Do You Hear What I Hear?

As I step out for my morning walk, and if you are wondering, well my spinning instructor has taken a couple of weeks off and even though there is a substitute I was hesitant to go and as luck would have it, I found a reason not to go to the gym and so here I am taking that walk – how else do I burn off all those many “A moment on your lips forever on your hips” moments? Coming back to as I step out for my morning walk, despite the pitch darkness of the hour, I realize it feels like spring, instantly bringing a smile to my face reminding me of days to come ahead, after all the snow and cold for the next couple of months! For today, I am not complaining. I hear the birds chirp in the trees, and I know it is not seasonal yet it makes me happy. I continue walking admiring lights on the houses that are still lit up waiting to usher in the New Year! This Christmas has not been a white one but a bright one, what with sunshine and warmer temperatures.

As I enjoy the wafts of smoke from the wood burning in fireplaces, I smile thinking of the families getting together for the season. I think of my own little ones - back in the day when they were little were mortified that I would choose to light fireplace on Christmas eve – how will Santa get in? Fair enough! Now that they are grown up, not only is our fireplace lit but Santa gets baked cookies waiting for him when he comes down that chimney fire and all Kids can grow up yet keep the magic intact, if they choose to! If Santa is real, how does it matter whether the fireplace is lit or not – it is all magical, isn’t it? I am broken of my reverie when I hear a wind chime make a melodious noise in the soft breeze. I realize how preoccupied I was when I automatically reach for my phone thinking it was chiming – either reminding me of something for the day, or a call. Now, now don’t blame me – it is after all pitch dark and there is nothing around other than an occasional home with festival lights, or a rare bird chirping away at the joy of the season!

As I come to the house with a huge sign of cross on their door, and to be honest that sign is always on their door, no matter the season, I am reminded of another incident. Not long ago, I had set out to walk the dogs with my kids. My DH who needed a few more minutes catches up with us as I am talking with these neighbors with the cross and seeing just me and my DD with one of the dogs and without thinking, asks, “Where is God?” and I reply back without thinking again with a “Oh! he decided to take a different route” referring to my son who has taken the other dog only to realize that my neighbors’ mouths’ were wide open. They of course don’t know our inside joke that my DH often calls my DS teasingly God when he refers to him with me – mostly because of the love I have for him in my eyes . Of course, I smile sheepishly at the neighbors, not willing to share the inside joke even though I might have surprised or shocked a good Christian and all, and simply move on. They have of course remained good friends and I do love their very ‘christ’massy decorations.

As I continue to walk, I am glad to see that another one of my favorite houses for decorations has decided to leave the lights on. I don’t know what the obsession with deer and all, well okay I do know with Rudolph and other reindeer for the season, I sure am glad they are there widely and beautifully displayed, the deer I mean! The deer remind of a Sanskrit Shubhashitham which goes like this -

नभूतपूर्वंनकदापिवार्ता
हेम्नःकुरङ्गोनकदापिदृष्टः।
तथापितृष्णारघुनन्दनस्य
विनाशकालेविपरीतबुद्धिः॥

It has never happened before. It is not even heard about. A golden deer has never ever been seen. Even then, Rama desired it. For sure, when difficult times come mind sees what is not there.

This Shubhashitham reminds me to see what is there and to be grateful, asking me not to read into situations or people, to sleep on things before reacting, to let go and to move on! As I write this snippet, I am thinking of the Christmas song that has been playing on the radio for over a month now, “Do you hear what I hear?”. This year I have had the opportunity as the season approached, to see the beauty in the world, the joy in people, the warmth in relationships, the subtle joy and a subdued approach to the season, being thankful for all the good things happening. I hear clearly – to love and cherish what matters!

 

Dear @Amica
Thanky you for your response. Bird nest in december?? Makes me wonder too. Google keeps shwoing those photos - you know 4 years ago five years ago pistures and all I see snow back then....now I look to skies and wonder

I hope you are well and things are as routine as they can get. I have been wanting to write but one reason or the other refrained from it. I am glad I could post something, especially after reading your response. Happy New Year, my friend!

 

Dear Syamala,

You are right - I was just watching news mentioning third year of pandemic It is the same story every where Syamala. As much as people want to be cautious, this is taking forever and with vaccinations, we just have to be positive and hopeful. Did I ever tell you my favorite super hero is super girl? I love her idea of hope .... So!

You know your repsonse made me ponder and thank goodness Lord Rama saw a golden deer when it was not there - when he sees, it is for the betterment of the world. But us normal beings, we should only see what is to keep the world sane.

Do stay indoors and take care! Happy New Year Syamala. As always, thank you for your feedback.

 

Dear @Afresh,

of course! How and why will I forget you. This world wide web is amazing I tell you - bringing people like you into my life! I am ever so grateful. It is refreshing to read your enthusiatic response. Thank you!

Thank you my friend. The feeling is mutual.

This pandemic has affected all of us in different ways and all we can do is hope and wait with hope too. Like I mentioned earlier, it is funny (and my kids and newphews and nieces make fun of me) that I am such a big fan of super hero shows. If I binge watch these super hero shows repeatedly - I must be on my tenth or twelfth rerun of Super Girl and Flash. My DD got annoyed with me and put a code on netflix Now I am at her mercy

I am incredibly to have @Gauri03 as fellow enthusiast and a buddy in this journey. She comes up with these brilliant ideas and they come at the right time for me in my life. It has been fun doing these challenges - I look forward to them. Please do come join us easy or hard - it will be fun. As for that moment on lips quote, thank fullly I too have been blessed with good genes. I run these in my head to keep perspective and to not slack. That said, I have not been able to drop those dang last 10 pounds and have learnt to lovingly accept them. I always felt that I am not goal oriented but this goal has helped me get more disciplined and I realize I am such a stickler when it comes to discipline!

Yes ma'm! Will do. But please don't become a strager - your enthusisatic responses are a breath of fresh air and I could use it as much and as often as I can. We all need to spread this cheerfulness. It has been a pleasure to read your repsonse and wonderful to see you Afresh. Thank you for your repsonse.

 

Dear Afresh,

Thanks to your this another repsonse, I motivated myself to write a long post in 75 hard challenge on how and why it works for me The ‘75 Hard’ Challenge Thank you for bringing up that thread here. I am glad to hear that you do start monthly challenges. Trust me if I say I go through what you do on a regular basis and it is just picking myself back up - story of my life but I continue to do it

This pandemic brought in a perspective that many of us refused to see and hopefully everyone if finding an anchor in something they love doing - not just for livelihood but for theie everyday life. The past two years, I have been fortunate to offer support to some of my friends through yoga on zoom - I am not much of an adviser and that was the only way I could show support. Just seeing one another on zoom and doing something together has been immenlsy helpful to me also.

As always thank you for your words