Some like it hot….

Pease pudding hot, Pease pudding cold, Pease pudding in the pot 9 days old.

Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pod 9 days old,

Does this not take us back to the toddler nursery rhyme phase, where all these lovely rhymes synched into us, as they were taught, and meant to be, wasn’t it?

Not only basic reading, reciting, writing was taught to us as we were children, but the very essence of living, was embedded in, which we knew, and repeated  as parrots do, but did we know, that as we understood them, we could unfold within us  the secret of the art of living.

As we observe life, in our daily activities, little revelations, connect us to the bigger picture of life.

Swimming had become a regular activity with Aditi,  which she enjoyed.

As I met her, she narrated to me her very interesting observations, which I’ve recorded below:

“So as I got into the pool the other day, I noticed that there were more than 5 swimmers, who were swimming.

There was one very ardent and concentrated man, who would always manage to reach the pool, much earlier than she did.

Well, this man, swam ardently from one end to the other, picking up his customary lane, which was a lane away from the middle of the pool, and approximately swimming for an hour, continuously, a no nonsense person, who got out, immediately as soon as he was done.

Then she added” We had, this middle aged person, who just swam the back stroke, with such fervour, lashing his hands vigorously, slapping the water with a force that if you swam into the lanes next to him, you could risk being slapped with his lashing hands, although she added, he was a friendly and smiley person, one could not help but heave a sigh of relief when he got out, which was fortunately within 15 minutes of his commencing his swim.

Now she continued,

“Well, well however as much as I felt a sense of relief, I had to combat the next lot, 2 to 3 of them in the pool, they appeared to me like politicians, who felt they had the  power  to conquer all, and here in this case, they could get in to your lane, and let you do all the navigation to prevent you from a headlong bang.

Without any qualms of conscience, this gang invaded the pool, jabbering away enjoying the cool waters, and if you felt heated up in the cool waters, then it was your problem solely.

Well now, then we move on to the slow peaceful swimmers who consistently swam for an hour at their own pace,  swimming the graceful breast stroke, and  in oblivion ,enjoying their swim as much as the rest, but in earnest they were doing their best.

As  Aditi entered the pool and saw this lovely sight, it dawned on to her, that life was just not the competition we thought it to be.

Breast stroke looks beautiful and graceful, but her body permits her on a free style only, so great free in style is she.

As she said this, I realised that there was absolutely no rat race anywhere, except in the corner of our conditioned mind, conditioned over the time, with phrases like,” Oh come on you can do better than you just did, look at her, she managed it in much less time, and with better precision.”

Who are the judges? The ones who see the superfluous exterior, or you yourself, who forget about the satisfaction you get at this moment, and find ways to compare yourself to the feats of others, and thus grow unsatisfied with a desire for more.

Talking on comparison, and conditioning, I loved this one.

Vibha’s  daughter is in town, and is going back home, just 2 days after she celebrates her b’day with her family. She wanted a b’day celebration with close family members, and since she was away  from home for very  long ,missed being with family and friends.

Looking out for a good celebration venue, they managed to find one which appealed to them. However, Vibha could not see the spark of light on her daughter’s face.

She did not have to wonder for long, cause as they came home, and sat down, she told her parents , “Papa and Mama, this is actually not what I wanted.”I do not want a big bash, I want to be, in the cosiness of my beautiful home, in the coolest way. Let’s have a sandwich and chips party, with warmth in the hearts of all around, a memory of a lifetime, I can take back, this feeling, to last and stretch all along.”

I admit I took time to digest this one, but when I did, I loved it.

I loved the simplicity and no complicated attitude of this young woman, and will take her tip, to simplify living.

What I have to say, is all fingers need not be the same.

Understand what you actually want and like, do you like your “Pease pudding hot or cold, or in the pod 9 days old.”

Let go of all the other factors which will taint your likeness, and that mostly is the opinion of others, which is what is supposed to be the in thing, and what looks cool etc.

Do what you love from within, and enjoy it as you never did.

That seems to me to be the art of living, an understanding of who you are, and not what you aren’t.

Be what you are and not what you should be, because the should is a figment of someone else’s imagination.

You are the one who has worked your way into the world to discover yourself, so do so, and let the someone else, discover themselves.

This is exactly what I am telling myself, by writing this down for all of us ..