Love, Miracles & Leo.

A few months back, one of my neighbours brought home a very sick dog from Blue Cross. This dog was handed over to the Blue Cross from the police dept since he was suffering from a rare neurological disorder and instead of putting him down, the dept handed him over to Blue Cross for care during its last days.

My neighbour Mukund is a volunteer in Blue Cross and this dog soon became very attached to him. He was so sick that eating was a punishment and he refused to eat at his feed times. However every time Mukund came over for his volunteering, this dog made an effort to eat if Mukund fed him.

Soon, even Blue Cross was wondering whether  to put him down since he was getting weaker and weaker daily. Mukund was able to visit only twice a week amongst his other committments and the food this dog was intaking was not sufficient to keep him going.

Mukund then took a bold decision of asking Blue Cross to let him adopt this dog and keep him at home. Obviously Blue Cross was happy to let him go.

So that's when I first met with Leo, a 2 year old Labrador that was nothing but a sack of skin and bones. He walked in a very pained and laboured manner and showed no interest in anything around him. He was the sickest dog I had ever seen and I was pained to even look at him and wondered whether it would have been kinder to put him to sleep.

Mukund's father used to walk him regularly and I kept far away from them because I was feeling very bad to look at him suffer.

The weeks became months and I was witness to the gradual decline of this magnificent dog and saw him getting more and more shrunken and every step seemed a punishment for him. I asked uncle, what was the prognosis. Would he get better or would he just degenerate further? Uncle said that the doctor was not sure and they were wondering what would be kinder since he was throwing up whatever he was eating and he was passing a lot of blood.

But one day, I happened to see Leo holding a ball in his mouth and walking a little brisker than normal. I was so pleased to see him a little alive and asked uncle what happened. He said, now he's able to hold in the food that they were hand feeding him and he was showing some interest in his surroundings. I was witness to the gradual turn around in Leo's health and I didn't feel bad any more in approaching him and talking to uncle and Leo.

Today it's almost 6 months since Leo moved into our community and he is such a bubbly, healthy, playful, friendly, obedient 2.5 yr old Lab. His doctor has termed it a miracle. All of us who are privileged to being witness to him and this family would term it a miracle.

Whatever anyone else says, I've seen this miracle unfold in front of my eyes for the last 4 months. The unconditional love that this family showered on this canine. Uncle, Aunty, Mukund each treated him with kid gloves and abundant love. It shone through in all their actions for this doggy soul. And he responded and came back to give them joy today.

He's bounced back and beaten the deadly disease to pay back to this family with all that he can give.

He's now making friends with the other dogs in the complex and here he's seen with Jazz a pug.

And here he is with Mukund.

Uncle with Leo and Jazz

We have no clue to how powerful love can be. Unconditional love seems to conquer all barriers. Even death.

Thank God for allowing me to be witness to this miracle and thank all the souls who have contributed to this happy beginning :) 

Pain now or more pain later? That is the question.

Last weekend when I went for a run with my running group, I noticed a poster on the wall of the local gym that really intrigued me.
"We must all suffer one of two pains. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret."

This is the first time I came across these words and it has been playing in my mind ever since.
I want to make large posters of these and put them all over my house.
I want these words to remind me, whenever I feel lazy, when I procrastinate, when I make excuses to myself to put off stuff that I know I should be doing.
If I can just remember these words at all times, I ought to be able to fill my life with productive moments where I knock off all pending stuff and keep myself like a well-oiled machine that delivers results day in and day out.

I have a fair share of regrets in my kitty and yes I could have handled those situations better if I was a tad more disciplined than what I am now. If I'd handled the pain of discipline, my body would be in a better condition than what it is now. My finances would be much better than what it is now. Some of my relationships would also have been better off than what it is now. There are many areas of my life that would be looking so much better now, if I'd exerted a little discipline in the past.

At least from now on, I would like these words to be etched in my mind so that I choose the smaller pain of discipline now as against the huge pain of regret that I would have to bear later.

For me, running is a great way to build discipline and to build a culture of excellence. Every time I push myself further or harder, it helps strengthen my mind and my self discipline and it seems to works in other areas of my life too. Running is the best thing that has happened to me in the recent past and I'm glad that I have a lovely group to do it with.

Pick up an activity that works for you and through which you can learn to tame your mind and exert self-control and discipline over it. It's the most liberating feeling in the world when you are able to set yourself a goal and achieve it.

Embrace the short-term pain. It contains massive long term gains :)
Live. Love. Be happy

Happy New Year - 2015

A new dawn

A new day

A brand new year

Renewed hopes

Same me

Same old thoughts

Same actions

Same old habits

New results?

New successes?

Would it be possible?

To change my results

Need to change my thoughts

Change my actions

and change my habits

2015 is the year that I do it.

Just do it.

Showers of Blessings: 2014 Gratitude Series - #4

Yesterday 17th December 2014, I celebrated my 52nd birthday. Normally I never keep track of the years and my age. But today I'm a little nostalgic.
I remember the birthdays of my childhood. While in school, most of my birthdays will be during the 2nd term exams. Most years I wouldn't even remember it's my birthday because I'll be busy swotting for my exams and its only when my siblings or family members wish that I would know hey its my birthday. There were no mobile phones with reminders. Even a landline was a luxury then and not many people had one those days. No internet or facebook to send up reminders.
Life was slow paced, peaceful, happy, no sense of keeping up with the joneses, et al. It was ok if someone wished or someone didn't. It was no big deal.
I remember the first birthday that I felt emotional about, was the first one away from home. I was 21 and in Bangalore and was staying away from my family soon after college. And those days we used to receive a card by post (hand delivered by the mail man). I received a birthday card from my family in Chennai where all my sisters and brothers (3 sisters, 2 brothers) and parents had scribbled messages in one card. My sisters had scribbled some senti stuff about how they missed me and I knew then that I missed them and missed having them with me that day.
We've come a long way since then. I've had some wild birthday parties. Some very quiet and introspective ones and have been wished from 10,000 miles away by friends who remembered to call through scratchy telephone lines.
But yesterday was such a blessing where I remembered how far we have come. Over the years, I've made so many friends and connections through so many different circles that we operate in. School friends, College friends, Trekking friends, Zumba friends, Dancing friends, Work friends, Neighbour friends, Family friends, Social work friends, Vendor friends, Client friends, BNI friends, Round table friends, travel friends and even friends' friends,
So many people have touched my life and vice-versa and today we are able to stay connected in this wired and wireless world.  We get reminders of our friends' birthdays so we don't forget to send them a greeting and I hear that some  people even automate their birthday greetings so they never miss out on wishing their friends / contacts.
What ever the gadgets that reminds or automates, when I received so many greetings yesterday, I felt like I was receiving showers of blessings... The phone pings continuously, between work and travel I'm constantly reminded that it is my special day and so many people contributed yesterday to make me feel special, wanted and blessed.

My birthday started a few days before the day with email coming from an old friend from the US and a first facebook greeting from Mr Kumaravel. And then on the B-day Saravanan reminded my running group that it was my birthday and I was wished by all my running partners and in the process even a group of neighbours returning from a badminton game. So even before the day started I was already drenched in a shower of blessings and good wishes.
Then when I logged into FB I discovered that another friend and neighbour has put up a post in my residential community page and wished me and another neighbour friend Dhanya for our brithdays. We both share the same day. That started another avalanche of greetings from neighbours who knew us as well as those who didn't.
The day was exceptionally busy at work since I had a photo shoot in a client's company and I had to drive 2 hrs from my place to theirs. The phone kept pinging and blinking continuously and I was hard pressed to try and reply at every signal. It was a loosing battle and I decided that I will do it later in the day. As the day progressed the shoot took an hour longer than I expected and I ran late for my next meeting... So the unattended messages and calls just piled up and I just decided to take it as it comes rather than stress myself trying to respond immediately and individually.
The dilemma was, do I crib about it or rejoice in it and enjoy the attention? I managed to choose the latter 99.99% of the time :)
By the end of the day, after the work, after returning home and taking my wife out for the customary outing and visits, I took stock of the fact that over the years, I've managed to collect this motley group of people who are spread all around the globe and we connect a few times a year, over each others birthdays, and new year at least if not more times. We're so far apart and yet so connected.
So many people have influenced me, helped me, encouraged me, been helped and encouraged by me and we've shared so much.
One of the best gifts I got was from CB a friend of mine in Bangalore who shared one little characteristic of mine that means so much to him. It just drenched me with a shower of love and appreciation that I felt blessed to have such a good friend.
A little word, a positive thought, a kind gesture is all it takes to make someone's day.
Let's spread this little gestures of love and kindness to each other. Someone might just need it today to lift them from whatever little hole they are in.
Love you all for all your love and kindness. If I've not replied or responded individually to any one amongst you, please forgive me and I take this opportunity to thank you for having me in your thoughts and prayers.
Love you so much
Iggy
ps: the picture above was created by my BNI friend SPS Murrali who is now a good friend even outside BNI :)

Thanks to the Car Park attendant - 2014 Gratitude Series #3

Today I visited Nilgiris Adyar to pick up some stuff and there was no parking in the regular spots. The attendant outside the store, found me a place to park my car and I was able to go into the store to do my shopping.
Well there was nothing remarkable here about it for me to write about it is there? But wait. After my shopping, when I came out to get my car, there were several vehicles that were moving in and out that it made it difficult for me to take my car out.
This one chap was patiently assisting each vehicle to be taken out safely or to move in safely.
My turn came to move out and he cheerfully ran behind my vehicle to ensure that I moved out safely. Smile on his face. Full of energy, here was a chap who took his job seriously.
And he was not even getting paid by the people who he was assisting.
He stopped the oncoming traffic on the main road, ensured that I reversed my car safely and then took off to help the next person who needed his help.
Yes, he's getting a salary from the store owner.
But how many people we meet daily who are paid a salary but does their job in a surly or disinterested manner? We curse those who give us shoddy service. But don't stop to give a thought to these chaps who did their job cheerfully and enthusiastically.
We just mechanically accept their service and move on.
I stopped myself today to give him thanks. And mentally blessed him for helping me so cheerfully and for keeping everyone in a good mood by his energetic and positive manners.
Thank you nameless one... And God bless you!
I thank all those people out there who have helped me today, knowingly or unknowingly and wish that their life is blessed abundantly.

2014 Gratitude Series #2

Today I would like to thank Death.
Yes, death!


I lost someone dear a few days back and I realised yet again that life is short, uncertain and fleeting. What we have is the now. If we postpone something we want to do, we may not get a chance to do that something ever. I postponed meeting that lady, and when I wanted to do so, she was gone. Forever. Yes, I'll meet her in spirit. Yes, she's still around. But this life, as we know it, is a physical existence and the exact same sensations will not come again.

I'm grateful to Death for the following reasons:

1. Death reminds me that life is short and I must do the things I want to do immediately, rather than fill it with unimportant/inconsequential stuff. So it brings life itself into focus.
2. Death reminds me that I only have the now and I better choose well...
3. Death reminds me that I was born to die. And the interval is what I have and I must use it well
4. Death is a reminder that whoever we are, we all must die. He's the great leveller. We are all equal and one need not bow their head down to another since we are all mortal
5. Death reminds me that change is inevitable and welcome. What we know today will be gone tomorrow. And a new dawn will be born to die again. 
6. Death is the shadow that rides on my shoulder to give me the impetus to get up in the morning and live today fully - squeeze out every drop of the day because tomorrow, today will be dead.

Death is my friend and I'm grateful for his presence. He cleans up the world and gives us a new slate everyday to write out our destiny.

Go live today so you can die proudly when the time comes knowing fully well that you squeezed out every drop of every day to the fullest and never regretted any moment of your life. 

 Live well my eternal friend.

Hither and thither: 2014 Gratitude Series #1

Hither and thither: 2014 Gratitude Series #1: I'm starting my gratitude series for this year from today, my usual end of the year series. So here goes #1 Yesterday morning w...