Lockdown!!!

As soon as we hear the word lockdown lot of things keep running in our mind and everyone of us have different memories and experiences attached to it. For me it was altogether a different experience. Within 9 to 10 months of starting the business a major halt everything was closed. Not able to move out from home, Not knowing of the unknown. When the whole world was panicking no one has clue of what the future holds. Major businesses shutting down across cities, countries and around the world. Could experience only God's grace and provision. Without having any revenue or any money only God's favor. Landlord was so gracious at that time to me which I really don't deserve it. Without paying rents for couple of times she gave time to pay it later which never happened for many business for this reason itself many business have shutdown. Also sometimes she even leveraged me saying its ok and not to pay. Its only purely God's grace so the owner showed great favor. Almost we had 2 to 3 complete lockdowns over that 2 year period of time. But it was completely different experience for me. Explored three different things which I haven't explored it before. During the first lockdown did direction for one of the music video which came out Ok, it was my first experience but enjoyed that experience. In the second lockdown started writing lyrics thought it may not be so professional or outstanding but again enjoyed the new experience of writing lyrics and have a song composed. During that lockdown wrote lot of songs and it was another new experience of working with some nice singers and giving life to those lyrics with their tune. In the last lockdown my Dad also gone to be with the Lord it was again a very tragic experience. During that time to have change of mind started painting, again this I would have done only during my school days and never done anything after. When I started painting it gave a different kind of peace and happiness. I kept lot of paintings in the café which I painted that day one of my friends friend who came to dine suggested to frame it as its good some people may buy it. With some reluctancy after many months I framed all the paintings. And most of the paintings got sold out and few gave it for lucky draw in café for gift vouchers. It was all together a different experience. Though the lockdown was a serious area of concern over the business but eventually I was able to identify my creative side existed in few areas of my life which I could contribute a little bit and was able to have a different kind of happiness, joy and peace which money and material things can't buy. When I rewind and think of the lockdown only thing I could remember or reflect upon whatever may be the situation we are in it could be the end of the world according the worldly standards. There may be no way out and there is no future hope based on the situations circumstances or financial abilities. But even in that dead end and the life halting situations God can make a way beyond of what we could imagine and lead us in ways where our soul can find the real joy, peace and happiness where nothing of this world, money and material things can give.

Nora

My friend Jean was having a pet Nora it’s a pug. Its been with them for the last couple of years. Jean & Alwin lovely couple they used to take care of her so much. Nora was like a kid in their family. Due to some reasons as they are relocating from their place they were left with no options other than leaving Nora. Jean was so upset for the last couple of weeks knowing that they have to leave Nora while they have to relocating. Forgot to mention for the last couple of months Nora has been so sick but Jean and Alwin was taking care of her like anything. When I went last time I was able to see the drastic changes to Nora, how it was earlier and how is she now. I'm pretty not sure whether I would have taken this kind of care for Tommy if anything has happened like how Jean & Alwin was giving care for Nora. As the travel dates have been finalized we have organized to leave her in the same place where she was taken from and they agreed they will give all the utmost care. Still remember the day before night we were about to leave Nora Jean was crying so much that night, Me and Alwin were short of words to console Jean. After getting all the confirmation from them we left Nora in the place and Jean & Alwin also got relocated to different place. After couple of days Jean just did a random call to check how Nora then they said she wasn't having food for couple days Jean & Alwin heart become so heavy immediately Alwin immediately planned to travel to pick Nora. And they bought her to their relocated place against all odds. Only after seeing Nora I could see there was a little smile on Jeans face after a long time. Though Alwin like me never had pet interactions much from childhood he also got so attached to Nora. These recent times interactions with Jean Alwin related to Nora helped me to see lot of things in different perspective. For the last couple of years have been recently been interacting with people who are very selfish and comes to us only when they need something and treat us like shit and leave when their work is done or we are of no benefit to them. Seeing all of that recently have been isolating myself from lot of people in the recent times. But here there is a different people who go all the way to do anything just for a pet. Where in a world full of people who care only when we are beneficial to them, there are also people who care beyond for something or someone who can be of no beneficial or useful to them still they genuinely love and care.

Battery Drained

Last week, went to Bangalore with Dev. Travelled all the way from Chennai to Bangalore in Car. Almost drove most of the places in Bangalore in Car and returned to Chennai this Sunday. Almost at the end of the trip we were about to finish suddenly the car stopped all of a sudden in the middle of the busy road. It wasn't getting started, Dev immediately called two people to help pushing the car as they helped to push the car we were able to start the car and reach our places. Again for the next couple of days when I was about to start my car I could see there was a slight chocking and it wasn't getting started as it normally used to do. Took my car to the mechanic whom I used to regularly give for service. Before he checked the battery he said if the battery is fine if it only got drained we can recharge it, if the battery itself is gone then we had to replace it. After he checked the battery he confirmed that it needs to be replaced its life has gone and if I continue to use it, either it won't start or it can be stopped at any point in time. As I'm travelling again next week didn't want to take risk of being stopped in middle of the travel have changed the battery. These incidents helped me to reflect on few things. How many times we are running for others, others dreams, jobs, draining ourselves without even thinking about our self without even knowing that we are drained. Sometimes its necessary to check on our self first are we really charged enough to go for that drive helping others other dreams or whatever. Unless we aren't charged enough we need to get our self charged. Or sometime it might be need and there would be a need to change the battery, change the environment or circle or friends who are draining us to ensure be charged again to run or chase on the dreams so then we can then help others to chase theirs.

Enjoy the journey as you enjoy the destination

Like most of us I sometimes worry about things looking at the current situation. When things didn’t go the way planned and end up in a mess sometimes it’s tough. I’m very positive most of the time experienced God’s greatest miracles and they way he lead amazingly and also confident about the dreams to achieve and very sure of the Gods promises. I used to keep waiting for the promises to be fulfilled and the dream to come to pass, fail to live in that moment and enjoy little little things. Last week I read somewhere and it was really interesting as it goes like we are more focussed and obsessed about the destination and failed to enjoy the journey. That thought gave me a different perspective to look lot of things very differently. Also I realised in the recent times I have wasted couple of years without living the moment waiting for things to change or waiting for miracle or waiting for the promise to be fulfilled but in the mean time missed to enjoy the journey in the valley. Enjoying little little things. Still things haven’t changed as I’m still going through rough patch, with struggles waiting for miracles and promises to be fulfilled but I started to enjoy this journey with the failures brokenness struggles still I could live the moment enjoy little little things learning growing and hanging with few genuine people. I have decided and I'm going to continue to enjoy the journey as I’m going to enjoy the destination in a while.

Flat Tyre

2 months before one of my friend Dev wanted to go to airport to pick up his friend coming from Srilanka. When we were about to leave one of my other friend came and asked us to drop him on the way while we go to airport. As usual we often start at the last moment me and Dev delayed and we were about to step out friend Sathia also came. When we went to the car we noticed that one of the Tyre was punctured. We thought that we are delayed and we can't go to the airport. Sathia immediately jumped to change the stepney. And it was done on time and we dropped him and we were able to pick up Dev's friend from Airport on time. Days after I noticed the tyre which we changed from stepney the air was often less and I used to keep filling the air and it was often flat. It was happening often I was lazy to go and check for puncture I kept on filling the air and using it for some time. One day when I made up my mind to go to the puncture shop and that’s when they updated the spare tyre we have changed was almost gone and it can't be used by fixing the puncture its better to replace the tyre. Then we changed the other good tyre which got puncture ealier we fixed that and replaced it and it was all fine after that. It just a matter of not fixing the puncture on time as it ended up in replacing the tyre. Most of the time we know few things in our life is draining us like the air getting dropped often. flat tyre. We don't take efforts to fix the puncture, leaving that like that sometimes we have to end up replacing the tyre itself. There might be lot of things in our life we have to keep a full stop which is draining us or pulling us down from proceeding further. Failing to do so at one point we may be losing our focus and end up doing something else which we really need not be doing.

Under Construction

When I decided to start my business, I found the place for my café in the area which I really wanted to do. In Nungambakkam, I was targeting the area near KNK road. Somehow I found the place. As soon as I entered the place I realized it this is the place which I need to start it. Cos I had seen lot of places and I didn’t get it exactly in the area which I was looking or It wasn't convincing for me as it wasn't of the way I was expecting or I felt I cant do or bring it out what I have in mind in any of those places. But on this place I was so convinced, What all I had in mind I was able to visualize it fitting exactly the way I wanted it. But when you look at the place when it was just an empty area it was completely an open area. As I took over the place on the rental agreement, I worked with the interior design team to have the design what I have already envisioned on my mind. After the design drawings are done for the interiors as how I have envisioned it, I couldn't get started with the interior works. As I was applying for a loan and it was getting delayed. With the small amount I had kick started the interior work and I couldn’t able to proceed further. I was stuck as I couldn't able to arrange funds and it kept on delaying. After that only when some of my friends out of their way when they stepped to help I was able to kick start. And I was able to restart the interior work. It was almost an year of me taking the place and getting started with the work and it got halted for a long time with no progress. There were days with no progress weeks then it turned out to be months and then year with no progress at all. But later when all things fall in place everything got completed. It wasn't done as per the timeline I had planned but when things got over I was able to see what all I had envisioned what all I had planned everything was done exactly the way I wanted it. If I look back and see from the time I took over the empty place, the time it was under construction without no progress and when it got completed I could see how beautiful and wonderful it is. Most of the time when we get promises from the Lord we expect that to happen the next moment next day. Sometimes it takes days, months years for the promise to be fulfilled. Its very difficult to wait till we see what was envisioned coming to pass. It might be with no progress sometimes for months and years but don't give up, hold on to it. You will see the beauty of the promises when fulfilled, please be patient when you are still under construction.

Drive to Remember 2.0

I have shared one incident earlier about a Drive to remember in one of my previous Blog. But this drive which I'm going to share is also a memorable one. 2.5 or 3 years before I had to go to Kanyakumari for some personal work. Normally I always prefer to drive rather travelling in Bus/Train. Whenever I used to travel for long drives I take proper sleep before I start for the drive. Its been 2 or three years I haven't done any long drives. Also that time I wasn't having my car with me. I borrowed the car from my BIL for the drive. Also couple of boys also joined along with me to travel. Dev, Rohit, Wilpher & Paneer we also planned to join the trip. It was planned at the last moment and everyone agreed to go. As we planned at the last minute and immediately planned to travel I haven't slept before the drive which I normally used to do. As soon we started from our home one of the boys said he will drive think Wilpher started to drive and we started off. Again someone changed to drive in the middle think Dev started to drive and they gave me turn to drive when its almost late night. I was already exhausted and I'm driving after a long time that also without no sleep. As I started to drive Dev was already in deep sleep. Rohit and his friend from behind was glued on the road watching while Wilpher kept on changing songs. As I was getting exhausted I literally wanted to wash my face and refresh before driving further. I kept insisting wilpher to tell if any petrol bunk comes to refill the tank. He kept on changing songs and 2 or 3 petrol bunks he didn’t even inform while we crossing as he was so engrossed in changing the songs. I was already exhausted and I was literally needing to refresh myself before driving further. That time I could hear wilpher saying Annan listen to this song this is from some uncle he said and played some Gospel song it was such a boring song listening to that song you will eventually fall asleep. What I last heard was wilpher saying listen to this song and then I heard Wilpher & Rohit Screaming Annan Annan. I had no clue and I was just overtaking the Lorry how I normally in highway zig zag I just over took it. Dev had no clue and he got up from the sleep and asked why all of you re shouting. He thought we all were pranking him. Later only I realized I dozed off while wilpher was playing that song when we were riding at 140 km/hour. As I heard these guys shout I saw the lorry exactly in front of the car I just cut the car to the left casually and overtook it. If I haven't cut the car to the left and if I had driven straight or if I have cut to the right we wouldn't all be alive today. We all would have been crushed to pieces. It's the hand of God that made me to drive to the left at that Spur of the moment. Most of the time we take things for granted and we don't realize why God keeps us alive and protects us from many dangers seen or unseen when we really don't deserve. It's God's abundant grace over all our lives who travelled that day and it’s a clear confirmation from the Lord that He loves everyone of us so much and He has greater plans in our lives and that's the only reason we are alive. That’s the only reason He has by protected us from not having any injuries and not having any major accident. It was a greater realization for all us and confirmation from the Lord for everyone. After this incident this become one of my unforgettable drives no its our unforgettable drives for all of us who travelled that day and everyone will remember it forever.