Ariel Matic or Magic!

Husband and wife

Just like the wheels align

Move forward holding hands

Their home's a loving shrine!

No more fights

My turn or your turn, 

Despite the endless responsibilities

forget the endless churn!

Sharing the love

Rationing the responsibilities

Their journey now serene

Peaceful as the beautiful dove!

Miya-biwi ab kare kamal

Welcoming the new Ariel Matic

Smilingly cleaning the laundry 

Finishing the load like a trick in magic!

It seems it's not only Delhi being helped by the number game, but the odd-even rule could be for couples too. I am taking part in the #LaundryGoesOddEven Challenge by Ariel India at BlogAdda. It was fun trying the product with calendar dates which means pre-set responsibilities. Try it and see for yourself!

The Body, the Excess Baggage and 2016!

Yay! This New Year post was written for Blogadda's #TalesOf2015! activity and scored a place in the top 20 entries. Here is the list. 

Time is the only eternal change in universe. It never stops changing. The moment which we call present will become past in blink of an eye. Months, weeks and days become memories with each breath we take. Yes, like every other year, 2015 has also bid adieu and we welcomed 2016 with hopes and aspirations anew. Changing years mark not only change in calendar but provide us with a new beginning. Sometimes, I wonder if these are meant to give us fresh perspective in the monotony of life and everyday struggles.

I love new years because this is my shot at change. It’s a standard day to look back, a day to smile and learn. The biggest smile that 2015 brought to me was when I became a mom (again). Believe me, it’s so much harder to be mothering more than one. I am growing everyday as a person. Every day I am learning to be a mother, all over again. To understand and tend to the needs of two children, one being a baby who can’t speak and the other one, all expressive and letting you know she requires attention like before! Oh! It’s like walking on a tightrope and you can’t fall. But the runs between Ballet classes to diaper changes, the clock ticking with feeding times to early morning school preparations, this adrenalin rush brings a bliss of its own kind and will give birth to a lifetime of memories. Amen!

With this expected joy came lot of unexpected events. All related to my physical being! I never imagined this would affect my family in ways I never knew. This included my own expectations from myself, as a new mother. It was no less than an encounter with the End and yes, the saying, ‘health is wealth’, for the very first time in my left made sense. It’s so important to be healthy. Lying helplessly on the hospital bed, I was only thinking of myself, my body. It is all what matters in the end- the physical presence. Till Oxygen reaches your lung and you exhale Carbon-Dioxide, you are very much alive and yes, we are responsible to keep doing this beautifully for as long as possible. In those unhealthy moments, days and weeks, I took a solemn pledge to earn as much as wealth of health as possible, each day of my life now onwards. So, 2016 is all about the physical body because everything else just follows.

Like every year, I am not going to make a book full of resolutions. I think a lot of us do that and then after a few enthusiastic days, we shrink back in our efforts. 2016, this year, it will be something good, something healthy, at least one minute a day. In one of the books I read last year, they gave this amazing power of one-minute in my hands. Yes, this one-minute everyday will gradually bring us countless minutes without sulking, getting demotivated or just plain lazy. We all do that at some point.

For this, I am going to do as much as with my power, and all that which is in my power. Starting with, 2016, I am just going to let go of the 'excess baggage'! All the excess baggage that has cluttered my being has to go away this year (with a hope to learn to minimize accumulation of this clutter the rest of my life). As human beings we are hoarders. We hoard material things, abstract ideas, dead relationships and tons of memories. We as human beings can achieve so much, only if we find our inner symmetry. The perfect symmetry of the body with the mind. Starting with my physical body, I am going to reach to my mastermind. I am glad 2015 hit me hard and posed before me a few very basic yet very big questions-

Do I know how to breathe?

Google Image 

We all breathe to live. Have you ever thought to live to breathe? A few of us who practice various breathing exercises or those who practice meditation through breathing right knows the bliss in प्राण वायु ('praan vayu', the oxygen that keeps us kicking and writing). 2016 I am going to let go of all the unforgiving air my lungs receive. Yes, breathing right is an art, and this year I want to learn it from scratch, unlearning everything unnecessary. I am going to reward my lungs by opening them fully, breathing the essence of human existence. Easy it may seem to read but very difficult to achieve it if you have been doing it wrong all your lives. The trick is to learn it mindfully, not to lose hope and practice everyday. 

Is my mind free from fear?

There is a certain fear in my mind that may not make sense to a lot of you. Imagine a dangerous situation and you have to run for life. The only problem is I can't run! 2016 I am going to let go of the fear of being unable to run. Yes, unbelievable it may seem but I am bad at running. I gasp for air after a few minutes. Yes, I need to work on my breathing but I also need stamina. 2016 I am going to let go of the excess flab I have accumulated without being in need of it. I am not a polar bear who eats and hibernates. I am just storing, not even hibernating. I dream of fitting in my old clothes. My old pictures haunt me. To achieve these wishes, I have decided to lock horns with my weakness and signed up for a 5K run. I am practicing every day with a professional plan. Oh boy! it's hard to run for 1 minute for me and 5K is a 30-minute estimate. The trick is not to give up, let the oxygen in and keep running.

Do I have endless disk space?

Equally important for physical well being is to declutter those memoirs, endless burdening emotions and people/acquaintances/so-called friends which do not provide any life-juice. Our heads often are filled with lots of old memories that wrap us tight and make it impossible to make new beginnings. We consicously and unconsciously make comparisons, become envious, nag and whine. This all takes away many useful moments from our life, which can be creative and productive as well as helpful for others. 2016 I am going to let go of unnecessary burden from my mind and heart. This is in the form of emotional baggage. By making space in my heart, I am going to value the valuables, save time for tasks that will let me grow as a person and I will show gratitude to at least one thing/person every day. Decluttering may be hard but so important.

Do I need everything that I own?

To further let go of the excess baggage, I am planning to target to lighten my house. Giving away the

From Google Images

gently used clothes to the needy and homeless, the books read over and over again would be donated to the local library, thus spreading the love of reading. Toys would go to a orphanage and many other accumulated material things would have to go away this year. 2016 I am going to let go of everything material I am not using, and can be reused by someone in need.

As I list all my let-go(s) of 2016, I am starting to visualize how much light my body and my mind would be feeling. I just can't wait to actually make it happen. I know I am dreaming big but 2015 taught me the importance of right things, and 2016 will see the body changing and the excess baggage exiting my being. Amen!

This was my world in a recap and a glimpse of my dreams and goals for 2016. Enjoy, if you want a recap of our world in the year just went by-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEzyex2HvqA

P.S.-“I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda.”

Responsible Tourism is about Respect!

“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” —John James Audubon

Ria and Jia, the 9-year old twins rushed around the coffee table in the living room. The excitement was clearly evident in their bright sparkly eyes. Summer vacations were almost nearing and they had big plans to enjoy, enjoy and enjoy. Today, their dad was to tell them options where they can go for their annual vacation. It was sort of a family tradition for the Mehtas to relax and have fun at a historical heritage site, safari park or nature getaways. Everyone looked forward to it.

Finally the moment! Dad brought brochures from a travel agent and few travel magazines showcasing beauty and bliss. From the majestic palaces in Rajasthan to beautiful beaches in Kerala, from the snowy treat in Himachal to the temples in Gujarat, from the museums in Delhi to the sweet delights in Calcutta...the girls started weaving colorful, happy thoughts from which they would make a warm blanket of memories until the next year summer vacations. The family talked about what each one of wanted from the vacation. Mrs. Mehta wanted to visit temples and reflect on the divine ideals and beliefs they stood for. Mr. Mehta wanted a relaxing trip with the family. He wanted to be at a place abundant with natural scenery away from the hullaballoo of everyday chores. The little twins wished for melody of waterfalls, a camp made cosy with their sleeping bags and a lantern, sights of wild animals, scent of fauna. Yes, they dreamt of adventure. They all had different places they wanted to go but before they could decide, today, Mr. Mehta had an important thing to discuss, especially with the girls. He wanted these holidays to be extra special. Not only he wanted relaxation and fun but education to go hand in hand.

Carefully he picked a packet of flash cards from his office bag. Ria and Jia were curious, what they were and what the print with pictures in them stood for. Mr. Mehta then told the girls, it’s time for all of them to be Responsible Tourists. Mrs. Mehta nodded and smiled, thinking that this was going to be the learning for life.

1) Flora and Fauna:

Who doesn't like the peace of nature, the music of sea waves, the purity of sea-surf, the echoes in mountains, the buzzing of bees in lush green forests. Most of us have enjoyed or at least wished for watching orange Sunset with seagulls calling, wandering relaxedly amidst tall green trees and wild animals . What if the dream never comes true because we didn't care enough for it?

2) Disposables & Trash:

Travel inevitably generates piles of trash. Ranging from various paper brochures to packets of chips we enjoy en route our journey to disposables we use. The foremost job as a responsible tourist is to reduce our usage of such products and then when their purpose is served, dispose it rightfully. Even trash has it's rightful place. Yes, a trash can/dust-bin. If you don't find any at a particular moment, make your own. Assign a bag as a trash-bag and collect all travel-generated trash in it. Dispose one when you can. Be Responsible for your own waste.

3) Yes to Memories, No to Carbon-footprint:

Travel with loved ones or in beloved nature or majestic buildings is a sure way to please the eyes and mind. Vacations add to the album of life the beautiful memories to linger on in the monotony of life. Make memories not your carbon-footprint. Carbon footprint indicates the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities during a certain period of time. It is expressed in tonnes of Carbon produced.

Here's how you can reduce the production of carbon footprint during (and also in general) your vacation-

1)Track mileage and efficiency of your vehicles -rented or personal. Avoid modes of transport that emit lots of smoke and gases like nitrogen oxide, carbon-dioxide in huge amounts.
2)If possible, go for hybrid vehicles. Do your bit. It makes a difference.

4) Energy- Preserve and Conserve- You will be lifeless without it:
Imagine no electricity to charge your smartphones! Phew! How many of us do not panic when the battery is dying and we are away from chargers or power sources! No television or no light bulb, no laptops no flame to make breads on. Yes, life would be lifeless without energy. 

• So you are in a hotel, why bother to shut the lights/fan/air conditioning! No, be responsible and keep lights and air-conditioning to your room off when not needed or while going out.
• Do you imagine how many gallons of water is needed to wash towels/napkins? How much energy is spent in the process! Just because the hotels give you new towel service every day, do not give them to laundry. Reuse them just as you do at your home. Think before you drop them for laundry.

 

5) Relish & Cherish the 'Local':

Local art, handicrafts, textured woven fabrics, story-based music, rituals etc, they all have a earthen touch and fragrance to them. A lot of places local artisans are facing problems to keep up their only source of livelihood. As a responsible tourist, we should encourage their art. An important thing to follow is not to bargain unnecessarily. We would be ready to spend hundreds of rupees in fancy restaurants but to buy from these artisans, we bargain.  Avoid it and ask others to avoid it too.

Responsible Tourism is about sustainability and ecological conservation. We need to be accountable. We need to be responsible for our actions and for acts of our fellow men and women. Don't just preach. Act and set examples for others. Our children will learn more from seeing us follow certain rules and ethics than watching and listening us teach them. Footprint Network measures Footprint and Biocapacity in global hectares. The figures for India are shocking. Look for yourself-

Ecological assets are at the core of every nation's long-term wealth. Yet today, population growth and consumption patterns are putting more pressure on our planet's ecosystems, as seen in water shortages, reduced cropland productivity, deforestation, biodiversity loss, fisheries collapse and climate change. Ecological Footprint accounting compares how much demand human consumption places on the biosphere (Ecological Footprint) to the area, or supply, of productive land available to meet this demand (biocapacity). Both Footprint and biocapacity are measured in global hectares. Footprint accounting exposes the unique risks and opportunities that natural resource constraints pose to each nation.

(Source: Footprint Network, Ecological Footprint-India)

Responsible Tourism is about Respect and Responsibility. Respect the place, act responsibly. Being a tourist does not mean we have rights to act irresponsibly and recklessly.  Enjoy but with caution so as not to disturb the environment. If each one of us starts thinking and acting with little prudence, we and many generations to come can enjoy the magical beauty of mother Earth. 

Like Jia and Ria's father, Mr. Mehta, let's start educating our kids about responsible tourism. Let's begin with being one. Cherish our Earth and it's jewels to pass on to generations to come. 

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I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda”. This post speaks my thoughts about Responsible Tourism. An initiative that aims at- "Better places for people to live, and better places for people to visit."