Life is yours, live it in your own way,
Never should one adopt someone else's path!
Issues are often straightforward,
So much is left unsaid in mere gestures!
Decisions made in the course of time will endure,
In reality, there's no need for excuses to escape!
Who were we? What were we? Proud of ourselves,
Today, looking at oneself, who are we to know!
A woman changes at every turn,
Yet, why does hope still linger in that breeze? Unfathomed!
~ Dawn
It's been quite a while! The urge to write has been lingering, but work has been all-consuming. Whether drafting a brief document or a lengthier six-pager, my mind kept drifting to thoughts of my neglected blog. The inability to find time for writing when the inspiration strikes feels like a formidable punishment.
In these moments, it seems as if time itself is an adversary. There were instances when thoughts of giving up crossed my mind, but the concept of quitting was never something I embraced. I resisted that notion staunchly, determined to keep it absent from my personal dictionary.
Each day brought forth thoughts and topics that urged me to write, yet I confined them to my mind. The frustration was palpable, but I persevered, focusing on tasks with looming deadlines and anticipating reviews that seemed incessant. It felt like an endless cycle.
I couldn't help but think that this was a futile expenditure of time. The desire for clear, straightforward communication, easily understandable and implementable, was overshadowed by the meticulous scrutiny of every word and sentence, requiring constant justification.
There were instances when it seemed like a deliberate setup to ensure my failure and demonstrate an inability to meet deadlines due to the never-ending feedback loop.
I came to the realization that frustration was overpowering me. The workload compelled me to work even on weekends, rendering the notion of work-life balance obsolete.
Engaging with my family and opening up about things at home provided me with a moment of respite. This allowed me to step back and view myself objectively, leading me to consider that the issue might be with me.
Upon revisiting the document, I dedicated time to rework paragraphs, incorporating feedback and attempting to perceive it from a reader's standpoint. Recognizing that impactful words require supporting metrics and numbers, I aimed to let the figures speak the truth rather than constructing a narrative.
This became a valuable learning experience. Initially, negative thoughts surrounded me, and I allowed them to persist for a while. However, immersing myself in the writing process and accepting feedback objectively helped me understand that everyone involved was invested in enhancing the document.
Following this realization, the process became smoother, and the document was prepared for presentation to leadership. Taking a deep breath, I faced the review, which went well with only a few questions—mostly aimed at providing examples to help them connect with the message I was conveying in the document.
To be honest, releasing that heavy burden was a profound experience, and the sense of relief penetrated deep into my mind and heart. I now feel a genuine sense of relaxation. It's akin to understanding sweetness only after tasting bitterness. As the year concluded, I recognized the value of the lessons learned, marking the completion of my second innings at work.
I made it!
I trust that my post will assist you in discovering answers within yourself if you are facing similar challenges in life.
~ Dawn
It says, 'we are all brothers'!
I wondered what's unique,
Then someone said look closely,
It's Jewish people standing,
I said yes but still they are just people,
And then they asked me to look closer,
Orthodox, Conservative and Reform,
Alas! religion! it divides them all!
~ Dawn
there are houses,
buildings and chaos!
There are temples,
Mosques, Churches,
and then there is more chaos!
Wish people spoke to each other,
And not hide behind the walls
in these buildings and houses,
Not fight for the buildings.
Which they call house of God,
Yet all the drama is about that,
Peace! Let live and Let other live!!!
~ Dawn
But when I look at it, its tough and hard,
The path is made out of stone and is slippery,
How do I go about this? Nothing motivates!
Well, when I see at the end I see a path ahead,
Why not we take the effort to walk at least,
Let's not worry about the goal instead,
Take that first step and will see where it takes,
Let's walk and enjoy the path slowly,
We will reach the goal and many more..!
~ Dawn
[my poem for April 7th]
Everyone wants a piece of land,
To live, flourish and to call their own,
To own it they will even kill someone,
Those who have, they create borders,
Those who don't, they steel the land,
This floating tree of orange in Jaffa,
Shows you don't need a land to own,
When the world is a big one land,
You carry your roots wherever you go,
To live and grow all you need is a pot,
The symbol of self-reliance, city of Jaffa!
~ Dawn
It's the saying as you sow,
So will you reap, not always,
But some lucky would get to eat!!
At Leket, it was kohlrabi crop this year,
Looking like a turnip it was ready to harvest,
Uprooting it and distancing with the soil,
We harvested 440 kilos of kohlrabi !!
The happiness of hard-work in harvesting,
And knowing hungry needy will be fed,
150 families would not be hungry this day,
It's an immense satisfaction I feel when I think!!
Imagine the grain and vegetables we get,
So many hands must be touching them,
Giving their love and wishes to all,
And landing on our plate!!
A story of kohlrabi that I harvested!!!
~ Dawn
Noticed some arts and crafts exhibition,
The street was dazzling with creativity,
And I saw this bench with full of hearts,
Someone said, there's a man who connects the hearts,
Who would follow that?, when there is tinder and dating sites?
Well, in Tel Aviv there is a man who connects
people's heart and there are enough hearts to connect too!
Spreading love in the middle of all the chaos,
is what life is about - Love!!
~ Dawn
I came to Tel Aviv as a volunteer,
With thirteen of us from different countries,
Looking at this metro city booming with tech industries,
We arrived at the Tel Aviv beach for cleaning,
There were lot of plastic on the beach,
We were told it is harmful for the environment,
The plastic disintegrates in the sand which goes into fish,
When we eat the fish the plastic gets into us,
Proving the saying - what goes around comes around!
A small deed for the sake of environment brought happiness to me!
~ Dawn
Big or small but we aspire to,
Israel volunteer trip was one of them,
People wondered what Israel?
Are you crazy?
The moment I decided my travel,
Every minute was full of anxiousness,
Counting weeks and days was worried too,
What if protest will stop us from flying?
Am I crazy?
When I landed it was an excitement,
It was still sinking in disbelief,
I'm finally in Tel Aviv, should I pinch,
Meeting common people and eating with them,
Are they crazy?
Every finger on our hand is different,
People definitely are different but then
Those who are similar around the world are fighting too,
Why we dislike a country when you're far from reality?
They are loving people just like you and me 🫶
~Dawn
#poetrymonth #aprilpoetrymonth #israel #interconnectisrael
It's International Women's Month. Being a woman, I was reflecting on my journey. I was raised by my parents who never differentiated between a boy and a girl. I was given equal opportunity and I was also taught to take independent decisions for myself.
I could do everything that my brother would do, whether it was wearing pants, shorts, playing sports, going for a movie, playing caroms or chess, climbing trees, riding bicycle or motorcycle, going to school, college and post graduation all of this except that I was not allowed to go out alone after 6 pm or after the street lights are on. This is for my safety and it is same even now. But the boys can stay late no issues and I find that's an issue in itself but I will save it for another blog-post!
Those days I was very focussed on what I want to achieve and worked towards that. Eventually, I got awareness about my surroundings, my field, certain positions and true that women are not everywhere the way men are. Why?
I have often felt that when my Dad didn't differentiate between me and my brother then why the world does it? A very fundamental question but it happens and my simple ask is when we see that shouldn't we do something about it?
I come from a family where my both parents were working and when they come home they both help each other in the kitchen. I always feel I am the other wheel of the chariot in my family, that's how balanced we all want to be.
Given the strides that women have achieved in recent years in terms of empowerment, it is worth celebrating women around the world specially this month and March 8th as International Women's Day.
There is a constant need to remind ourselves and the world about the objective of this day. At work it was great to listen to some of the women leaders how they navigated their career growth and then based on a study as of February 2023, 38% of leadership roles in the US were occupied by women. Even though that percentage is higher that the share of women in leadership roles globally i.e., 32% there has been lethargic progress towards closing this gender gap. The proportion of women in leadership positions in the US has only increased by 2% points since 2016.
There's a lot more need to happen, just by giving a seat to fill the gender gap isn't the solution but men and women equally have to help and mentor each other to be on leadership roles. It's a collective call towards gender equality.
She is delicate and dreamy like a vine,
Yet standing on her own without whine,
She is strong needs opportunity to shine,
You can challenge her and evaluate fine,
Treat her just like you want to be divine,
It's been ages friends now is the time,
We must change for good let's align,
To bring equality let us define,
Because this dawn believes in sunshine!
~ Dawn
Last weekend me and my husband were invited for a charity event. It was a kick-off meeting for a volley-ball event. This kick-off was at someone's house. It was very kind of them to open their house for more than twenty people and showering with their hospitality to all.
It's a community event and I think wherever you go, it doesn't matter who you are or where you belong to, humanity is all about coming together and helping an event if that will bring happiness and opportunity for people. This was for children to play volleyball and travel across States where they represent different teams and hence have to be given proper lodging and boarding facilities, proper food, sports uniforms, first-aid and so on. All this requires money and hence charity is the mode where they were looking for support. The support could be through paying money, volunteering, or by sharing coupons for twenty five dollars, or marketing about them such that it will generate more awareness and that could bring more help and donation.
"Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting." ~ Brian Tracy
It started with an introduction about the charity organization and it's board members. The treasurer also shared last years collection and where all the money was spent. This year the volleyball game will be hosted in California and hence the expense will be more. The cause is for children who are at the age to play a sport, specially volleyball and to get coached from senior players from the team and support them in every way to play in a league or even go into Olympics as well. These kids will get introduced early to healthy life-style, and fitness.
After the introduction and honoring the guests, there was dinner for everyone. The food was delicious and it was home made. Everyone had a chance to get introduced while having dinner and all of a sudden someone mentioned to us (we ladies were sitting on the dinning table), on our kick-off day itself we got the highest donation of ten thousand dollars. Everyone got excited to see this great beginning and asked who is that person. Immediately we were introduced to the person who donated that money. This person is in real estate business and they said hello to us, while each one of us was being introduced by their name. There was one lady from our table, congratulated that person and said I also run a charity organization for women who are in distress and abused by the society or family. It will be good if you can support us as well.
"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." ~ Maya Angelou
I thought that was a decent way to put it because many times it is a challenge for any charity organization to ask for money directly and this was the moment where charity support is the cause.
The person who was all nice and smiling, suddenly had a shrewd look and they said, it's a give and take thing. You give me business and I will give the money out of the profit that I make through that business.
"It's easier to take than to give. It's nobler to give than to take. The thrill of taking lasts a day. The thrill of giving lasts a lifetime." ~ Joan Marques
The moment I saw their face expression and their way of talking to this lady, it completely made me very uncomfortable. I am not sure how I would have reacted if I was that lady. But something that I witnessed couldn't go off my mind. The shrewd and mean face is what I remember not what they did or gave!!!!
Charity is all about good will and help the needy. I understand here the situation was not for people who are hungry and living in poverty but still organizations who run charity for women or children it is for their development and support. The person could have easily said sure and moved on as no one was coming after them for money at that moment.
The way the person spoke to that lady, the body language, it gave me an impression that the person is doesn't respect people but only those who have money. I literally felt very embarrassment as this happened in front of lot of people. There was a silence for a second and people didn't know how to react. Good that they lady asked as if nothing happened, and continued where do you stay, you should probably come to my home for a cup of coffee.
"Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love, or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run of something worthwhile to give." ~ Steve Goodier
I do not respect people who show-off their money in the name of charity. I often felt charity should be given anonymously if possible. Even if one happen to give a cheque of ten thousand dollars, one doesn't have to show off that they are great. I think it's a humble and kind act. If you have a lot you give a little from your share to those who don't have enough. There is nothing to feel proud because money is such a thing it comes and goes. It's the people who we have to hold on to. Humility and kindness is what we expect from people who donate because I feel they have bigger heart where they are ready to accommodate who are in need.
"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." ~ Khalil Gibran
I had to write this post because this incident was bothering me for two reasons, one the way they spoke to the lady and then about give and take charity. Never heard such thing and specially from the one whom everyone is praising for the donation.
I figure these days charity is a business and it is hard to understand who is helping from heart for the well being and who is doing it for self-promotion.
"Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give" ~ Ben Carson
~ Dawn
I am coming here after 9 months approximately. It's not that I have not thought about it. Everyday I think of writing because everyday something or the other comes to my mind which I could put it in words here but then...!
"All problems are illusions of the mind." ~ Eckhart Tolle
As a kid I started writing my diary and then when I started using computer for work, writing in a diary stopped and blogging took over that space. It's a habit and not just habit but a way out for me. I feel good when I talk to my blog, it's like talking to your trusted buddy.
At times, mind wants to be that buddy and it takes over the space. I have often realized how in my mind I am dictating and mind would absorb it all. I felt good for a while because I got busy hence mind-blogging worked out.
"The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven." ~ John Milton
There is always a juggle between blogging and mind-blogging just like how one wants to hold a book to read versus audio book listening. One goes back and forth and I feel that is what has been happening with me all this time.
"All the things that truly matter, beauty, love, creativity, joy and inner peace arise from beyond the mind." ~ Exkhart Tolle
Let's talk about present since we are in 2023. The new year started well with family and friends. I was in Vegas on 1st January 2023. I have come to an understanding that life is not all about taking stress but being stress free. We all work hard to earn our living and one should but there is also something called self-care which I feel our generation is catching up now. I am really grateful for my good genes for good health but it is very necessary for all ages to take care of self not just physical well being but mental too.
"The mind can calculate, but the spirit yearns, and the heart knows what the heart knows." ~ Stephen King
Often in the rat race we forget, job, position, money, promotion all this is meaningful only if you're alive and healthy. One should be in present and enjoy the moment that is my mantra but I also don't take stress unnecessarily. I do used to worry to prevent things but with time realized that we can only save what we can rest we are not sure, so why worry?
Don't worry, be happy!
~ Dawn
What we have once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us ~ Helen Keller It is with dee...
