Meena Mangalathil:

Today I met a person who collected rosaries (not literally met, I saw him on television).He collected different types of rosaries starting from his grandfather. It was a journey, which he elaborted so vividly, that each had a unique place in his heart with a story to tell. So while I was hearing it, I felt odd because I had no collection to boast of or did I? This made me thinking. Everyone had some sort of collection, stamps, coins, antiques, tea pots, precious stones, pictures, paintings, books, etc. Then I came to think of myself, what's wrong with me? I have something missing as not to feel collecting something. Then I knew why? There was a time when I had stamp collection, medal collection, coin collection & 3D card collection and I did it with such vigour that I had a vast collection, but all of it was taken from me, either by my siblings, friends & neighbours. You know, when we have to give what we have collected just like that, without anything to hold, except tha...

Today while I was in church, I was lucky to get a place exactly under the fan. So I was happy and very much spiritual. Now you might be thinking why I am saying all these. Its just that I heard the Bible reading. Oops Sorry!!! I know, your brows are raised, but its true. So after the reading, we had the prayer of Faith (I believe in God....). For me that prayer has a special significance. Its like a Personal Anthem. I feel very proud of it when I recite. So I was reciting it from the very bottom of my heart with great passion and there is a part where it states that "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary." At that time, something struck me, something like an opening of a new information and a new message came to me. Adam was born without any parent. He was given life by Creator alone, for a purpose to be united with God. He just blew away all of that and Jesus was also born in the same way, created...

There is one sad thing that hogs everyone’s life at one point or other, mistrust. I had been in that brunt for many a times that I have lost count. You might ask, how? Well, I was a boarder from very small, which means from kindergartren. You know, it was an age, when my things became public property. I didn’t have any stationery to say as my own. I had to beg every other hour for a pencil or eraser or a sharpener. And the result, Meena has nothing. I didn’t mind, until when trouble started brewing when others too lost their things. If someone lose something they immediately put the blame on me. And I a kindergarten student had only one answer, “ I didn’t take.” It was true. I cannot keep my own things, then how can I manage to keep other’s things. Anyway, no one believed except my dad, who said, “Whatever you say, I believe because you are my blood.” Well, I thought he was meaning the father – daughter relationship. But in fact, it was just something out of everyones’ comprehensio...

These days I am just horded with different types of love, like mother’s love, friend’s love, wife’s love, husband’s love, child’s love, teacher’s love, etc....etc.... Do you think, there is any wrong with this type of love? I do not think so. And we all do have love affairs in different categories, for example, I do have friends, I have my parents, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts, neighbours and my brother, I am a teacher, I have my own kids and a husband. So I have been in varied form of love affairs. So does that mean, I am a whore (prostitute)? No. Yes, You are right. We do not become a whore if we love people around us. In actual fact, you are very lucky, if you are capable of loving someone. Whenever I think of love, the first thing that comes to mind is, Charles Dicken’s, Uncle Scrooge. I felt like smashing his face when he used to say “Humbug”. That is how we would be, if we are unable to love. So do not underestimate the power of love. Now, when I say, you should ...

No Way!!!!!!!!! I know, you might be raising your brows. But its true. Never bargain. Ask the price. If you feel that it is the right value or a little more and if you can afford it, then just pay it. And if it is very much more? If you really want it, ask whether they can reduce it. If no buy it or let it go. If it is for you, it will come to you, no matter what the price. OK, that's enough. Now, do you know why you bargain? Because you feel, that it is your hard earned money, which should not be squandered, isn't it? But how did that money come to you in the first place? From the money tree? No, someone passed it to you, isn't it? Exactly, money is to be shared, just like everything. Grains are sown in the soil and after sometime, it produces more grains, likewise, fruits, vegetables, etc...etc... They go to nothingness to bring abundance. Sometimes my friends would scold me for paying the price just like that, without even asking whether it could be red...

Hey guys, Sorry. It took so long to take my letter pad for the next session of writing. Last day, I had a very insightful experience which really made me think that travel is not just seeing places. Then what? Well, let me first explain the situation, then I could explain in detail. A month ago I had to organize a houseboat post haste. The reason, the guest who had selected a travel agent, did not turn up to take them to their houseboat or give any detail of the houseboat. So they decided to take my help. I booked a good houseboat, they requested a standard houseboat. You know the speciality of the houseboat? There are many categories from base, standard, premium to luxury. And the price, facilities, menu, etc varies. The boat which was allotted for them had no fridge ( standard boat has no fridge). But they had two cases of beer to consume. The boat people gave them an ice box in which the ice couldn't stay for long and the result, the guest were angry. They were angry ...

Today, while I was in church, something happened, which made me question something and the answer was there immediately. It was something with regard to my travel agency. The person who had given me to look after is planning to take it back. So when the information was passed to me, I didn't feel anything. In fact, I was thinking it was all probably for the best because, the place I have now was brought to me, when nobody needed it. I just took it and made it successful. But that doesn't mean that I own it. No, I cannot afford to own it. But one thing I can say happily, I used it to the maximum and I do not regret it. Now, this thought came, while I was in church and my thoughts went to the time limit of everything, like the number of years I serve in one place or the number of years I live or the number of years I study or the number of years I be a wife or mother or whatever, the friends I meet, etc.. There is the countability for everything we do, which we call finitenes...