A friend from afar

What a very pleasant surprise! Someone I don't know and who speaks a foreign language made contact with me! How do you do, CresceNet? But, I am so sorry, I didn't understand what you wrote! It sounds Spanish or Portuguese, and I speak neither language. Is there any way you could do an English translation?



From my name, you might have thought that I am Spanish or Portuguese. I come from a Catholic background, and that is why I have a Spanish or Portuguese name. My parents came from India. My forefathers converted to Christianity and took on the names of the first missionaries -- Spanish and Portuguese -- who came to India.



Maybe, you would like to say something about yourself?

Deepavali Birthdays

Just got back from a lovely Deepavali lunch hosted by a bunch of young pretty women who outdid themselves in creating a pleasant environment to enjoy a filling meal -- after another of those long department meetings! Wesley, if you are reading this -- no offence meant!

The healthy main meal of chicken and mutton parental (dry curried meat dishes) and vegetable kurma (chillyless spicy curry) was satisfyingly just right. Topped off by an array of delectable desserts -- cookies and O! those hard-to-find ooorundais (ghee or semolina balls) and words-can't-describe kesaris (soft candy)! Of course, there was the all-time favourite -- murukku (crunchy, spicy swirls). And, eating all this among friends talking and milling around in a lecture room turned into a dining hall was a fitting end to a tiring week.

My friends created a relaxing ambience for a sociable meal. They drew a pretty kolam (floor designs made of coloured rice), created a water feature in a corner -- a basin of water filled with floating carnations, and added slight touches of Indian decor at the door and here and there.

Not only was it a festive meal, but a birthday celebration, too -- for those with November birthdays. And, that included Wesley's -- the department head. So, here's to all of you, and especially you, Wesley, .... Happy Birthday! And wishing you every good thing!

Next week I am taking a break because I need to catch up on beauty sleep! In the state I am in, I can go to sleep standing up! Which is better than sleeping at the wheel of the car! ZZZzzzzzzzzz.........

Cross-legged Miracle

On Deepavali (Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus worldwide) day on Nov 8, something special happened to me. It was early morning, and raining slightly, so I pulled my blanket snugly around me. Now, half awake and enjoying the gentle sounds of rain falling lightly on the roof, I noticed something unusual about my sleeping position. My left leg was comfortably folded under the right.

"What? No pain?" I moved my leg and folded it in different ways. No pain. No pain! For about seven years I couldn't lie on my back and fold my left leg horizontally because it hurt. Neither could I sit cross-legged. So, I always lay on my right side, with right leg folded and my left leg stretched over it and never sat cross-legged. But, now, I could fold left and right leg in that position and there was no pain, and I could sit cross-legged!

What amazed me was that I didn't pray for healing of my left leg! And, I told no one about the problem for them to pray for healing or advise me on how to get it right!

I think, the body just adjusted itself -- albeit after seven or so years, and, maybe, with the help of the exercises I was doing. I have not been doing anything different except to cycle in the air and do sit-ups about three times a week. And, that must have somehow got the "unworking" parts working again!

Like your car. You have to whack it around occasionally so that those out-of-place pieces can fall back into sync. You know, like we all do when once in a while we thump or kick the car here and there, and then see it behaving itself again?! With the human body, we should whack it with, perhaps, exercise, and then see how the body adjusts itself!

But beyond doing the practical to make things work, I see something else: the truth that human reality is primed for miracles. The potential for miracles is all around us. It is inbuilt in our world, I believe. We don't know how it works, but once in a while, something triggers (faith to those of us who believe) the inbuilt mechanism and overnight, unexpectedly, inexplicably something happens to lighten our burdens. Many of us can attest to these things. And the skeptics can call it whatever they want.

For me? Halleluyah! It is a miracle!

Birthday Girl!

Last Saturday, my good friend and colleague, Swagata, added one more year to her life. I knew it was her birthday and was planning to do something for her. But, I forgot -- put it down to age! But, Cy See, my other colleague, who sits in the cubicle adjoining mine, didn't forget and being the good friend he is, made it a point to remind me, "Hey! Your good friend's brithday is tomorrow!"

Then, I rushed and got this cute little tiramisu cake and surprised her with it the following day. Swagata, who loves sweet stuff and delicacies, cooed over it! I am glad you liked it, Swagata!

It is funny how people come into my life at the right time. I am not a very people-person -- although I love good company -- and have just a small group of friends. And although they live in different places of the world, we stay friends forever! These are people who enter my life at crucial periods, and then stay on. Swagata is one of them.

I got to know her, thanks to See! When I first joined UTAR (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman - a private university in Malaysia), I met See and somehow he saw through my forbidding demeanor and spoke well of me to his friends, who eventually became my friends. Among them was Swagata, with whom I had more things to share because of our common love for books. And, we clicked.

These friendships made adjusting to a new environment like UTAR's much easier. But, over and beyond that, I think it was a time when I needed someone to connect with, and, Swagata filled in the space. Connections: That is what makes people so precious - when you can connect with them. It is always the start of something new and enriching.

So Swagata, I hope this new year in your life will be the beginning of something you will cherish for the rest of your life!

By the way, Swagata has a sister who is an up-and-coming artist who lives in New Delhi -- and she has her own blog. Do visit her blog at http://sanchozone.blogspot.com/ and catch a glimpse of her art pieces. They are lovely, and reveal both the Indian and Malaysian influences in her life.