That's What It Is!

 

Coming to Baton Rouge and based on the recommendation of my family I went to the doctor for a complete check up without having any complaints or health problems. The doctor in turn referred me to the hospital where he worked and charged my insurance accordingly. At the end I received a statement of perfect health which made me feel good. I am not necessarily concerned about my health but when suggestions came to do a check up I went along with it. In general, check ups deal with the physical body and not necessarily with the emotional body as a totality. The emotional body deals with the concerns and preoccupations of clients impacting their physical body. That's why people who worry about the problems of their day to day life rarely go for check ups. Some may say that those people cannot afford it but I believe that the money factor is an additional reason. At present the activities of health institutions are mainly about lab work, x-rays and similar diagnostic measures which has made it easier for the doctors to make accurate physical diagnosis but the emotional aspects of care are lagging behind and are often overlooked. This is an area that can be explored by social and medical researchers.

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The Bees

 Sitting in my room and looking out through the window I see the bees flying around and enjoying their freedom but there is one particular bee that keeps trying to get in and keeps hitting the glass of the window but does not stop trying. The persistence and the energy of the bee is unbelievable and almost at the level of some humans who have certain goals to achieve, therefore, they never give up!

Without Surrender

I still do not know how to express what I intend to say at this moment but I will try anyway. My inspiration is my son whom I am visiting in Baton Rouge Louisiana right now. He simply tells me “why don’t you just start writing something”!

I am at a stage of my life that I have cut ties with seasons of aging and I would like to go forward following the steps of Max Ehrman the American writer, poet and attorney who says “going as far as possible without surrender” which means having hopes and focusing on the positive aspects of life.

Most people do not realize that their way of being and showing up in life affects others. They are drowned in their own pre-occupations and cannot free themselves voluntarily. Human beings mostly tend to focus on the negative aspects of life and they rarely pay attention to the blessings that they have and can enjoy!

The Bird On The Power Pole

  

Sitting in the balcony and looking at the cloudy sky I saw a tiny little bird flying and landing on the nearby power pole. The bird's freedom of movement and choosing of the power pole captured my attention and created a feeling of joy. I asked myself "how many similar and joyful things do we miss in life because of being pre-occupied with our own mundane concerns"!

Wait Until...

I heard myself saying “wait until...” and then I stopped because what I was about to say was going to sound like a confession in relation to my age!  I was on the phone with my daughter who was calling me from Phoenix-Arizona while I was in Baton Rouge-Louisiana visiting my son. I told my daughter that I don’t have my car here and I don’t know much about the city, and she was trying to encourage me to rent a car and try to explore the place. I opened my mouth to tell her “wait until you get older like me” but I did not say that. Why frighten her from the old age while in time she will get there! She can at least enjoy her life while still young without worrying about some far away unknown future time!

Baton Rouge

At this moment I am in Baton Rouge visiting my Son and his wife who have lived here for the past sixteen years, and in general, I can say that I like the place with all its specifications.

Baton Rouge means "Red Stick", it is on the Mississippi River and is the capital city of the state of Louisiana. The city was founded in 1699 by French explorers and was incorporated in January 16, 1817. Baton Rouge is the most populous parish/county in Louisiana and is the center of major industrial, petrochemical, medical research, motion picture and growing technology of the American South. The city is also the location of Louisiana State and Southern University. Baton Rouge is among the Digital cities in the US utilizing internet and online based digital technologies. The city has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters, hot and humid summers, moderate to heavy rainfall, wind and tornadoes plus the possibilities of hurricanes. In addition, it is known for its outdoor activities, best night life and live music.

Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese friendship Garden of Phoenix or ROHOEN is an authentic 3.5-acre stroll garden with tea house. The garden has more than 50 types of plants,
a 12-foot waterfall and a pond with over 300 colorful fish. The name ROHOEN stands for the following concepts:
*RO: a Japanese word for Heron a bird symbol and a 300-year old medieval
  castle in Himeji city.
*HO: a Japanese word for mythical Phoenix bird.
*EN: a Japanese word for garden.
Himeji city became the sister city of Phoenix in November 1976 and is one of the nine sister cities around the world. Phoenix and Himeji collaborate in many cultural activities and have shaped a unique cultural vision. It is a joy to stroll in the garden and uncover the hidden views of the landscape while participating in a tea ceremony.