Michael Phelps – the inspiration

It was unbelievable for me when I read that Michael Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD in his childhood. It has not stopped him from achieving great success. Now at age 23, the whole world’s attention is on him!!!!

Is there not a learning lesson for every one of us from this legendary story or even many other similar stories?

When we tell that some children are having ADHD, LD, CP or what ever it is, does it not show that we do not have the patience to go with them and support and encourage them? Every one of us has to analyze the reason behind this success and take our own decision as how our children have to grow. We have to find out the hidden talent in each child and nourish that.

How I sincerely hope that parents, teachers and ofcourse the society does not discriminate children and is able to provide a positive environment for every child to thrive. Especially in India we have to change and go a long way…….

Read on..

http://jockbio.com/Bios/Phelps/Phelps_bio.html

http://www.edgefoundation.org/blog/2008/08/15/michael-phelpss-adhd-is-not-an-attention-deficit/

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/beijing/swimming/2008-07-31-phelps_N.htm

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1998.html

Dasavatharam - the movie by Kamal Hasan

In the movie "Dasavatharam" actor Kamal has come out with 10 different roles. The movie shows the efforts he has put and shows his talent. Before also he had done different roles as that in "Avvai shanmugi". In this movie he has tried to bring together characters across the globe and across times/centuries. The movie has to be watched at least once and appreciate the Indian movie's transition using technology, theme, story line etc (apart from our regular sentiments).

We have watched superstar Rajnikant's "Sivaji". Sivaji was an entertainer where as "dasavatharam" is more than an entertainer, provoking everyone to think.

http://www.dasavatharam.info/

Connecting with nature

For the past three years our April vacation was in Kerala with my parents, brother and family. Abhi enjoyed the holidays with his 2 cousins. The trio had lot of fun playing, fighting……
This time we went for a house boat ride at Kollam. The ride was very nice, with the natural beauty of Kerala on all sides. After living in Chennai for some years, it was really a rejuvenating experience. The trio cousins had a good time in the boat, the best of all sharing the driver’s seat and trying a hand at the steer.

During our parents time, connecting with nature was part of their everyday life. Taking a bath in the lake or river with friends, swimming from one side to the other side, walking ont he grass barefoot…Now we have to create the opportunity for our children to connect with the nature.!

Attitude towards disability

Few incidents which I experienced have prompted me to write this post. I think many people (especially those who are differently abled) would have experienced the same way, especially in India. I have heard that abroad people empathize with special people more.

First - When I and Abhi were getting down the narrow stairs, a gentleman does not have enough patience to wait till we reach down. He started to climb up and we have to press ourselves to the railings to give way for him.!!

When waiting for the lift, a lady who waiting behind, suddenly brushed past us into the
Crowded Lift. We took the next turn.

In the children’s park Abhi was playing in the slides along with few others. One boy was regularly pushing others to reach first. Result, I had to take Abhi to some other play area. And I overheard the parent proudly remarking to another that her son always wanted to be first everywhere.

Is it not our, parents, responsibility to teach our children to go in queue, to empathize with other children who are not as fast or as good as them? Is it not our duty to teach our children good values, so that we bring up a better generation? Is it not our responsibility to tell our children to empathize with others? If the same thing somebody else does to you, how will you feel hurt??
Is it not our duty to practice what we preach so that our children learns from us automatically.

Though there has been lot of awareness created by organizations, media and all, to change the attitude is very difficult. I feel it can be brought out through children only, so that the attitude of next generation is better!The awareness, attitude, good values etc has to be brought from the school level itself. For example, the schools can promote volunteering during holidays, helping the needy, visiting special schools etc.

The place I like to visit again!!!

I am not a frequent traveller. But there is one place which I would like to visit again and again. The Vivekananda Rock at Kanyakumari. The strange feeling, the peace that fills the mind when you sit there on top of the rock in the middle of the sea.......it is wonderful.There is no expression for that. It seems Swami Vivekananda used to swim to the rock daily for the meditation.

When ever I have tough time, I imagine myself to be on the Vivekananda rock. I imagine the sound of the sea. The beauty of the sea water splashing on the rocks...

Karthigai deepam

Deepavali is celebrated on an Amavasya day, whereas Karthigai deepam is celebrated on the Pournami (full moon) day of the Karthigai month (november-december). This usually falls just after Deepavali. In the Thirvannamalai Shiva temple, a very huge lamp is lit on the karthigia deepam day.

People light oil lamps (earthen lamps, Kuthuvilakku, pithallai akal etc). Down south it is a tradition to give new set of lamps for the newly married girl from mother’s house. Also similar to holi in North India, for karthigai deepam, sisters pray for brother’s welfare and brothers in turn give some gift to sisters.

And ofcourse none of the festival is complete without our home-made sweets. For Karthigai , Pori Undai and Appam are the important sweets.
Pori Undai is made from “Karthigai pori” and jaggery and made into balls.

I suddenly think what are names for these in English. Since I could not find much on the internet about these, I made my own definitions using my logic (similar to the counterparts corn flakes, pop corn etc):
Karthigai pori is puffed rice. This is crisp.
Normal white pori is popped from nellu (rice seed!). So it is nelpori. This is soft so difficult to make the sweet with jaggery.
And Aval is rice flakes.

You feel great when thinking about how all these festivals and celebrations have evolved. Imagine people have even thought of the health from ages before, because for each traditional festival, sweets and savouries are different and are good for health…!

To light your own decorated lamps visit Decorated Karthigai Akal

I love India!

Deepavali celebrations

Our family celebrated deepavali with new dresses, sweets and crackers. Till last year Abhi was scared of crackers. But this time he wanted to light sparklers and crackers. He enjoyed deepavali.

In addition to our normal celebrations, I wanted to do something more. I-volunteer,chennai members decided to visit the juvenile home at royapuram. Though it was bit far away from my residence, my family also decided to join me. We took lot of clothes,toys, shampoo sachets and sweets.

We could see the happiness in the children to see visitors bringing them sweets etc.