Preeti Shenoy's blog.

You have probably seen the video and read about it too. When I first came across it, I was really touched. Free Hugs is a campaign started by Juan Mann. The effect of the campaign was phenomenal. For the first fifteen minutes nobody respsonded.Probably people even thought he was crazy.To know more click here . It is REALLY worth knowing about. If things are going bad for you just now, a good way to put it in perspective is to think, if it will really matter three months from now. Most great leaders,motivational speakers and life coaches recommend keeping a journal. I too keep a journal. (If you are scared of someone reading it you can always start one in livejournal and make the settings private) When I look back at what I was worrying about three months back, it seems so trivial now. A close friend of mine just called and said with total conviction “You know, whatever happens does happen for the best, though it may not seem so at that moment. It may even take you a few

Phew!! I now know who this persistent annonymous reader is. (See previous post) The person who told me begged me not to say it in my blog--so i will not give away anything more. I just feel bad for this person. (How sad to be obssessed like this.) I know you will continue reading silently--I wish you the very best for yourself, and your family too. Thanks to all of you who wrote in. Some of your suggestions did give me a fresh perspective.It helped SO MUCH. Thanks for the support. And hey-- Thanks for reading! (Wink!) Could not resist that. :-)

Sometime back I came across this post and I loved it. It expressed some of my sentiments exactly, about why people put up their children’s photos in the blogs. I really felt like applauding Poppins who wrote the post for saying it so well. When I started my blog, it was simply an aid to cope with grief. I had no idea that many would read—and connect so well. I had no idea that it would launch an alternate career for me in writing as well. (I get regular writing assignments now from various magazines and newspapers too. My articles have started appearing in print—and cheques have started coming in. It feels very fulfilling) Of late though, I have started getting bothered about some people who regularly read my blog and do not say a word. They arrive on my blog by specifically searching for my blog with my FULL name, that too my maiden name. This means that these people know me well. They know what my kids look like, they know what my husband looks like, they know what I am

The prompt at Writers island is Second chance I stare at him With a lump in my throat It is hard to swallow pride. It always gets stuck. Making me choke On the words I want to say My eyes beseech, beg, plead Wanting him To understand What I want to articulate. He condescends instead And asks “Why are you like this?” “Why can’t you be normal?” Normal ? What is normal? Whose perception defines normal? Can’t he see that he means the world to me? I am screaming now but wordlessly. His words clinging to my throat. It is hard to swallow censure too. But I want my second chance And I am willing to pay any price To get it. © Ps

Could not resist a Wordless Wednesday . Clicked at Worli Sea face, Mumbai ,India.

Why is it so hard to accept sincere praise? And why is it so hard to praise something whole heartedly? This is something I have mulled over a lot. As children, we accept praise without thinking. We believe people do not have any ulterior motive when they praise. As adults, we become cynical, suspicious, guarded. To me, praising others whole heartedly for something they have done comes as naturally as breathing. When I appreciate something I speak up from the heart, if I feel it is deserved. I have seen varied responses to praise. Everyone likes to be praised, but how they react is so different. Some of them don’t accept a compliment and they throw it right back at you. It usually disguises their discomfort at being praised. It makes the giver of the compliment, feel foolish and small—but of course the recipient , for whom it was intended does not realize it. Then there are others who accept it—but grudgingly. They say “Thanks, but…..” and they go on to elaborate why wha

Did you miss me ?Yes? Just a tiny bit? A teeny weeny bit? An Infinitesimal, microscopic, atomic bit? An itsy bitsy teeny weeny bit? (Stop thinking about the yellow polka dot bikini!) No?!! For God’s sake, lie a little, will you?! Well, I did think of you. (Not in that madly-in-love-24-by-7-I-think-of you-Shahid-Kareena-used-to-be way but more, mature, quiet, deep Manyata-Sanjay way. (Despite having a deadline to meet—which explains why I was away. Deadline is still ticking—but hey some things just cannot wait.) Honest—and I am not lying. When I read your blogs or the comments you leave, I wonder about your lives, what you might be doing at that moment. How would you be feeling? What would you be thinking? What will you be waiting for? (I think a lot—I am always thinking, 24 by 7, in a Saif-Kareena- obsessed- about- thinking way. Its no coincidence that I conduct workshops on developing thinking skills for a living!) I wonder—Do you have a time of the day when you re

On Tuesday morning, the first thing I heard as soon as I woke up was that the old lady who lived four houses down the lane had passed away. Her grandchildren play with mine. S and I went to pay our respects and offer condolences. There are many rituals and customs associated with a Hindu funeral. When I went there, it was like re-living my dad’s funeral all over again. It has been a year and five months since he died. (In case you don’t know the story click here and also here . ) But yesterday, when I saw all those rituals being performed it felt like going back into a horrible nightmare from which I have woken up. Death is always a sobering experience and whole of Tuesday was spent in quiet contemplation. Yesterday afternoon, my mom called. What she told me left me shocked. A distant cousin (who is the same age as me and who has kids the same age as mine) lost her husband all of a sudden. One minute he was walking to his car, then he felt a little uncomfortable and came bac

Doing a Wordless Wednesday after very long. Clicked at a small lane somewhere in Mumbai.(click to enlarge)

Really sorry--I have had to remove this post as it will soon appear in a book. Making it available online would have been very unfair to my publisher who has placed so much trust in me. I hope you enjoy the other posts as much as you enjoyed this one. A heartfelt thanks for your support and understanding.Thanks for continuing to read what I write.