Happy Mother's Day - The Mom Tag

Recently Magali and I have been taking trips together since we decided that we want to see more of India than travelling abroad.

In March we went to Tamil Nadu where we holidayed at Ooty, Coonoor and Coimbatore. We really enjoyed the trip and plan to go on more trips to see different places.

As Magali has started making YouTube videos she forced me to take the Mom tag where she would ask me 17 questions about her. I threatened her that I would be very blunt in my answers and we decided to do it whilst we were staying at Zone by the Park at Coimbatore.

I really enjoy being a Mother and enjoy the time we spend together.

Wishing all you Mothers A happy Mother's Day. Love your children irrespective of the gender so that they do not hate you when they grow up.

Be happy Always,

Sheila.

Joy of Giving

Everybody in this world should give something at least sometimes in their lives.

I know a lot of very selfish people who would not want to part with a small amount of money if someone was in need and even if the person promised to return the money as soon as possible. They pretend as if they do not have money or just do not care because they feel that it does not affect them in any way. But if they need help in any way then they do not mind asking the same person who they insulted before to help them.

I have been very generous all my life. But sometimes I feel that I have been taken advantage of by selfish people who ask for help when they need me otherwise they just do not care.

I love to give. I am a nurse and have been helping as a volunteer at the Home for the Aged run by the Religious for about 13 years. I go at least twice a week now but used to go even everyday when I just started volunteering and when Magali was small. I help with the dressings and dispensing of medicines and also giving injections or feeding the bedridden.

I used to go regularly to visit an Aunt who was not very well. I used to cut her hair, cut her nails and give her a  bath. She had a daughter and her family living with her but no one really cared for her. Her daughter gave her  a bath one day and then later told her that she had a severe backache because she bathed the Mother so she would not bathe her again. She passed away a few years ago.

I have volunteered at the church to help the poor and the sick but then the well to do people got my number and started calling me to do things for them so that they could save their money. I refused as I said that they could afford to go to the Doctor or the hospital and then later when I met them they were angry that I refused to help them. One person even wanted me to give his cat an injection. I told him to take his cat to the Vet.

I have given money and things to family and was cheated and so now am wary about helping anyone. I give but on a smaller scale and now since my husband has retired the money flow is less so I am a little careful with giving.

But the Joy of Giving is always there and I will never ever stop.

May God Bless you all in abundance for all that you do for mankind and may you be Joyful always.

Love,
Sheila

This post is part of ABC Wednesday.

Friends Forever

I am lucky to have GREAT friends.

In school  I had a lot of friends but I am not in touch with most of them as I do not visit the place that I was in school.

In college we were a group of 5 friends who were close and enjoyed our college days by bunking and going to movies and sometimes going on a picnic with the permission of parents,

I had lost contact with all of them, Met one on my wedding day when I went to the beauty salon to get my make up and hair done and in a hurry did not really exchange any phone numbers.

Some years ago on a Sunday I happened to talk to all four of them and we meet sometimes as and when time permits,though we speak on the phone on birthdays and keep in touch otherwise too.

When I went to Bombay Hospital I met some girls who I became friends with and am still very close to. Even though it is more than 30 years since I first met them, we have been there to support one another in any way required.

Two of the friends are now settled in Auckland, New Zealand and my husband and I visited them for 3 weeks about 3 years ago. We really enjoyed the holiday and it was one of the best holidays that we had. We exchange gifts and know each persons likes and dislikes.

I have been going to The Home for the Aged for nearly 13 years as a volunteer and there too I was lucky to meet some nice people who I am friends with.

I love my friends and hope and pray that everyone has somebody to be there for them in times of need. I have not mentioned any names but you know who you are when you read this blog post.

May all of you be blessed always.

Love you all,

Sheila

I Love Elephants

Magali & the Elephants in Yangon Zoo, Myanmar (1994).

Elephants to me are huge, sweet and gentle animals.

Here in Mumbai we used to see them on the road along with their mahouts who used them to beg for money and food. Normally they do not harm anybody but there are some instances where they have gone on a rampage and killed people (mostly due to ill treatment) Now they are banned on the roads in Mumbai but can be seen on the outskirts of the city.

Since Magali was just one year old we had been regularly taking her to the zoo in different countries.

Here in Mumbai we are not allowed to feed the animals but I remember when we visited the zoo in Yangon, Myanmar we had to pay a certain amount of money and we were given a small plastic basket filled with sugar cane. Magali and I enjoyed feeding the elephants.

About five years ago the whole family went on a holiday to Bangkok where there are a lot of elephants at the zoo and different places we visited during our stay. Magali even sat on an elephant for a fee where the trainer was taking the elephant around the area for the ride. There too we could feed a lot of elephants with sugar cane and they would nicely take it from your hand.

Magali (above) & me in Safari World, Bangkok (2009).

Poachers should leave the elephants alone who they kill for the ivory. Ivory is banned in India and many other countries so I hope the elephants can live a longer life now.

Love to all,

Sheila

This post has been written as part of ABC Wednesday.

My Daughter, My Blessing!

I remember the day very clearly when it was confirmed that I was pregnant. I  had never thought about the gender of the child and was just hoping that I have a normal delivery and a normal child.

Magali with me, aged 2 months old.

My husband being in the Merchant Navy joined a ship when I was 3 months pregnant and promised me that he would be home on time for the delivery.

But our daughter had different plans. About 2 weeks before my due date she decided that she wanted to see the world and so on 9th of April around 8.40 pm  after a long and painful labour she came into this world.

I say daughters are a blessing because they share everything with you. Your joys, sorrows, pain and sickness.

Magali last month, aged 22!

When I am not well she is beside me all the while trying to make me comfortable.When she is out of the house she calls me often just to say "Hi". I have taken care of her all by myself even when my husband has been away on the ship and with no full time help but I always enjoyed our time together.Even on holidays we enjoy just roaming around new places, sight seeing and shopping.

I love you Magali and hope and pray that you are blessed with good health and all the happiness in this world.

Take care,

Sheila

This post has been written as part of ABC Wednesday.

Comparisons are Not Good

I do not know why  people find the need to compare their children or different people.

Last week I met a Father whose two daughters are in Australia. He was going to visit them and when I politely asked about them he told me that he was very happy with the older daughter who was doing very well for herself and was in the 'elite strata of society' (his words) whereas the younger daughter was just 'mediocre' and he had nothing to really say about her.

He bragged about the big pay check that the older daughter earned every month but did not want to say anything about the younger daughter. It looked like he was very dissatisfied with how the younger daughter was living her life.

And all this talk when I just politely asked about them.

Parents, please try not to compare your children to their siblings or to others too. I know it is difficult because I happen to do it sometimes too. Give your children all that you can and then leave it to them to build a life for themselves. Loving the children always is  most important.

Take Care,

Sheila

This post has been written as part of ABC Wednesday.

B for Begging

In July 2003 I started going as a volunteer to The Home For The Aged run by The little Sisters of the Poor In Mumbai, India.

The Order was founded by St. Jeanne Jugan in the nineteenth century in France.

Now there are Homes all over the world and the Religious look after the poor and abandoned old people irrespective of  religion or caste.

Since the Homes are run on charity the Religious go out at least once a week to beg for perishables and non perishable in the markets. Many people come to the homes and donate on different occasions in the family or any good happening that has happened to them. Most of the time the shopkeepers give very willingly but some make a very disgusted face at the sight of the Sisters when they are doing their rounds.

These photos have been taken by my daughter Magali & were published in her blog 'Begging with the Little Sisters of the Poor in Mangalore', you can read more about our experience there.

Most of the Sisters have a thick skin and do not mind if they are insulted but some of them are shy and hesitant and I really would not blame them.

Begging is difficult and a person has to be thick skinned when they are insulted or just ignored as if they are not visible to the person

May God give the Little Sisters the strength and courage to beg for the Residents of their Homes.

May God shower them with blessings and good health for the work that they do for the poor.

Love,

Sheila

This post has been written as part of ABC Wednesday.

A for Appreciation

Today being the start of ABC Wednesday I am starting with the Alphabet A.

Appreciation: meaning recognition of the good in a person.

Many a times we take people for granted and never appreciate them.

My Father loved having me around the home doing most of the work he told me, but he never appreciated me or said a word to me.

But I got to hear from a lot of people that he always praised me as being an active and smart person and being able to do varied things right from gardening or going to Churchgate to pay his Life Insurance premium when I was just 13 years old.

I also feel that I should let people know that I have loved having them in my life.

The first person will be my husband Ezy who has given me the freedom to do what I want though I have never abused that freedom. We will be celebrating  25 Years together in a few days.

The next person is someone who came into our life more than 22 years ago.

That person is our daughter Magali. I am happy that she has grown into a smart and kind girl especially to animals. Ezy and I love her and have done all that we can to make her happy.

Next is our families and friends. Thank You all for being a part of our lives.I Thank God and appreciate you all.

Love you all,

Sheila