Monday 10 April 2017

H is for How are you? #atozchallenge


How are you?

Hold on. Wait. Pause.

Before you get into autopilot and choose any of the following: good, fine, alright or throw a 'how are you' back at me, think...how are you?

It's a simple how to question. Right?
How do you cook pasta? How is work? How many grams in a kilo?

Or is it?

When was the last time you were honest about answering this simple question?

You'll say, "But who's got the time to listen to me if I do tell them how I really feel?"

I'd say, "You do. You have the time to listen to you, don't you? Before asking anyone else, ask yourself: How are you?"

And labels like happy, sad, worried, anxious, bindaas (carefree), agitated, intoxicated state the state you're in. These don't disclose the real you.

The real you, says Anusha, is formless and at peace. It's full of love.

To find the real me, I feel, my state of being has to be still and calm.

Mix a glass of clear water with some sand and pebbles. Give it a good stir. Is it murky? All churned up? Unclear? Lost?

Stop stirring.

Sit and watch the sediments settle to the bottom of the glass. It takes time. Be patient. Look through the top of the glass? Can you see clearly?

How you feel affects how close you are to that clarity, that truth, that path to the real you, that discovery.

The sun, the moon, this air, these oceans and rivers and seeds and flowers are all the same, but some of us see their beauty and some don't. How does that happen?
So, my dear reader, how are you at this moment? Go on, your self is waiting to hear from you.

I'm happy today, happy and still and in the mood to dance, too. Weird, I know! Perhaps I was a swinging Darwish in a previous birth, but I do love to swing. So, without further ado, let me take you to a sun drenched Sunday (just last week) in the center of Dubrovnik where happy feet and swishing skirts made a lot of people happy.




Leaving you with words I often read from 
The Sage's Tao Te Ching
by
William Martin
How Happy We all Become 

What freedom there is 
in needing no achievement.
.......
We are at last able
to move amidst our loved ones
with the grace of a dancer.
And they are at last free
of our clumsy attempts to control.
How happy we all become.
*****
Take care of yourselves, till we meet again: U and I:)


18 comments:

  1. What an uplifting blog post with a very deep meaning - thank you so much and lovely to have met you and your wonderful photos through the A - Z Challenge :) http://pempispalace.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/h-is-for-helpful-hugs.html

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    1. Thank you for visiting Cat. I'm gonna pop right over:)

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  2. Great photographs and an entertaining read :-)

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  3. You've shone light on what is a very mundane,typical question often thrown as a mandatory greeting.
    If people asked that question with much more genuine concern- the world would be a much,much better place .
    And as for how I am right now - in slight denial still- given my recent bereavement but have a much bigger step to take or handle next Monday .
    Let you know how that went.
    In the meanwhile eagerly look forward to rest of the alphabets Arti !
    Bless you for giving me something to look forward to every day.💕

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    1. Thank you Sharmila. Hugs to you. Monday will be easier than you think, you'll see. Love over fear--always my friend. Will be thinking of you. You'll feel lighter after your unburdening. xx

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  4. When you learn English in school, they tell you that when Americans say "how are you?" they don't actually want to hear the answer, and you should just respond "how are you?" It took me a long time to get used to that, because I instinctively wanted to answer every time, and they looked at me funny... :D

    The Multicolored Diary: WTF - Weird Things in Folktales

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    1. I totally get that! LOL! Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. I have a friend who always answers, "Able to sit up and sip soup, thank you" - which I think is perfect. It avoids the unthinking response, doesn't over-burden with TMI, and generally makes people grin.
    Plus, it lets you see who's actually listening to your reply!

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    1. I think I like your friend:) Fab answer.
      Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Very thought provoking post. So deep in meaning, yet leaves a smile on your lips at the end. :-)

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  7. Very thought provoking post. Very deep, yet leaves a smile on your face at the end. :-)

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  8. Thank you for visiting my blog. How am I tonight? Energized, which isn't always the case after a day of work. At times like these, I can really enjoy nature. But if I'm feeling down, even the most beautiful sunset may not entice me to step out and admire it. I won't stir myself tonight, and will let myself settle out for the toil of tomorrow.

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  9. Great post! Like you said, I am often quick to provide a single adjective to describe how I feel rather than taking the time to think any deeper. Loved your comparison to rock and sand in water. Thought-provoking. :)

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  10. I am SO glad you stopped by my blog today, Arti... for it gave me the opportunity to visit your beautiful online space. I adore your photographs, and completely understand why you claim words are your wine!

    I particularly love this post. I never thought to ask myself, "How are you?" and then listen to the response. I think this is a fabulous journaling exercise (my subject for the A-Z challenge this year) and I plan to incorporate it into my journaling routine.

    I look forward to connecting with you often :)

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