Finest Post Nominations - April 2023

What a wonderful bhoni we had for the FP nominations this month!

One Step At A Time by @satchitananda

Our dearest Satchi reflects on the passage of time and the existential crisis that comes with it. We travel with Satchi as she recalls her travels. The vivid description and pictures make us feel like we are right there, in Ganesh gufa and Vyasa gufa and near the table tennis table. : )

Saare zamane pe, mausam suhane pe
Is dil diwane pe, virani si thi chayi
Aap aaye bahar aayi.
Source

So nice to see posts from you Satchi. It's been a long time!

Thank you Laks and Viswa for bringing this snippet to FP.

 

But our dearest Viji Jaan was not late to nominate Satchi's next snippet!

It is such an honor for me to be writing this post. Imagine... a snippet by Satchi nominated by Viji!!!

Shanghaiied by @satchitananda

It seems like the English language is going through a midlife crisis - all the words it used to know and love have been taken over by different meanings! It's like English is trying to stay young and hip, but it just ends up confusing everyone like an old Uncle who suddenly takes to jogging... huffing and puffing and inviting concerned looks from all. : )

The chicken now has a new reason to cross the road - to get away from all the words that have been hijacked. : )

The quandary we all face when choosing words has been neatly summarized by Satchi. I have this silly compulsion to use up fancy words like quandary before they get hijacked too. : )

 

Thank you Balajee for the nomination. And, thank you @Viswamitra, @Thyagarajan for seconding the nomination.

Tying Of Shoe Laces by @jayasala42

Such a lovely way of connecting the humble yet necessary shoe laces with things profound. Whenever I am challenged by an app on my phone, I recall how I used to find the shoelaces on my white "P.T." shoes so difficult to tie properly.

 

Snippet by @HariLakhera -
Change

I subscribe to a weekly newsletter that I read and usually forget prompty. But today's issue had this wisdom. I think it applies well to how we can deal with change.

"Water never complains, but always pushes back. Always.

Drop a boulder in front of a stream and the water will simply flow around it, taking whatever opening the landscape will give or—when nothing is offered—patiently building up its resources until it rises to a height where a new gap is found.

Flow like water. Never complain, but always push back."
- James Clear (the author of Atomic Habits)​

Starter post by @sweety127 -
A Major Vent

Situations like the one described by sweety127 in the nominated post do not come with too much warning. They happen suddenly. Often, shocked and unprepared parents are left scrambling on what is the best way to respond - how to support and guide the child, and how to deal with one's own anger, frustration and sometimes a feeling of helplessness. I am glad sweety127 started this thread as it benefits many parents who may be participating in read-only mode.

Thank you for the nominations, Viswa.

 

Response by @SGBV in How Can I Help Myself From Self Torture?

There are a few things that I have recurring nightmares about. One is a Biology board exam from 10th grade, a Chemistry test in junior college, and a few lab finals in engineering. Like a big blanket covering those nightmares is a more omnipresent one of what others are thinking about me. SGBV gave relatable and tangible examples from her professional life along with tips for conquering these fears. The suggestions include physically preparing the body and spiritually strengthening the mind.

I also learned to control stress by pressing some pressure points in my body, doing breathing exercise, and more importantly praying and staying positive.
That day, I told myself..... This is my work, and it is just a part of my life. If it didn't work, let it me. It is not the end of the world.
Even Jesus and lord Buddha could not escape criticism. So, as a human, I am bound to face criticism for whatever I do.
I just told myself that I have to prove to anyone, but to me. I must already feel superior to many for having this stage which others don' have. I have done all I could to to utilize this stage, the rest is in God's hands.​

If you haven't yet read the nominated post, do read it in the thread. The above is just a small excerpt.

A great find, Viji Jaan. Thank you.

 

When DDream posts less, the absence of her posts is palpable in the FP thread for me. I have to say I personally benefit from practically every post of DDream. They have a much needed reminder or a point of view I hadn't thought of. The ways I have benefited are too many to list, but one I've wanted to mention for a long time is this: After reading about it in her posts, I started to pay attention to my tone when talking to my child. It was uncomfortable in the beginning but the conscious practice paid off. Long story short, now when the said child talks to me from college for 45 minutes and I am the one to say, "Ok.. bye?" I always say a mental thank you to DDream.

I have a feeling I might have already said the above earlier or maybe I typed and erased it, not sure.

Ok done with the digression. Back to the nominations:

Response by @DDream in A Major Vent
A response filled with calm and firm ways of managing the child and the husband in a difficult and stress-inducing situation that can leave most parents floundering.

Response by @DDream in I Am Quitting My Job..

When something is mandatory or a must-do, we hunker down and get on with it. When we have a choice, the decision to keep at it can become difficult. Whether to quit a job that is causing stress, when to quit, would quitting mean the problem-people at work win, these are all tough questions. DDream's response suggests ways to evaluate these aspects without saying that one particular decision is the right one.

Thank you @Thyagarajan and @Mistt for nominating the posts.

 

Response by @DDream in How To Deal With In-laws Visiting?

As long as people marry, as long as there are flights from India to abroad, Indian women will deal with in-laws coming over whether the woman likes it or not, whether there is space in the house or not. The duration of the visit is decided based on visa dates or airline tickets price. I admired how DDream's response acknowledges the difficulty of the situation and also gives sincere and kind tips to make the tough time more bearable. Such as:

Rest, just watch, observe, plan accordingly, go with flow. ...
If you have these negative thoughts, it will reflect in your words, body language, actions. So, be careful.
... Also, dont hesitate if you disagree, but learn how to convey in a respectable way.
...
Let it evolve slowly.​

 

Posts by me:
Response in Over Critical Parenting
Response in I Am Quitting My Job..

Thanks guys. @Laks09, @Mistt, I appreciate it. They say we are hardest on ourselves and judge, scold ourselves like we would never do to a friend. So, when someone find my post worth nominating, it feels nice and a reminder that we should be kinder to ourselves. I should be kinder to myself.