education – Sugar And Spice… Among Other Things

Christian, Daily, Life, poetry, Reflections

As They Grow, I Pray…

Posted on October 27, 2019July 3, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10

Starting the new session of post Sunday church teaching for the primary children, a sense of joy and happiness surface on seeing those little faces listen avidly to the teachings and stories of the Bible. In one class alone, there would be many interesting behaviours to be seen. Some would listen keenly, others would giggle a bit and ask questions and the select few who were the mischief makers in class. All in all, teaching a class of primary schoolers brings forth a sense of fun, contentment and opens the insight to their guileless and innocuous behaviour.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

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What happens over the years as they mature to adolescence ? Observing and listening to my adolescent niece, one often wonders how the values and innocence of childhood have been influenced by the modernism of the world around as well as the complicated adult lives. The snide remarks, eve teasing and bullying may have been picked up from the adults the initiators interact, observe or live with. As a consequence, the vicious chain of “wrong behaviour” gets extended on to the younger generations. What one never imagines, is the far reaching impact of this into the future. Over time, will inter-relations be more strained and living more surrounded by indirect communication and social media or the virtual world than building real meaningful relationships in the lives allotted to one.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

During the conversation with adolescents of my family, is when one hopes that children never lose their innate guileless and loving nature. No matter how fast or where one grows, their childlike thinking, openness, straightforward words and happy nature shouldn’t be lost over the years. On seeing those happy faces, no matter how weary the adult mind becomes, the hope for a brighter future for the generations ahead is still cherished.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

A Prayer For Our Children

Our children who live on earth,
Holy are each and every one of you.
May good dreams come,
Your way be found,
And heaven and earth rejoice with you.

May you be given
All you need for life
And may you accept our mistakes
As you allow yourself
To make mistakes and grow.

Lead us with imagination
And true integrity,
For yours are the minds, the hearts, and the souls
To heal the world
Now and forever.

Anonymous

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Stories Around the World, Work

To Explore the Sky

Posted on September 25, 2019May 29, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” Confucius

During the annual regional inter school cultural festival, one of the eagerly awaited events was the “prose recital” contest. One of the new entries in the middle school level was none other than my niece who made her first debut this year. Although she loves poetry and was selected through the school competition, this entry was an impromptu choice. Given her innate manner of being on the quiet side, her entry was in response to the challenge of being labelled as a mouse by her classmates. When the call was made for the participants at school level, she had enrolled her name. Whether it was for avoiding the labeling or improving her confidence onstage, this opportunity had opened the door to her hidden talent at declamation.

“We’ll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it.” Travis Rice

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Reflecting back on the entire episode, one finds themselves in similar situations across the various stages of life. Whether it is the professional, academics, family or personal life; we are limited by the lines we set internally in our minds. For the introvert who may have a hidden talent at playing music or the extrovert who is the life of a party may be an excellent writer. While the former has to acquire the confidence to face the crowd; the latter fears the label of “nerd”. Living in their insecurities, their hidden gifts may be wasted over time. These are just two of the many scenarios that one may be able to recollect, feel or relate to.

“Find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible.” Deepak Chopra

Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Choosing to break the set mould and soar high is no simple feat. Barriers are there at each and every level. Be it lack of time, innate fears, insecurities, the diatribe of words around oneself, criticism, comments or snide remarks; they all come as we move on and ahead. Yet as long as one believes themselves and knows their true talent, keeping the inner flame alive and strong; the rest all are just flies to be swatted, avoided or ignored. No one can stop the person who really wants to explore their talent. Confidence and courage will come along the way, when the innate self-belief and assurance stays strong. If not for the latter, the eagle would never learnt to soar high. Be oneself, find oneself and test their own limits to know own potential. Don’t fit yourself in the label made by others. Find your own niche and grow the hidden potential. Take courage and fly.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

A man found an eagle’s egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he thrashed his wings and flew a few feet in the air. Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong, golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. ‘Who’s that?’ he asked. ‘That’s the eagle, the king of the birds,’ said his neighbour. ‘He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth – we’re chickens.’ So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that is what he thought he was.
(Author unknown) (African American folktale)

What would have happened if the running eaglet decided to fly to sit on the coop rafters? What would have happened if the eagle was taken out of it’s surroundings and given a chance to fly ? What would have happened if the eagle tried to mid flap in it’s adult life and found the courage to try and see the effect, instead of listening to the remarks around it ?

“Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.” Richard Bach

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

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Daily, Family and Society, Personal Musings, Quotes, Stories Around the World, Work

Ignite the Spark

Posted on September 23, 2019May 28, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Potential is a priceless treasure, like gold. All of us have gold hidden within, but we have to dig to get it out.” Joyce Meyer

Trying to reason with a preschooler or a primary school child isn’t easy. When the word “no” appears in any manner, directly or very subtly, the effect and chaos created is quite remarkable. For instance, telling a toddler to not climb and sit on the table as he may pull the tablecloth and spill the milk may sound like a challenge. After trying to give many more reasons or distractions, the best way out as few of us parents have discovered is the way through. That is, spoil the fun of the climb by lifting him on to the table, distract and then take him to the sturdy outdoor table for a climb. At times, these similar “way out” may be a better alternative than the screaming, mutinous expression and tantrums courtesy of the “essential no’s”.

“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” Mary Oliver

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

One of the innate elements of children is their ability to experiment and do things different. While handling the antics of a toddler, one is reminded of how similar techniques may have to apply while reasoning with adults. Whether they be siblings, extended family, friends, neighbours or even colleagues, motivating or reasoning out with someone involves a wide range of means to get the point across. From scientific reasoning, display of facts to emotional cajoling and threatening ways in order to change of a set thinking or behaviour may be attempted. Some ways may work, other don’t.

“We can see through others only when we can see through ourselves.” Bruce Lee

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Among the better ways to incite a change in attitude, behaviour, manners or thoughts; is to stimulate their curiosity, project out the possible sequence of events and excite their sense of accomplishment. The challenge to change is half done when one realizes how important the change is, in order to be a part of something great. To quote the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery,”If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” By exploring their dreams, aligning a little bit of it to the bigger goals and stimulating their interest, the potential of what can be achieved when the right changes are made, is immense. When the true and just vision of one person joins with similar dreams of those around him, it isn’t just the society that becomes better but life in general, becomes more beautiful, meaningful and of purpose.

“There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do.” Henry Ford

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

There was once a small boy who banged a drum all day and loved every moment of it. He would not be quiet, no matter what anyone else said or did. Various attempts were made to do something about the child. One person told the boy that he would, if he continued to make so much noise, perforate his eardrums. This reasoning was too advanced for the child, who was neither a scientist nor a scholar. A second person told him that drum beating was a sacred activity and should be carried out only on special occasions. The third person offered the neighbours plugs for their ears; a fourth gave the boy a book; a fifth gave the neighbours books that described a method of controlling anger through biofeedback; a sixth person gave the boy meditation exercises to make him placid and docile. None of these attempts worked. Eventually, a wise person came along with an effective motivation. He looked at the situation, handed the child a hammer and chisel, and asked, ‘I wonder what is inside the drum?’ No more problem.
-Author Unknown

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Daily, Life, Random Thoughts, Stories Around the World, Work

Find the Lighter Side

Posted on September 20, 2019May 29, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.” Frank A. Clark

Time was running to the final minutes at the end of the shift, as one was rushing to complete the daily plans or work scheduled for the day. With barely few minuted left, imagine a quick pop up messages or call, resulting in the loss of those precious minutes. Consequently by the time the “urgent call or task” ends, the daily work scheduled is still yet to be completed.

Amidst all the melee’ there is one person that occasionally arises from the entire crowd, who asks the most obvious question; like the listener who asks the speaker at the end of the story, who was “X” where the latter was the central character all along. On some days, the question might irritate the running mood; on other days it lightens the load and provides a much needed stress breaker. Such questioners may arise on purpose to diffuse the stress of the crowd. Those times, when taken in the right spirit and manner, can provide a heavy dose of hearty humour.

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” Bill Cosby

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Finding the lighter side of life is a necessity for survival in today’s world. While one may be bogged down by the lists of to-do’s or must-have’s; finding humour on cloudy days may provide the gap for the scarce sun rays to shine through. After all, life is a never ending game. Learning to not forfeit but being a sporty loser as well as a gracious winner is what makes the days, moments and seconds count.

“A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” Hugh Sidey

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

A barber Shop was filled with customers when a little boy walks into the shop. Looking at the little boy, the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the most foolish kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.” The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, “Which do you want, son?” The boy takes the quarters and leaves. “What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!” the barber said laughing. Later, when the customer leaves the shop, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store.
“Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?” asked the man. The boy licked his favorite ice-cream and replied,“Because the day I take the dollar, the game is over.”

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” Henry Ward Beecher

Source:https://vk.com/englisharoundtheworld

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Daily, Family and Society, poetry, Quotes, Reflections

Eyes That Watch Us

Posted on September 18, 2019May 24, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.” W.E.B. DuBois

As the little toddler grows up in the family, certain mannerisms and phrases have been coming along too quickly for his age. From putting into place a cushion seat for his tiny legs during the allotted television time to aligning his shoes, experimenting with his father’s hair gel and picking up phrases of “Wipe your feet”, “no phone during meal times” and the like; highlights how much more they learn as they watch and observe the adults around them.

“What we are teaches the child far more than what we say, so we must be what we want our children to become.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

As time flies, being parents or guardians of these little wonders, one never realizes how much they significantly imbibe more from the world around them, than what they have been taught in the kindergarten or later even in school. Like the old adage goes, family is the first teacher of a child; the little things that children pick have an immense effect on their future. Whether it be the physical, emotional, mental or social aspects of their life, parents and elders are their first educators.

“Children or babies learn to mimic the vibration of the adults who surround them long before they learn to mimic their words.” Abraham-Hicks

For adults knowing this matters the most; for this silent teaching is what determines the future of those little ones. The errors of the present would require a huge effort in the future to be corrected then, instead of now. Realizing this significance in the present would shape their future thinking, behaviour and character. Time will always go ahead as always. Let the present memories not be those of regret and guilt; but treasured ones as they move ahead in their future lives.

“Your children will see what you’re all about by what you live, rather than what you say.” Wayne Dyer

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favourite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, ‘Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.’

– Mary Rita Schilke Korzan

Source:https://vk.com/monahos

Daily, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Random Thoughts, Reflections

Remove by their Root

Posted on September 12, 2019May 25, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.” Dogen

Working on the patch of garden with my little toddler was fun time. Although those little hands were busy with the spade to loosen out the mud; the major fun lay in the activity of pulling out the unwanted weeds, popping up in amidst the patch of chrysanthemums. Initially their stalks used to only come off. Later on he had painstakingly ensured that the entire weed, along with its’ roots was collectively removed. As long as the thrill of getting his hands muddied wasn’t negated, he enjoyed the fun time in the little flower bed. The surprising part about weds is that, one doesn’t water or nurture them; yet they still come up.

https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

“Pull them out by their roots.”

As the weeding process was going on, one can’t help look into the personal weeds in our lives. Whether those weeds be as false influences, challenges, setbacks, wrong beliefs, negative people, biased criticism and so on, the list is always endless. There is always something cropping up in our lives at the wrong time and unwanted places bringing about the negative energy and slowing down one’s own potential. At each stage of one’s life, they occur in different forms.

“ You cannot expect to live a positive life if you hang with negative people.” Joel Osteen

Letting the crop of weeds grow and multiply out of sheer laziness, lack of prioritizing or neglecting them without foreseeing the future damage, would result in an increased load of work and trouble in the not too distant future. On the other hand, when timely dealt with, these weeds would be nothing more than a difficult situation easily conquered.

“Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.” Shirley MacLaine

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

On dealing with the negative aspects that one encounters in life, is to the to the root of the problem and deal with them one by one. Eventually the unwanted weeds may be regrouped into something more beautiful or removed to make way for the better surroundings to shine. The only caution is to pull out the negativeness in it’s entirety. Else just as one believes them to be removed, they would crop up with double the strength later on, being a nuisance more then than now. As each crop of problems arise, solving and settling them from their root level help us come out of the situation soon; giving fresh courage, experience and hope to face the next crop of trouble or negativeness as they come fresh again.

“As time goes by, you seem to weed out the things that were making your life hard.” Tom Petty

Source:https://vk.com/thesemagicmoments

Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Reflections, Stories Around the World, Work

The Real Skill

Posted on August 29, 2019May 23, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” Confucius

With a fundraiser planned as part of the community projects at the work place; each one was designated a special set of tasks based on individual choices and skills. Some were forefront with the raising funds sections, while others were allotted in projects from cooking to art, designing posters and so on. Amidst all this, comparisons and remarks were found in the conversations regarding the ability or lack of special talents or skills. The truth is each one is skilled in their own way. While one may excel at baking, the other may be better at managing events or designing the vent posters. Each one has their special own skills.

“Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.” Charles R. Swindoll

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Beyond the skills that define one, it is the mind and the attitude behind them that reflects the real self within. Each one is skilled or can excel at certain tasks; but knowing one better than the other, doesn’t imply that one person is better than the other. Believing that one is defined by their skills alone, is a foolhardy thought. Each one is gifted in a way of their own. Yet beyond that, it is the mind that matters more. One can always outshine the other at the same or similar art; but keeping a kind, humane and gentle approach will leave a characteristic individualized hand-print behind, for the rest of the world to observe, reflect and learn from.

“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.” Carl R. Rogers

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull’s eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. ‘There,’ he said to the old man, ‘see if you can match that!’

Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow’s intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. ‘Now it is your turn,’ he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground.

Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. ‘You have much skill with your bow,’ the master said, sensing his challenger’s predicament, ‘but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot.’
Author Unknown

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” Socrates

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts