Skip to main content

Love You God & All

“A little grain of sand has mass. A very small mass but mass nonetheless, and because this grain of sand has mass, it therefore exerts gravity. Again, too small to feel, but there…a thought too is an actual thing, a measurable entity with a measurable mass…If a thought has mass, then it can exert gravity and pull things towards it. If enough people begin thinking the same thing, then the gravitational force of that thought becomes tangible and it exerts actual force. And it can have a measurable effect in our physical world.” -  Dan Brown (The Lost Symbol)

MY BELOVED
Pranams at your lotus feet. Thank you, Swami, for everything.


I seek the blessings of my beloved uncle, Shri Shiva Dathan Menon and my mother’s mother, Meenakshi Amma. I believe they are always watching over me and protecting me from another world.

MY FAMILY
Our happiness is enclosed in a glass case, so fragile that it seems it can shatter at a touch of the fears that surround it. – Shashi Deshpande (Small Remedies)

My dad and mom, my husband & son – for their unconditional love and support, their trust and confidence in me and the gift of togetherness that made me who I am today.  

Achan  –  for his strong support, guidance and love.
Amma –   for being my best friend,  for loving and pampering & for trusting me.
Mridhul & Nandini – for the fun filled, good times we enjoy together as a family.
Neel  – for being Adi’s older brother & great friend.

My sister – Sangeetha & Vihaan, both are dearest to my heart and Rajit, who’s a part of our happiness. My brothers – Manoj Menon & Praveen Menon – you are a blessing for my parents. Rakesh S.Babu – whom I grew up with & considering all the troubles he’s put me through when we were kids!  

Vinitha & Vivek Prasannan – for being my siblings at a time when I had no one, for looking out for me & supporting my family with total trust, love & confidence.

MY FRIENDS
Among friends, there are so many wonderful people I’d like to give credit to because they have inspired me in various phases of my life. Sorry, I can’t mention every one coz that could take pages and pages. I thank all my cousins, school and college friends, and colleagues for their support and love. Everyone at Veda Informatics – a big thank you!

Many thanks to my dearest friends from Twitter, Facebook and Blogger – I value each and every one of them even when we have differences of opinion. These friends console me when I’ve had a bad day, call me up personally if I am feeling upset about something. They are my support system and they expect nothing in return. I couldn’t have imagined any one would care so deeply.

If in my words, blogs, tweets or updates or in anyway, I have hurt your feelings, believe me, it is and has never been intentional. So then, this is my straight-from-the-heart request - please forgive me & let's start again.
And most importantly, thank you, each and every one of you for the overwhelming love you've brought into my life.

Love you God & all.

Comments

PalashDas said…
Good read and what an apt way to express what you feel on this special day. Happy B'day.
June 3, 2011 at 5:04 AM
Swati said…
Happy Birthday !!
June 3, 2011 at 2:40 PM
Neha Jain said…
Hi Swapna...Belated Happy birthday! Hope you always remain close to your family and friends.....
June 3, 2011 at 4:30 PM
R's Mom said…
It was your bday?? when when? Happy belated bday..you are just about 2 days younger to R ;):)

Lovely post
June 3, 2011 at 5:02 PM
vinitha said…
Happy B'day, dear. Thank you for all the love you share with us..........Have a great day!
June 3, 2011 at 5:10 PM
Vidya said…
Wish you a very very Happy Birthday! A very warm post:)
June 3, 2011 at 9:40 PM
Vivek Prasannan said…
Thank you for your kind words Swapna and pray the world be kind to you as well in the years to come. We wish you a very happy birthday!
June 4, 2011 at 1:38 AM
Tan said…
Awww....such a lovely post. From the other comments, I gather that it is/was ur birthday. many Many happy returns of the Day :-) May God bless you abundantly.
June 4, 2011 at 2:00 AM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
Thanks for the warm birthday wishes and blessings, dear friends.
June 5, 2011 at 3:19 PM
Rachna said…
Happy Birthday and a lovely gesture!
June 5, 2011 at 5:08 PM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
@Rachna - many thanks again!
June 7, 2011 at 3:42 AM
chow and chatter said…
sweet post :-0 always good to tell folks you love them :-)
June 7, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Swapna Raghu Sanand said…
Yes, thanks Rebecca. I sure like to do that whenever possible.
June 7, 2011 at 1:51 PM
Zeba said…
Aw. Such sweet things. I am sure all those mentioned are feeling very loved. :)

Belated wishes..!
June 7, 2011 at 11:40 PM
Post a Comment

Most LOVED Posts

Best time to light diya

Want to know when is the best time to light diya or deepam at home? In most Hindu homes, 'deepam' or 'diya' is lit at least twice - once in the morning and then in the evening. For both times, brass is considered to be auspicious for lighting deepam or lamp at home. Clay diyas are auspicious for lighting at home. On Fridays, it is considered auspicious to use ghee in a silver lamp. When Should I Start Lighting Diyas? The symbolic shift begins from darkess to light. Therefore, in the evenings, light diya before sunset to usher in divine blessings into your home. Can we light diya with sunflower oil? No, do not use sunflower oil for lighting diya. Can I use cooking oil to light diya? No, you should not use cooking oil to light diya. Which oil to use for daily diya? Use sesame or gingelly oil for daily diya. What to burn in a diya? Use ghee or sesame oil or mustard oil. Can we put coconut oil in diya? Yes, you can put coconut oil in diya. Which deepam oil is best for poo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Does something bad happen if the diya goes off?

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship.  When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world.  When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Light Diya: Big Mistakes To Avoid

Wondering how to properly light a diya? What are some common mistakes to avoid while lighting diya at home? As a child, I used to watch my grandmother light the Nilavilakku or the traditional lamp at home. Back then, I didn't understand its deeper significance. [READ: Why Malayalis Light Nilavilakku ] Lighting a diya or a lamp embodies our inner journey from darkness to light. T he transition represents a deep metaphysical truth: the triumph of light over darkness. Are you lighting your diyas wrong? Use these tips! [Source: Pexels.com] How To Properly Light A Diya At Home 1. Never place your diya or lamp on the floor to light it in your pooja room. Keep a Thaali/Plate under it. You can keep a small brass plate under the lamp. Don't use that Thaali/Plate for any other purpose once you use it for this purpose. 2. Don't put your diya or lamp in any place where it is not clean earlier. Before you place the diya or lamp, make sure ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being bor...
181 comments
Read more

Why chant Ramayana during the month of Karkidakam

For Keralites across the world who follow the Malayalam calendar, today marks the beginning of the month of Karkidakam. This month, which, decades ago, was known and slightly feared for its torrential rains and negative impact on the health, wealth and well being of Kerala's rural community. [Read: Power of Hanuman's Bhakti ] Why chant Ramayana during Karkidakam To ward off the negative energy unleashed by Nature and its possible  repercussions  on one's family's overall well being, the wise elders introduced the timeless tradition of every family reading the Ramayana as an oral, spiritual tradition. Thus, it goes without saying that for Keralites who embrace these traditions, the act of reading the Ramayana is as much a spiritual cleansing as it is a kind of tradition they can pass on to bond with their loved family members, particularly children. [READ: Why Malayalis Light The Nilavilakku] In the Ramayana, there is no 'preaching of principles' but yo...
13 comments
Read more