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Different Frames!

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Srama, Apr 28, 2020.

  1. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    The weather is quite pleasant, and we let the dog out and he is of course being spoilt with all the walks. He hears the word walk and gets ready no matter the time of the day. The little rascal has figured out we are all home, all the time and is not getting much car rides anymore. So, walks it is! On the days we let him out, he is having so much of fun that he refuses to come back in – like today! Family tries everything - talking with him, tempting him with treats, even yelling at him, closing the door etc. He has decided that the front yard is the place he is going to stay put. Afterall he is getting his way with the walks. Maybe has found the joy of socializing, being outdoors along with neighboring dogs, squirrels, bunnies, birds, not to speak of the sun and the gentle breeze! Finally, I come out, open the door completely and ask him to come in. You should see his face when I talk to him - he is of course assessing my mood, has a vocabulary of about 70 words, not kidding at all, evaluates my tone and decides to sit there stubbornly. Little does he realize I am the mommy. I open the door wider and standing right there at the door, ring the doorbell! He hears the bell and comes dashing into the house, acting on his reflexes, looking to see who has come home, confusing himself, making us all laugh.

    After seeing him get all excited, looking at our excited faces jumping up and down to get more of our attention, we decide the least we can do is go out for a spin in the car taking him along of course! We end up at a nursery, buy some plants and on our drive back, see a couple with a huge sign in their yard hand written and plopped there “You honk, we drink” – I honk, I get a cheers with mugs raised and they take a sip from their huge beer mug, making us go “really” but definitely making us happy and smile. It feels like we have helped someone, somehow and that couple feeling the same I imagine, that they got us smiling as we honked! The phone dings perhaps with a message.

    We all know the story, you know the story of how we are constantly watched by the digital media giving a whole new (eerie) meaning to that old quote “What you seek is seeking you”. My phone no less smart than other smart and smarter phones, also operates the same way. I oscillate like everyone else perhaps with frustration feeling “WTH?” or go “Oh well, so?” always thinking of the poem “The road not taken” hoping that that has made all the difference with either of the choices, hoping that the one I have taken is the less traveled one at that moment anyways. Believing that "When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge" - as said by Tuli Kupferberg. It has always consoled me.

    Anyways, the reason I started writing is to make a point and I will get there, eventually by taking the road less traveled, hopefully! So thanks to my smart phone, I had chanced upon or so ‘I think’, an article about how all of us cope/can cope with stressful situations by either framing them in a ‘comedic frame’, ‘story telling frame’ or a ‘stoic frame’. A nice conversation with kids while driving had me nodding that we do not fit into ‘a frame’ all the time. Different situations make us choose different frames to process but process we must and to process we must learn to be an observer, an observer of ourselves and our surroundings.

    As hard as it sounds, I know for me personally, yoga teaches me to be an observer. Often in my practice I realize that when my mind wanders, my pose wanders too – unbalancing me. As I practice yoga with my students, thanks to the same social media, I tell them how much I love Vrikshana and tadasana. As we stand firm rooted in one leg, bringing movement to the rest of the body, I tell them that all that movement is only to bring steadiness to the rooted leg. Everything that is happening to us and around us as movement should only be bringing steadiness to us and that happens slowly as we continue to observe ourselves and our reactions, framing away our experiences. We must all like in that mountain pose tadasana standing always in the center of a circle, should be reaching out to the various and infinite points at the circumference to receive what we must only to come back to the center – focusing on those tapatrayas of the self, bringing growth to the self, framing away those little and big experiences, expanding that circle, not reacting continuously and constantly to the stimulus so that we may contribute effectively to the immediate world around us, and then going beyond widening the circle of our influence.
     
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  2. girvani

    girvani Platinum IL'ite

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    Dearest Sabitha,

    I do not know how to express but somehow your post of this is soothing me. You have put me in peace with this writing. My both sons test me at times to see how much they can go before I lose, just like your dog and I am smiling the thought of it.

    Somehow I am being serene about this situation. We are both in the oil industry and our jobs are at huge risk. My husband is going through a hard time processing this but I am being calm. I do not know, why? Perhaps, it is high time for me to take a path that is less traveled? Am I getting a signal through you? We shall see what brings to our life!
    Love
    Vani
     
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  3. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Vani,

    I am glad to hear that my post was soothing to you - I feel humbled. All of us are in the same storm and even if everything looks normal outwardly, we are all going through tough times on a daily basis at random points. Yesterday, stopping at a shop to pick some much needed tomatoes, I felt a sense of fear as I looked at them - they were very few, looked like they were just brought out from the freezer - basically everything pointed to a shortage and a question of what if came to mind. I had to put it away in one of the frames and move on. Perhaps learning to do that may be the road less traveled. This too shall pass.

    I am glad to hear that you are staying serene. I try different methods every day to find that serenity and hang to that one method for that day and do what works the next day. I have a friend who has a habit of saying "I can't say anything right now, I am taking one day at a time" when I ever I reach out to her for anything, you know getting together, going for a walk ...any small thing. Don't know how she is implementing that now but is sure coming handy for me. It is good for one of the spouses to be calm while the other is agitated....you are doing it right and I don't have to tell you.

    And my dear friend, your words have brought that much needed smile today to me first thing in the morning! Thank you.
     
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  4. Agatha83

    Agatha83 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear @Srama,

    From your pet dog to yoga you have definitely taken a road less travelled, to put things in the right perspective, through your wonderful writing. It’s like in Ragamalika in Carnatic music, where singers in their RTP seamlessly move from one raga to another.
    What we need most during the present crisis is the strength of mind and staying calm amid all the chaos. With patience and will power we can get through any difficult situation. Thanks for a nice, heart warming write up.

    Agatha83
     
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  5. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Sabitha,
    Present situation is full of mixed feelings. As you mentioned "frames"..... mind at different times is in different frames. At times ....this too would pass , a sort of nervousness at the back of mind though routine goes on. We are scared of unknown....this situation is such.
    One thing is sure.... like your pet I too crave for my freedom of pre corona days. Or would it be our new way of living for a looong time!!!! Never imagined life in this new frame. Nervous of touching anything....immediate thought "what if!!!!" as you felt while buying tomatoes.
    Door knobs, elevator, switches, masks becoming a way of life!!!!!
    But another frame.....this too shall pass....that gives solace . Hope is eternal.
    Syamala
     
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  6. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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  7. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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    Coping up with uncertainties,finding peace with oneself and the environment are new skills we are acquiring with the Corona Lock down.This has also helped me to understand the agony of those who are bedridden for a long time due to fracture/health reasons.I count my blessings.Every time I need something my grand daughter offers help but I refuse because I get an opportunity to move.I ask her for a topic and I research hard for a couple of hours to get her approval. But for missing my gossip session with my friends I am decently occupied.There are also creative games one can play like-give me the possible uses of an old news paper/what will happen if you have two more eyes in the back of your head.The list is endless and children will beat us in these games. SLN
     
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  8. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Agatha,

    You spoil me! I am not sure if I deserve that appreciation, but I will take it. Thank you! In yoga, we call it as vinyasa - the strand that keeps the pearls strung :)
    Strength of mind is what we need and I am sure all of us are looking at ways to cope. Thank you for your words.
     
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  9. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Syamala,

    Hope indeed is eternal. How else do we move forward?
    You are right about anxiety. What we had taken for granted now is so much on our minds. All of us are dealing with this - hopefully we will continue to build our immunties, become more mindful even as new viruses crop up. Human spirit! Thank you as always for your lovely feedback.
     
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  10. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear @sln sir,

    It is nice to hear that you are decently occupied :) What else do we need? Gossip can wait and once that begins I am sure there is enough notes to exchange between all of you - this difficult phase too shall come to pass! Glad you are keeping yourself busy and occupied. Way to go!
     
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