shopping (i miss these grand malls in Vietnam). Mumy, pappa, pinky, mansi and Jayesh had already called and blessed and wished me on my birthday, i had not informed anyone in the temple about my birthday. I was sitting in Starbucks and drinking hot chocolate, the birthday has rolled around and I was reflecting on the past year.
1> Spiritual Progress: Have been chanting the Nana stotras on daily basis, haven’t made any progress in increasing my rounds. Reading is off and on, not on regular basis. Over all my spiritual life is not blooming.
2> Professional progress: very good but to the detriment of my mental, physical, , spiritual and social health.
3> Physical health: fair, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, weight gain.
4> Mental health: I am not crazy yet, but I am often extremely stressed; short bursts of (circumstantial?) depression coz of being alone.
1> Spiritual Progress: Have been chanting the Nana stotras on daily basis, haven’t made any progress in increasing my rounds. Reading is off and on, not on regular basis. Over all my spiritual life is not blooming.
2> Professional progress: very good but to the detriment of my mental, physical, , spiritual and social health.
3> Physical health: fair, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, weight gain.
4> Mental health: I am not crazy yet, but I am often extremely stressed; short bursts of (circumstantial?) depression coz of being alone.
I was remembering the good old days when i used to celebrate or spend birthdays with family and friends and here i was all alone in a Coffee shop. Some how life has taught me alot of things and one of them is how to live alone, loneliness has become my buddy. Internally i was a bit grumpy.
I Want to Go Back in Time When…..
Decisions were made by going eeny-meeny-miney-mo.
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, do over!
Race issue meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in Monopoly.
Catching dragonflies could happily occupy an entire evening.
It wasn’t odd to have two or three best friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
It was unbelievable that hide n seek wasn’t an Olympic event.
Having a weapon in school, meant being caught with a slingshot made out of rubber bands,
Nobody was prettier than Mom.
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the big people rides at the amusement park.
No shopping trip was complete, unless a new toy was brought home.
The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate weapon. Ice cream was considered a basic food group.
I met up with Dana (my exboss from SITEL) we were meeting after 1.5 years and had a lot to talk. Around 1900 hrs i went home, fully tired and drained out and hence skipped evening shower, i packed my bags and got everything ready as my flight was at 2300hrs.
When i went to the temple I wasn’t prepared for what was about to happen...... There was an unusual festive atmosphere in the temple room, after offering my respects to Radha Madhava, i sat down and suddenly the devotees emerged from behind the curtain doors with a huge cake, that was gorgeously decorated. Everyone broke into singing the birthday song; they sang and chanted their hearts out. The mixed feelings of love, gratitude, care, warmth, family and oneness left me spell bound and i could hardly think or speak anything. This SURPRISE celebration touched the deepest cord of my heart. The devotees had prepared a nice feast, cake, spagati, rotis and sabzi. I never expected such a wonderful display of affection and kindness. We all chanted for 20-30 mins and then had sumptuous dinner prasadam. I hardly had words to thank the devotees for their affection and love, as time was running out, i thanked everyone and rushed for the air port. Throughout the 3 hr flight i was contemplating my good fortune for having such a wonderful and loving devotee family.
Before falling asleep, i wrote:
In gratitude and love, in joyful spirit and hope, I celebrated this day!"WooHoo!"
In gratitude and love, in joyful spirit and hope, I celebrated this day!"WooHoo!"
Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry.
Live simply, expect little, and give much.
Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine.
Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by.
Live simply, expect little, and give much.
Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine.
Forget self, think of others. Do as you would be done by.
Check out more pictures of my birthday celebration at:
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