Let’s inspire, be inspired
YOU ARE ENOUGH!
Greetings of the season! December, for me, is a time for contemplation, reflection and introspection. It is a time when I take stock of the year that has passed. It helps me make a note of my learnings from situations, experiences and people. It also helps me make a mental note of what needs to be learnt, which in turn becomes my motivation to set goals for the next year.
JOYFUL EXPERIENCING
“Living in Awareness”, are words that I have heard and read repeatedly from spiritual masters. They say, it is the key to Living in Balance. I always felt this was difficult to practice. However, recently, on my first solo leisure trip I discovered that being in the present moment or being aware doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be effortless and an extremely joyful experience.I like to travel and explore new places. Generally, there is an itinerary to be followed so that we don’t miss out on anything worth viewing. However, this time, there was “no [...]
SHE IS A SURVIVOR
At times I meet clients who come only once because they want to just talk and feel understood without being judged. Nazia* is one such client. Although I heard her for just 2 hours, the narration of her life will stay with me forever. Hailing from a lower middle-class family, Nazia and her younger sister, Razia* were brought up by their loving grandmother. Her father had abandoned them when she was about 3 years old, and her mother was pregnant with Razia. That had left her mother mentally unstable. Her mother would often go away from the [...]
RIGHT CHOICES
My profession facilitates me to meet people of different ages, profession and culture. There is always something that is special, unique, striking about most people. Some of them leave a very strong and positive impression in my mind. I recently met one such person, whom I will always remember with admiration. After meeting him I wondered if age, education and upbringing really mattered as much as we highlight its importance. Mohit* is 30 years old and comes from modest background. When I met him, his haircut, heavy and loud voice, mannerisms and language reminded me of Sanjay [...]
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
A couple of weeks back when I was looking for an old document, I came across some precious gems preserved over the years. These were letters and cards given to me by people, some close some not so close. As I was going through these, I read a letter written to me by a colleague of mine (who later became a good friend). In this letter dated over two decades back, my then colleague had expressed her gratitude to me for being the only person who had stood by her as a pillar of strength when she [...]
RESPECT, AN ESSENTIAL FEELING
Karan was very hurt when his wife Madhavi told him that she doesn't trust him with money. Radha was hurt when her husband Sanjay joked about her accounting skills in the presence of a group of friends. Manasi was upset that her teenage daughter called her a control freak. Javed was extremely hurt when his parents told him that he will never be able to succeed in life because he scored less marks in board exams. Priya was hurt when her friends did not include her while planning a lunch date. Ashaji, a retired school teacher, had [...]
LIFE HAS JUST BEGUN AT 50!
A few months back, as I greeted her for the first time, she appeared composed and friendly. Malini sounded very sad over the phone when she had called to book an appointment with me. She had mentioned that she was feeling very low and at times felt that there is nothing to look forward to in life. Had I not received that call myself, I would not have believed that it was the same person I spoke to over the phone. Once we had exchanged pleasantries and settled, tears started welling up in Malini's eyes. "Whom do [...]
KINJAL’S CONDITIONAL LOVE?
"Can there be unconditional love? I don't believe there can be. You tell me Prerna, have you ever seen any marriage without conditions? What is wrong if I say I would like to be in this marriage only if he makes me his priority?" Kinjal was furious after a discussion she had with her husband the previous night. She and her husband had been coming to me for marriage counseling. I was aware of the difficult times Kinjal had gone through in her marriage and could understand her frustration. Her words left me thinking of the response [...]
VINTAGE YEARS
As a Counsellor and Psychotherapist, I get the opportunity of meeting people from different walks of life and at different stages in life. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting an impressive Senior Citizen, Mr. Prasad Swaminathan*. His arrival 10 minutes before time, the firm handshake as well as his escort, a man in uniform, gave me an idea that Prasad ji must have been a Uniformed officer. I later learnt that he had retired as Chief of his Cadre Services. Prasad ji had recently suffered a head injury, due to which some of his [...]
Meet me
From seeking shadows to being the light An only child and the youngest of all cousins, I grew up in a very protected environment, loved by one and all in the family. As I compared myself with my cousins, right from a very small age I concluded that I was dark and not good looking. Having experienced bereavement in the family in early childhood, I was timid, withdrawn, sensitive and probably mature beyond my age. Academically, I performed better than the average students in class. But I was never a topper, because I was too lazy and [...]
