A Christmas Dinner!

                           Christmas Tree in San Francisco, Ca


Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!. This year we ( me and my husband) had a different experience in the Christmas since we were invited for dinner from a family from Guatemala. well I was a bit grump about attending the dinner since I knew that we were the only outsider. But the thing is the person who invited  us to attend his family Christmas dinner was very persuasive. So I don't want to disappoint him and managed to motivate myself to visit his family. the family had a tragedy just three month ago before Christmas. They lost their youngest brother in an accident. That's another reason which motivates me to visit the family since I can at least support them in their terrible time.

The family have four sons and two daughters and their kids and the mom who is seventy-nine year old. Its a lovely family. All my hesitation disappears the moment I steeped in to the house and hugged by the mom. I fit right-in like her own daughter. My bad is I do not understand Spanish and obviously I should not expect mom to know English since she has been visited to her sons from Guatemala for 6 month. but Its seems like I got couple of volunteer translates right away (including kids). Each and every family member talked about the brother they lost. They show us his favorite place in his house, his passion...and almost everything about him they remember the exact time in last Christmas he got home from work. how he was a part of their heart. And now...he is not here.

The only thing after having dinner interests kids most is unwrapping their gifts. Usually they exchange gifts among all cousins. As, they are feeling the heavy atmosphere of the house and also have been noticing their uncle Rafael is crying whom they never saw crying, but still they are bringing the Christmas charm on their face.

Its Christmas! well, the singing, cooking, eating and crying like chorus or a bit like spices of life. I could not stop myself crying. next day morning I was bit down in my usual mood. I forced myself to plan for a visit to local Fry's store for a camera I was thinking to replace or even a visit to Lake Tahoe for New Year Eve.  But nothing seemed like working. Took a deep breadth and thought what is  life anyway? Its about living in the planet or living in the memories of loved one?.

Hope you all have a lovely New Year!

A warm smile!

                  A view from a ranch on mission blvd,  Ca

May be 10 smile (sometime more then that) I got everyday starts from sidewalks and sometime ends with the smile from the neighbors guest. All are strangers but anyway after all its just a smile. I could not remember one of them. I bet no one could.

But once in a while in a blue moon we get a warm smile.from a stranger.And want to remember.
            

Today it was a cloudy day. I was at the toll gate waiting to pay my toll fee. I slides the car window glass down and stretched my hand with five dollar while thinking something else, to the person standing at the tollgate. I stretched my hand again to get my one dollar return back before my eyes concentrate on the road. I noticed a smile on the face of the man while he was returning back my dollar bill.  Yeah a real warm smile which touched  my heart. The man was wearing a blue turban which was around 10 inch high. His long white beard was touching his belly. The only visible thing in his face was his long nose and eyes and a warm smile. I looked at his eyes and returned back another smile with warmth (I hope).

 The bottom line is, we are still getting pure sunshine, pure water (unless until we are making them impure). Our inner self can still recognize the difference between pure and impure. Then why pretend?

Green Gossip!

Gossip! Yes, I mean negative gossip. In some point we all do that. At work, at home, in phone...
We don't even care how much energy and time we are spending through gossiping.

For some folks, gossiping is a daily habit.They usually gossip about their co-worker, family members or neighbors.
Why they gossip?

To show (the entire planet if possible) that the person about whom they are talking (gossiping) is less then them in every aspect of life. Also to give a big picture about themselves.

The sad part is, some folks goes beyond by putting obstacle in the persons path. So, in simple word negative gossip is not a healthy practice for our environment. Its take time, energy and also pollute the positive vibe of the place and home.

Can we stop gossiping? There is no rule like gossiping is prohibited.

Can we make it green? Yes, Absolutely.

How?

When we  gossip (talk), we can talk about our next green project or how someone can help a needy person without their knowledge or at work lunch time we can spend it by volunteering in the nearest pet shelter....so on... by spending same amount of energy and time we spend in negative gossip.
 
Grown up hesitate to appreciate openly if they like something (may be they do not like anything). We analyze everything microscopically. Are not we?
Another green gossip practice is learn to appreciate openly and spread the Eco-friendly message through gossip.

Happy Green Gossiping!

Lipika


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