IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS

This is a comment made by me in one of Rain MacSweeney’s posts. I am sure you will have plenty to write about the subject.
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I agree some people or rather most people would dwell on misery and make their lives intolerable and spread gloom all around. They should be avoided at all costs. They make a mountain out of a mole hill although most of the fears never come true.

It is our responsibility to find freedom and happiness in this short life. We owe it to ourselves to be happy and contented and striving for the best, always trying to break some records, do something new which will give us thrill and satisfaction. We had this quality is us when we were young but somewhere along the line as we grew up we lost this gay abandon, joy of life and became like robots and machines unable to appreciate the beauty all around us. The sun is still rising and setting but we refuse to see. The rose is always beautiful but we are blind. The birds still sing but we don't hear. What are we doing to ourselves? We wallow in self pity, negative thoughts, assumed difficulties and problems.

You have opened my eyes,ears and mind. I have to do a lot of things to match up to your advice although I am striving to change, to do my best, to do something new. The only problem with me is the ability to persist in what I do, to put in that extra effort to achieve what I want, to go beyond my limit, to strain my brain and brawn. Compounded with all these handicaps I also also have a lethargic attitude. So I am neither here nor there. Willing to do but incapable of doing since I do not posses the grit and determination. And life goes on, Rain:)
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I will be thrilled to hear your opinions on my comment. After all it is a matter of learning from each other.

THE TONGUE CAN BE YOUR WORSE ENEMY!

If you keep saying you can't trust a man or trust a woman, you will always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you.

Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create conditions in your life. What you speak about, you can bring about.

If you keep saying you can't stand your job, you might lose your job.

If you keep saying you can't stand your body, your body can become sick.

If you keep saying you can't stand your car, your car could be stolen or just stop operating.

If you keep saying you're broke, guess what? You'll always be broke.

If you keep saying you can't find a job, you will remain unemployed.

If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in you, your very thought will attract more experiences to confirm your beliefs.

If you keep talking about a divorce or break up in a relationship, then you might end up with it.

Turn your thoughts and conversations around to be more positive and power packed with faith, hope, love and action.

Don't be afraid to believe that you can have what you want and deserve.


Watch your Thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your Habits, they become character.

Watch your Character, for it becomes your Destiny


The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settle for.


Thought I would share this with you.

"In the search for me, I discovered truth.
In the search for truth,I discovered love.
In the search for love,I discovered God.
And in God, I have found everything."

(I received this from my friend Ravi Pillai in Ahmedabad)

SOUL OF MUSA

His name is Masood. He is a Muslim. Both his hands and legs are crippled and he cannot bend his elbows and knees. He is nicely shaved with a neat hair cut. He is wearing clean clothes. He is an artist. His sailor father passed away. His mother is working as a servant. His one sister is married. He is living in Thoppumpady and comes to Fort Kochi by auto since he can’t walk and sit in a bus.

The one most remarkable feature about this man is his love for life. He talks very interestingly, he laughs easily, comfortable with himself, he is very friendly, he knows some English, Spanish and Italian and he has a gift for drawing.

This is how he draws.


These are his lovely drawings.

He told me very cheerfully that he is not begging like many other handicapped people. He sells his drawings to people and they pay him generously. He says he is better than many other handicapped people who don’t even have hands and feet. He has seen such people drawing with their teeth. He thanks God profusely for giving him hands and legs although he can’t use them like normal people.

He has acted in bit roles in Malayalam movies like Hollywood and Big B. He laughs and says that he was not paid much for acting.

I did not buy his drawing but gave him RS.50 which he accepted with a big smile and thanked me.

This is how he holds the Rs.50 note.

Here we are, completely normal people, moaning and groaning about small things in life. If it rains now he will not be able to run for cover since he needs someone to help him. Yet he is cheerful, not complaining, grateful to God, self supporting and taking pride in his appearance. I was completely bowled over. I sweat over small stuff and this terribly handicapped man is full of life and bubbling with enthusiasm.

His friends call him SOUL OF MUSA which means according to him SOUL OF FRIENDSHIP. From my own experience, I can confidently say that he has the wonderful capacity to put some cheer and happiness in to the most disheartened, dispirited, down cast, disappointed, dull person.

VALLARPADATHAMMA FEAST

The feast of Our Lady at Vallarpadam was celebrated from 16th Sept. to 24th Sept. Please click on the photos for a larger view.

A brief history of the church


A glimpse of the interior of the church


Devotees sweeping the ground in front of the church



Devotees standing in line to kiss the statue of Our Lady

Lighting candles

Decorative lighting



Feast flag