But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated..!

Growing up as a Malayalee or in short most of our north Indian friends used to call us mallus - Kerala has always been our vacation home.
Every summer vacation it used to be at granny's place in Kerala and have enjoyed the love of not only our relatives but also the neighbors and the people who used to visit home probably to help plucking coconuts from the tree or so. Everyone used to love us and would pamper us just because we were not from there. For us everything was a surprise or a miracle. When my Mom used to make ball to play cricket with the help of coconut leaves, initially we used to make fun saying you can't play with it but when you really have nothing else to do we used to play cricket - that same ball made out of coconut leaves and the bat used to be the dried thick stem from the coconut tree and life was beautiful.

You climb the nature made steps to go from one layer of land to the other on this hills and you will see cashew trees, jack-fruit trees and just greenery everywhere. Mother nature has been kind in this part of the south and probably that's the reason people call it's God's Own Country.

Believe me when I used to visit my Mom's side in Tiruvalla its a mix of Hindu and Christian population and they live happily. I have never heard anytime people discriminating anyone. In fact, most of my Christian malayalee neighbors whenever they made beef, biriyani, or rice cake they have always shared with us, even though they know my Mom won't eat meat they knew kids and Dad would eat. 

Similarly on the north of Kerala my Dad's side Malaparam district where the population is a mix of Hindu and Muslim and they live happily. I have always heard from my Dad great things about his Muslim friends as how true they are to their words.
I have learned one thing people love each other and spread love through food and what's wrong if it's beef or chicken or fish? If one likes it they eat it and if they don't then they don't. There is nothing that religion comes in picture and even then everyone with different faiths in religion would go to their respective temples, church and mosques and pray.

"Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things" ~ Lao Tzu

All this beautiful things I was enjoying this summer too. I was in Kerala visiting my parents and the heavy rains in Guruvayur was like a music to me. I remember I used to enjoy heavy rain at night because then you can sleep well - it was like music to the ears and same thing when it rained during the day, all I could do was record the music of rain drops falling fast one after the other and made some paper boats and sailed in the puddle in front of the gate. When I was leaving the place I felt it is raining as always like in the monsoon season but never thought of this  disaster that would cause so many lives of people stranded across the state. 

The best of our character comes out in difficult times and it is true during this natural calamity every Keralite was united in the name of humanity and was helping each other in every possible way. It was not only about human but every life was precious and were tried to save. I feel so proud to see how everyone came together whether it was Army, Navy, Air-force, Government, Fishermen, Movie star, Common Man, yes everyone was united in helping and saving each other. Shopkeepers kept their shop open and said take what you want! That is humanity where you don't think of any selfishness but pure heart to help and save humanity.

About 800,000 people got stranded and relocated, so many of them are missing and so many lost their lives - my heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones and might be some in hopes to find them in some camps. It's the time when every Keralite celebrates Onam the harvesting festival and look this natural calamity brought everyone together if not to celebrate Onam but to celebrate humanity and love.
Being from Kerala I always felt special because if you look at it Kerala is always in news with 100% literacy, with Transgenders being recruited in the government jobs and LGBTQA supportive activities and what not and all this tells us nothing keeps us apart whether its sexual orientation, religion, caste, food habits what not all that is later and one's personal choices but what comes first is Humanity and hence everyone tried their best to overcome this crisis, but whats going to take time is to rebuild.

"Destruction, hence, like creation, is one of nature's mandates." ~ Marquis de Sade

Everything takes time and this will too take time but with little support and help it will be easier for those who have lost their homes. Building a house could be a dream to many and imagine losing something that you have made out of all your earned money which you just lost one day due to heavy rain... where will one go back for shelter?

"How much wreckage and destruction justifies the creation of a better world?"
 
Let's think of ourselves in that situation and imagine what would we do? What would be a big relief for us at such time? If some monetary help we get then isnt that the need of the moment?
Let's all chip in small portion of our money, something that we daily spend on buying coffee, cigarette, tobacco, chewing gums and what not if one week we skip that and give that money to help rebuild Kerala once again, we will not only give a life to those people in need but we can also visit God's own country and enjoy vacation and see those people smile again!

 
I will request through my this post to every individual please give generously through Amazon for relief camps and through Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund to rebuild Kerala. 
Natural calamity can happen to any country any state but all we need to do is be prepared for any such disaster.
Let's leave all our differences and be one to help each other and rebuild Kerala.
This natural disaster has brought humanity together and this tells us united we stand and rebuild and progress.

"When we destroy something created by Man, we call it Vandalism, but when we destroy something by nature we call it progress" ~ Ed Begley Jr.

~ Dawn

You know my name, not my story. You have heard what I have done, not what I have been through!

These days I am in a conflict with mind and heart. Yes, heart would like to talk a lot with the paper which means, I would love to express my thoughts and emotions but then mind tries to manipulate - Why, unnecessarily? Let it be...keep it with you!!!

My heart, which started writing as kid because I felt my pen as my heart was spelling and sharing my views with the pages of the diary that my Dad gave it to me. That was my way to open my heart which gave me the satisfaction of expressing everything and anything and yet I have the feeling of keeping it private from everyone.

Time changed and I started blogging. One should change with time isn't it? Moreover the way I groomed myself as a kid of 7-8 years old is by writing down everything which made my heart and mind feel very relieved, it is a way for me to relax and be calming.

I remember I used to tell my friends, 'not to take tension but give it to others', as a joke!

Few things that came to my mind which I felt I should write so that I get the feel that I shared it and it is out of my system!

1. Judging a person does not define who they are... It defines who you are!

If someone wants to do something for others, it's their emotions and feelings that they share with - no one has a right to call that out by names. Because every individual has different ways to express their love and respect so be mindful when you pass your judgemental remarks. It let others to think who you are!!! Never discourage others what they want to do if they share it with you that's because they consider you as a friend and trust you. Don't discourage them by judging them it tells about you and not them.

2. Everyone is a Moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody!

People sometimes due to overconfidence behave in certain way and go too far but when they find themselves in trouble and unable to cope-up with they ask for help. Now, helping is good and when you do that with all good intentions and still if things doesn't work out or help other to understand then it is better to show them the mirror. The person who actually came asking you for help changes immediately when they feel they're exposed and makes the helper a fool in front of others and moves on as a hero. The helper looks like a fool!
When the helper confronts the one who came asking for help at the first place, they say he was my childhood friend and I didn't want to lose his friendship! That's the justification they give for their act.

One can imagine what they would do to get away with their ego and false image! Here they did this because they know the childhood friend will stop talking and will spread the rumor among all the common friends and the helper will always be there as they will not lose them - a false assumption! 
I think the helper should have left them alone to deal with their problem instead of getting involved because the helper is a stranger to the childhood friend and company! One should live life on their on terms and not get involved in other's because at the end everyone is an individual let them lead it.

3.  It's funny how most people become who they promised they would never be!

When people desire something in life, they make all kinds of promises that they are the best and they are this and that and you trust them and get into the contract which binds you with them and establishes a relationship. Through out you have found that they are not what they promised they are instead they only act in front of you that way. 
When Kamala made a mistake and she was caught it became a life-long reminder for her and hence even when she wants to say anything she is restricted because she will be pointed out of her mistakes. But I believe this doesn't allow other party to keep making mistakes. Whether you smoke or drink is not the question. The question is did you not promise not to and still you continue as hide-and-seek and finally you come out saying this is how it is - the person can't do anything other than thinking let them do what they want to do, why you want to attach yourself to get hurt?
Lesson is not to trust anyone with anything after all you're human and with time you will change and you will get tired of wearing a mask all the time! You will have to come out one day so might as well be now than later!!!

4. It takes guts and humility to admit the mistakes. Admitting we're wrong is courage, not weakness!

I believe we are human and hence we do make mistakes and that is okay. Even when you read the Indian mythological stories in Ramayana, there also Ram is portrayed as the best human being still he behaves disrespectfully with his wife Sita based on what he over heard from his laundry guy, who was hitting his wife saying I am not like our King Ram who accepted his wife even though she was living captivity with another king Ravan. Ram could have set things straight by supporting his wife and by bringing awareness to his people that being captured doesn't mean you disown your people but he didn't do that, instead he did what he felt his people in the kingdom would appreciate - the question is, if it was Ram and Sita had to decide will she even think of disowning him? I doubt because women are raised always with the thought that Men can do anything and it's okay but Women are like a white cloth even a little stain would make it look ugly and hence throw it away!
Mistakes are okay and accepting the mistakes saying, yes I cheated and that is wrong on my part and I am ready to accept any punishment for that. It's humbling and learning experience for anyone though it is hurtful in heart forever for everyone. Similarly, if other person has done a mistake in indulging with something and dealing with until it became a problem for them to handle then at least one should have the guts to accept that they did that mistake. In fact, they call out other people's wrong deed and shine themselves. A little sunshine in your eyes can blind your eyesight for a moment, watch out everyone doesn't have to be that high and famous all time, even the Sun who is so powerful with its heat and light has to set at the end of the day - you're human and be the one that you preach to all!

This time the trip to India gave some time to read some useful books which enlightens your thought process through mythological stories. And relating it with the present situations, stories and scenarios it helped to understand that, life is simple and one need to keep it light and simple!

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new"

~ Dawn