Face Value

Hi Folks -

How's Life?


Placid?

Playful?

Problematic?!

It will pass!


About the last post on Relationships Dying, there were some agreements.

Prasad says relationships die when you start losing hope in the person you love.

So very true!

Sometimes it is a long drawn out, painful process.
At other times, a quick cut and a long period of anguish!
Either way, one does wonder how this could happen to us.

This resonates with today's topic of how to take life in general.
With our colleagues, relatives and the larger friends' circle.

Sometimes, there are misunderstandings, flippancy, anger, a sense of betrayal and we wonder -

How did this happen?

Did I get the signals wrong?

Was the friendship/relationship not as deep for him/her as it was for me?

How should I take such relationships?

At face value?

Or by going deeper?

Maybe we could learn from sources which are outside us, about these storms raging inside us.

You know, the same drama is being replicated in Nature too.


After unseasonal heavy rains, mud-slides, wild fires, droughts, famine and messed up seasons in many parts of the world, the Icelandic volcano boomed.

Quite spectacularly.

Schedules, routine life was thrown out of gear on ground, in air, and in and under water.

All species suffered.

With increasing frequency, people and places are facing questions which they had not thought of or ignored before-

What exactly is happening ?

Why?

We never expected Mother Earth to be so ferocious.

How could she do this to us?

She's almost turned her back on us -

What happened?


It happened and will happen again because we take things for granted.

We carry on without a care, working hard to improve our living standard, to get more for less, going against the grain in many ways, ignorant or ignoring of the consequences.

Then something earth-shaking of this magnitude happens and there is a momentary pause.

Until help arrives and everyone strives to get back to the familiar levels of comfort as soon as possible.

The poor are so relieved at mere survival that they get on with their lives taking these extra challenges in stride.

They too have no choice!

Had we respected Mother Nature, not taken her at face value - kind of, its all there, grab it! - we would not have to face such disasters.



What happens outside, is merely a reflection of what is inside.

Should we take people at face value?

We wear many hats in a day - in office, at home, in relationships, with friends-

Many times, there is a jolt - why did he/she really behave this way?


People , even close relatives, are different when you scratch the surface.

They talk behind our back, are nasty, shallow, emotional, not to be trusted and so on.

Lets take a pause.

Did we unconsciously impose our own expectations on them?

To have a relationship of any sort with anyone, we first have to have one with our self.

Think it over-

Are you okay being by yourself?

In your relationship with people, is there an element of clinging?
Or fun at some one's expense?
Or taking the person for granted?

Be honest and find out what kind of an energy-stealer you are.
(We all are and should make a conscious effort to not to be one).

Meditate.
Do the Ho'oponopono regularly, to Mother Earth, - and who ever flashes in front of your eyes.

In very close relationships, give respect and love.

In all the other cases, take people for what they offer themselves to be.
At face value, trying not to be judgmental.

That is the best of themselves they are able to offer and who are we to quarrel?!
We have our failings and they judge us too!


Where Nature is concerned, the deeper one tries to understand the laws, one can be better aligned with the Universe.

Bye for now -!