Petrichor

The last few weeks have been very humbling. I have been visiting Edmonton to present Isha Kriya to people. The crowd hasn't been crazy et al. But close to 25 new people know about Sadhguru and Isha Kriya. And the change is already showing. We are having Surya Kriya programs in Calgary and Edmonton. I barely slept 5 hours on 2 days; Saw my daughter probably half of the time she was awake; thanks to a supportive husband, I forgot that I had a family. Every time I stood before people, I trusted every word I said. There is probably nothing in this world that I would do with this much conviction. It made everything worthwhile. This is the best aspect of being a volunteer. The process is humbling and the end result so worthwhile. There is something that makes me feel like nothing. I am able to place myself aside. I become someone I can only dream of becoming. Those moments...when i dissolve...don't exist...how can i express in words? It is the most wonderful feeling I have ev...

Today, S turns 4. We decided to celebrate it at her school. I am not sure I have mentioned earlier that S's teacher is a person of tremendous capabilities. Many kids that turn up at the school are kids whose parents could not afford to go there. She takes little money from some & none from others. Recently, she informed me of a boy who will be joining for a few months, because....he would live only for those months. He is a 6 yr old diagnosed with brain tumor that is cancerous. And he has been granted 8 months of life, if everything goes well. I felt for this boy. But had not seen him until today. He looks like a normal 6 yr old who cannot do so many things. He has stitches across his head. He cannot eat cream from a cake. He cannot tolerate loud noise as it would hurt his head so much. Practically, everything that a 6 yr old will want to do. But he doesn't seem to complain. And here I was. Discussing things about S's education to her teacher. Suddenly, everything ab...

Woke up to snow this morning. :) First snow of the season. Made all of us smile, specially S. S wanted to dress up warm & go out to play in the snow to make snow balls, but it melted away by then. Then it became sunny. On the way to pick up S from school, from nowhere I saw a weird shape of a cloud. I was really wondering what would this cloud bring. In less than a minute, HAIL...where I was. but 1 km away the sun was shining bright. I love this lovable city. The top reason for the love is the city's unpredictable weather. Can't really say Winter is here. Can't say it is not here as well. Weird. But every bit beautiful. :)

It interests me to realize how much I can settle down. Being so high in latitude, 4000 ft abv sea level and so close to the Rockies...yet I expected somewhere for the Summer to last(not forever, at least a little longer). Well! at least Fall. The weather over the last few days have been so alarmingly different through the day. Two days ago when G mentioned that the low was -4C, I was like, "WHAT???" Seems like I was in la-la land all along. Seriously, when did Fall fall away? Six months of grrr weather ahead. It gives me the chill just thinking of it. I honestly forgot how cold it gets. How cold does it feel!!! No Calgarian is (probably) prepared or ready to welcome it. But it comes. When it has to. :) Today was a different day(like every single day). As I was driving S to her school, I saw the weather change. It wasn't subtle anymore. I smiled. It was beautiful. How nature has its ways of waking me to reality? I am in no way prepared to think of the next few months. But ...

One more place I associate good memories with. It has been -20C & below for the last 2 weeks. Some snow & a lot of Ice. White everywhere. I feel cold. Intense cold. Ideally, I should be depressed. Most residents are. But, I am not. I am grateful to witness the white beauty...and the silence that comes with it. I am grateful for the heater ...I would not be alive otherwise. Truly! :) I am grateful for the joy that comes to me when I go out in the cold weather...of course, dressed appropriately. I am not complaining, but my cold tolerance is better than that to heat. Don't ask me how I survived Chennai heat for so many years. It was definitely not this hot then...thanks to global warming. The cold is teaching me so many things. It makes me observe negligible things. I feel deeply grateful for the winter. That said, I am eagerly waiting for the Spring. :)

I went for a walk today. Temperature reading -13C something. But the wind was howling horrendously. I wanted to feel the wind on my face. But G gladly gave my balaclava to save my face. As I walked out, a neighbor greeted. Seeing me all geared up, he said, "I don't think you are going out now. It is -29C". The windchill, he meant. I smiled & walked down. The minute I walked out into the cold, I realized, "-29C! What was I thinking???" I just had one layer of Jeans. The magic # is 15 or -15 to be specific. If the temperature reads below the magic#, I should be using 2 layers. Even more, snow pants. Alas! Too late. I could not feel my thighs in a little bit & the wind was bellowing from behind. I did not think of my way back just yet. I decided to walk as much as I could. It felt so good. Just being in that pinching cold. I was decently dressed. Winter boots, jeans, a down jacket over a t-shirt, gloves, balaclava & my parka's hood. I was considerab...

I owe today's post to Deepak . I was alone at home in the afternoon. Someone knocked on the door. I opened to find some kids. Though soliciting is not entertained in our complex, I somehow did not feel offended seeing them. One of the kids asked me to buy a piece of chocolate for $2 as donation for their school. I did not even think. Just said, "I don't have cash. Maybe some other time". They replied, "oh, okay" and found his way to the next apartment. I locked the door. But something struck me. I looked in my purse to find $20. So, picked up some laundry coins & went back after the kids. Fortunately, I found them. "Found some change", I admitted sheepishly. The boy smiled. "Thank you", he said. The chocolate tasted divine, no doubt. I don't know what made me refuse the first time. I told myself that it was ok(absolutely) to buy something unnecessary for myself. The kid's smile lit up my face. I am still smiling.

7.00 am. I am sitting on a plane. Alone. I look behind. Calgary downtown lit up by the morning Sun. And the Silhouette of the Rockies in the backdrop. I wonder. No. Conclude. There is no city that has a landscape like this. Well. I always considered San Francisco to have one of the best skylines too. That counts. And this too. :) In a while I am airborne. Got a twist in the neck looking out of the window hoping to follow the Rockies. I probably followed until what seemed like Denver(beneath the clouds) & then all I know is we were 140 mi from Houston. This is the first time I am flying into IAH. And all I could think of was, "Houston, we have a problem". How dramatic! Geography is important to me. So, I was (actually)hoping to find the border from 37000ft high up. Where Canada meets the US. But I couldn't. It all looked the same. Until Houston. But Houston was different. All of a sudden a busy airport. Too many people(Pardon me, no pun intended). And steak everywhere....

S planted her first seed 2 days ago. She was so excited trying to dig a hole, put the seed in & pour water. It's a given that Canada is populated with immigrants. And the Government is doing so much for the new generation. They have art programs, gym time, indoor play area, movie days, Help me grow times for kids. And it is all free. I learnt about this recently & have benefited greatly in just 2 visits. S absolutely loved being in the garden. They use organic fertilizers(I am yet to find out what they are) & the parents get to reap the veggies. I picked up a bunch of spinach & mint leaves. My cooking yesterday costed me nothing, we all ate organic food & I am also glad that we contribute to the community. Next week, we will go check on the zucchini that we planted & plant some more. From the post, if it is obvious that I had more fun, maybe you are right. I am getting to learn so much from all that is available. Hopefully, I gather enough information to sus...

Finally Settled! Kinda. Settling so soon has everything to do with IKEA. Just a weekend in that one stop shop. God, I love the store. As much as I'd like to get a local store experience, I am so relieved when I see a Costco, IKEA & Walmart. With these stores, I know what to buy where. This is the view outside our window. What's not to love? I seem to have forgotten Bay area already. That's funny. Because, when I left India to settle in Bay Area, I was holding on to India like it was my life. And every instance G showed a slight hint that he had forgotten about it, I'd remind him all about how terrible a husband he was for having brought me away from Amma, my city & my country. If I was G, I'd have sent myself happily back home. Poor G! I have loving people back home("home" is now a relative term). I still love them. But I don't seem to miss them. Not that much where it would kill me. I have realized that everyone has their way with life & I...

Just fixed a new car. Then the move to the new apartment. So, would be a week or two before we start our travels. In the meanwhile, about Calgary: 1. This city is definitely developing infrastructure-wise. Construction everywhere all the time(maybe they can do it only during Spring-Fall). 2. Calgary seems to be the hub for oil sands, internet & technology. 3. Weather is obviously the best in all of Canada. Never seen no rains here. It is either sunny, cold or it just snows.:) 4. Easy to spot a Canadian. He always ends a conversation with an "eh?". 5. There are pubs everywhere. (a quick reminder: I live in the downtown, eh?) 6. People smoke. More than I am used to. 7. People do not look that they are doing a favour by making a conversation with you. 8. Customer service in banks, offices are way better(than I've known). 9. When it snowed yesterday, we were the only people who were watching it out the window like a natural wonder. People were going about their business a...

around where we live now :) Where we go for a walk everyday(notice the warning for coyotes...I was a little amused the first time I saw it) Where S plays almost everyday - on princess island park I haven't done this city justice through photos. Still settling down. But will post a new entry in the travel blog soon.

It truly amazes me to know how much accepting I can be when I just don't resist. When I just let things be. This country, Canada & its people are soooooo friendly that words fall short. People at the Federal office really don't need to please people. They don't have the need to bring in customers. Today, I had been to their office to apply for SIN card & I had no palpitations when I met the officers - which is straight opposite to my every single experience in the US. My last name is pronounced close to what it should be & I don't feel familiar or alienated. Fewer people in a city than I'd ever see in my entire life(I'd been to Alaska in Summer- so that doesn't count). The Bow river borders the downtown & for a change the downtown feels relatively safe. The buildings are not as unique as San Francisco, but they are not grey & blue like in Vancouver. I am not ready for Toronto, yet. And so! There is nowhere else I'd rather be now, tha...

Revelations about the move. 1. We were not as ready as we thought we were...for the move. 2. But after the initial jitters, I think we know this is what we want. 3. I am truly happy. I'd rather be here & complain about not being in Bay area than otherwise. 4. Isha has become a bigger part of me than I knew it to be. 5. I need a few more moves to feel more detached, but I am getting there. 6. Money is needed, but is pushed to the very last rung in my ladder. 7. There is divinity in everything around me. I have just turned a blind eye so far. 8. Help comes from unexpected corners, & such help is never forgotten. 9. People are extremely friendly here. Maybe it has got to do with the weather. 10. Me & my family are so darn lucky & I am soooo grateful for that.