Is someone out there to get you?

Love and hate are the two sides of the same coin!

Hurdles, hatred and enemies are very important just as love, kindness and care is.

Have you ever felt like some people are out there to get you? OR

Some people's aim is to destroy you?

Excluding mental illnesses and extremes, below is one explanation of why people do what they do and what people should feel in response to things.

Sometimes, people don't want you to fall. They just want to be the reason for your rise. They want you to need them. They love you so much that they want to become the reason and they want to be recognized as the reason behind your success.

Yes, when they get upset, they may not have the best way to get the point across and may be misconstrued as unwell wishers.

Kindness and love are two expressions that can melt a stone heart just by an emotional touch.

While it is good to be kind and spread love, please note that it is also important to give others the opportunity to shower kindness and love on you.

May be they would ask for a favor in return or may be they would just want the same kindness and love or may be they just want to do it selflessly to show you that they love you.

Either way, they want to be associated with you, just because they care.

Just take a moment and think, can any human being become what s/he is, without anyone's help?

 Humans are totally helpless when they are born

 Then, they learn to walk and talk. They get their foundations and life long support from their roots

 Then, they go out in the world.

The teachers, the friends and even bullies play a very important role in learning all sorts of lessons.

Believe it or not, sometimes our greatest enemies are the biggest reasons behind our success.

If you get food served on a golden platter everyday, you might not worry about where it came from.

What if someone takes everything from you and leaves you on the streets to survive, you have no other way out but to struggle to survive or die. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

There may be kind and cruel ways of teaching and learning but the end goal is always the same, wisdom.

The harsher the lesson, the more is the wisdom.

After all, if mother Kekai wasn't there, would the legend of Lord Ram and Sita be created?

If Ravana wasn't there, would Lord Ram ever be worshipped as he is now?

If Duryodhan wasn't there, would Arjun have ever learned those lessons from Shri Krishna that he learned in the battlefield.

It doesn't imply that harsh lessons are better. Kind lessons are better as they do not cause sadness.

Harsh lessons can be hit or miss. What if one is not able to cope with it?

But, what choices do we have? The glass is both half full and half empty. A positive outlook can lead to positive outcomes.

Life experiences and forces of nature and doings of nature take one to the next level.

Every joy and every sorrow comes with a lesson. Every gain and every loss takes us one step closer to wisdom.

Every moment, we are evolving to be closer to ultimate peace and joy.

Give love and get love.

Spread kindness and absorb kindness.

And when someone creates hurdles for you, thank him or her and just know that somehow that person wants some kind of recognition in shaping you the way you are.

They say every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In the world of love and hatred every action has a same and equal reaction. This is good except, if we respond to hate with love, the reaction can become very pleasant and prosperous.

A fight or a war can never bring harmony.

Only love, peace, forgiveness and understanding can bring peace and harmony. And only there, can a bud bloom into a flower. A bomb can only destroy the ground. Only nurturing can grow a flower from the earth.

Let's aim for a very peaceful life!

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/26/2022

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Doli mein bithai ke kaha

Doli mein tum laye the,

Arthi mein le jana tum

Mang meri sajayi thi

Soona na use banana tum

Tumhari thi tumhari hoon

Bazaar mein na le jana tum

Saath nibhane ka vachan liya

Usko bharsak nibhana tum

Dil mein Jo Jyot jalayi thi

Usko na kabhi bujhana Tum

Seene mein tumhare jo dard hai

Mujhse wo kabhi na chhupana tum

Saza Jo chahe de do

Par chhod ke na jana tum

Ye Janam to tumhare naam hai

Agle Janam chahe na bulana tum

Doli mein tum laye the,

Arthi mein le Jana tum

Mang meri sajayi thi

Soona na use banana tum

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Bondage and Liberation!

"Doctor, 

I am above 90. I have lived my life fully and I am not afraid of going but my husband is. 

He worries too much about me. I am not afraid of dying. I think, I have had a beautiful life and have reached the age where very few people reach. I feel ready to go.

It just hurts a lot but I don't feel much bothered by it somehow...

My grandson told me that he wants to stay in the house after I go. He is very attached to me. I have to make sure that I write it in his name. Other than that, I don't have anything else to do. I don't want too many medicines."

"Dear Ms Smith,

You are a wonderful person.

I am going to take care of you to the best of my capacity and will try to keep you as painless as possible."

Mrs Smith seems to be liberated. But she was bonded at one point in time. She had the bondage with her surroundings and her family. She created lives and then raised them, then raised the lives that emerged from the lives that she had generated.

She nurtured the family tree and now she wants to become the water and reach every leaf and evaporate from the surface into the vast space.

Space is so vast. Numerous galaxies exist in space. Numerous solar systems. Numerous suns and numerous planets revolving around that sun!

Such heavenly bodies and they are all in bondage.

The level of bondage changes though.

 Some bonds results in coming together to form a planet, some bonds are lighter and they form the solar system. Even lighter bonds form a galaxy , and thereafter they exist in intergalactic space and then infinity.

When the strong bonds are also versatile, a planet like earth is formed where particles come close together and create an environment conducive to life.

When there are all levels of adequate bondages to make room for earth, water and air, it creates life.

Apparently, in order to create and raise a life, a bondage is needed.

Once the life is created and raised, the liberation comes.

Though, it is still going to remain in the same space and it has its own trajectory.

The space can be infinite. Yes, it will have to remain in that infinite space. Liberated yet bonded.

No matter how bound, some level of liberation is there.

No matter how liberated, some level of bondage remains.

It is when all the tasks are done, the feeling of "I am done" comes. When one has played one's role completely and has given all efforts, the immense feeling of joy and satisfaction come and at that moment, the next moment doesn't matter because all the timed things are done. Now, whatever is left is limitless, timeless and liberated.

Ms Smith became the earth, she grew lots of fruits, created many ways, she made sure that the plants and animals take care of this earth and now she wants to disembody and liberate and yet stay bonded in that infinite yet finite space.

She said that she feels ready to go. Does she know where will she go and what makes her so calm.

She seems to have immense wisdom. Her memory may be impaired. She may have had some hallucinations, but she was aware of every loss of memory and every hallucination.

It seems like part of her 'who is totally with it' is disembodied and the remaining part is waiting to be liberated and yet is bonded to her body.  Her other part seems to be somewhere, where she is ageless, timeless and limitless. Yet very limited and confined to the same vast infinite space.

Time will pass by very quickly. Before we know the bonds will change, the liberation will come. Ms Smith did it right. She enjoyed the bondage when that was the right thing to perpetuate life and then she fulfilled her purpose and liberated and there she floats away.....in the same space but free!

Liberation follows bondage and bondage comes with liberation. It's a free fall but it is falling somewhere!

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4.25.2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Look at the big picture!

Look at the big picture!

Beyond the dense forests

There are streaks of clouds

Beyond the clouds

There is immense clarity

Look at the big picture

When the way seems lost

When the dreams seem far

When the love is estranged

When the things look small

Look at the big picture

In the big scheme of things

Small things don't matter

Though these small things do

Make the big scheme happen

Look at the big picture

Tha map is clear

There was a river

Which seemed to be endless

It has a start and an end

And has multiple bends

There was a forest

Which was a maze

Which once felt locked in

Now has numerous ways

Look at the big picture

They say 

Tough times don't last

Tough people do

They say 

What doesn't kill you

Makes you stronger

When you stand tall 

When you are tough 

When you pull through

You shine brighter

Look at the big picture

Change is constant

And the constant is a changer

What is thought to remain

Is eventually a remainder

Look at the big picture

Even the sky isn't the limit

It is as infinite as the spirit,

Could it be better or worse

It can be both better or worse

When it is the worst

Thankfully it isn't worse

When it is the best

Thankfully it can be better

Look at the big picture

In the end 

The diamond is found

In the coal mines

The lotus grows 

In the muddy puddles

There is always a next step

There is always a next moment

The past fed into the present

The present feeds into the future

What seems to have ended

Could be a new beginning

What seems to be dark

Could be the dusk before dawn

There is always a next chapter

So always,

Look at the big picture!

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/19/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Ye raat aur ye din!

Are ye to Raat ho gayi

Abhi abhi to din tha

Jaane ye Kya baat ho gayi

Ye Kaunsa vighn tha

Are ye Raat bhi Sundar hai

Taaron se ye saji hui

Chand udhar se khil Raha hai

Chandni bani thani hui

Raat Suraj se ja boli

Meri Ankhein Hain dari dari

Teri bheeni Roshni se hi

Meri kuttiya jagmaga uthi

Ye jag to ujiyara tha

Apne suraj par itraya sa

Suraj Jo sair ko Nikla

Jag phir ye ghabraya tha

Suraj bola, mat ho pareshan

Main jo ghoom ke aaunga

Tum Raat ka Saath Dena

Subah Naya Sandesa launga

Raat meri Chadar hai

Use apna man dhak Lena

Jab main tumko yaad aaun

Usme Chhavi Meri dekh lena

Aur thoda vishram Karna

Thoda sochna aur vicharna

Agle Pahar mein, agle Charan mein

Ek nayi rachna rachana

Haan abhi to Raat thi

Ye din phir se nikal aaya

Roshni ki Saral kirno se

Man ka aangan jagmagaya

Subah aur Raat to saathi Hain

Ye milke hi ek din hain banate

Nav Ras jab tak poorna na ho

Jeevan Kaise poora kehlate

Are ye dono ras aur raas

Sukshma roop mein poora saar

Har pal ek naya Safar hai

Har safar hai nayi shuruaat

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/19/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Ek Din ek Nadi ke kinare

Ek din ek Nadi ke kinare

Baithain, ek duje ke sahare

Haath mein chai ka Pyala ho

Preet aur geet ki mala ho

Subah ki Thandi hawa ke jhonke

Sham ka suraj doobne wala ho

Chand ka Pahar shuru ho

Aur Haathon mein haath daala ho

Swarg ka ehsaas Karaye

Aisa Pritam dilwala ho

Saanson ke meethi aawaz ho

Dil ki dhadkanon ki taal ho

Kahaniyan, atkheliyan,

Aur hansi ki phuhar ho

Ek din ek Nadi ke kinare

Baithe aur dekhte rahein

Balkhate pani ki lehrein

Aur Batakhein Jo unpe tairein

Jade ki dhoop ho 

Ya paani ki bheeni boodein

Ya fulwari aur titliyan

Ya ho garmiyon ki Shamein

Ek din ek Nadi ke kinare

Baithain ek duje ke sahare

Sukh dukh ki ho baatein

Ya ho gile aur shikwe

Bas ek din ek Nadi ke kinare

Baithain ek duje ke sahare

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/17/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

It's a cloud!

It's a cloud

It was just there

It had unique shapes

The forms 

That hinted something

It dissipated 

As if it was never there

It's the air

It's the wind

That still has it in it

And it is everywhere

It's the breath

That goes in 

It's the breath 

That comes out

It is the very essence 

Of us

It is something

Which wasn't there

Which came for a flash

And yet is everywhere

Anything is there

Until it is there

The moment it isn't

It is everywhere and

Yet it is nowhere

Existense may become nonexistent

Non-existence always exists

And it is everywhere

Embrace it while it is there

It will be gone soon

And absorb a part of it

When it is everywhere

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/17/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Aese Kaise Jeevan Saathi

Na Tum mere sukh ke saathi

Na Tum mere dukh ke saathi

Aise Kaise Jeevan saathi

Kehte hain diya aur baati

Na Tum man ki jyot jalate 

Na hi man ke bhitar aate

Aahat par peechhe hat jate

Choodi par laathi barsate

Sun ve o Kutumb ke raja

Yaadein door Hain phir bhi taaza

Kaise Khushboo ne ghar ko saaja

Dhoom dhaam aur gaaja baaja

Sundar Swapna salone se

Mala mein moti pirone the

Ret ke hi to gharonde the

Kuch paaon ne raunde the

Aaj saaj phir chedda hai

Kya phir wohi Jaal bikhera hai

Sannata hai andhera hai

Ek chhota sa basera hai

Ek Pyar Jo sirf Mera hai

Phoolon ne Rasta Moda hai

Kaaton ne Saath ab chhoda hai

Man mein dar phir bhi thoda hai

Pad chinnhon ne bhagya parosa hai

Ek nayi leher aayi hai

Phoolon se bhari ek kyaari hai

Usme ek gudiya pyari hai

Aur pyari si kilkaari hai

Saath mein Bahaar hai

Baahon ka ek haar hai

Akarshak preet ka taar hai

Ek adbhut si raftaar hai

Usme leen ho jaaun main

Manmohak raagein gaaun main

Paani pe haath firaun main

Ek baar phir se ji jaun main

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/14/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022

Good or bad? Right or Wrong?

Good or bad? Right or wrong?

Is one good? Is one right?

If one thinks, one is good, is one really good?

If one thinks, one is right, is one really right?

If one thinks, the other person is fortunate to have one in life, is that other person really lucky?

Goodness and Righteousness are relative to a certain extent.

Let's says, if we are kind to someone but that someone is misusing that kindness, then that kind act, even though good, is not really good, because it is causing the other person to not stay good.

Where, if one is a little strict, but if that causes the other person to stay calm and behave nicer, then that strictness is better than kindness.

Intentions matter more than the act. A bad outcome with good intentions can be considered right but a good outcome with bad intentions is not right. Of course, a good outcome ( from the recipient's perspective) with good intentions is both right and good.

So, what is right and what is good?

Right is something, that doesn't cause physical or mental harm to anyone and good is what brings physical, mental and spiritual joy. And right is when intentions are good.

Are others fortunate or is one fortunate?

Whether or not other people are fortunate to have someone in their lives, is for the other people to decide. One can only do the right deed, and this right is relative.

Whether other people are fortunate or not, is for other people to decide. If they feel miserable or if they do not feel fortunate  then that fortune is questionable.

However, what is true is that one is fortunate to find oneself. To have a physical body for certain years where one can make efforts to lighten the soul, is a very fortunate thing to have. And one and all should cherish that. And if one is able to attain self realization and self awareness as well as awareness of the surroundings, one is very fortunate. And all of us have the potential to be this fortunate. All that is needed is exploration within, with dedication.

The gist is that one should do things that in one's belief, will cause no harm to others and if possible, will bring joy to others and which are done with one's best intentions in the hopes of outcomes that are considered right and good not just by one but by all or almost all.

Jaya Sonkar MD MPH

4/13/2022

©All rights reserved. Jaya Sonkar  2022