A New Begining, A New Year~

For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.

T. S. Eliot

Kristis Box FILLED with Art Supplies for the kids of Karunya Mane arrived today!!!!

Elfie and Bindi are checking to make sure it's all safe to open....

here are some of the items that were sent...

Oliver is looking at all of the cards that the children made...they made me cry...

see how special they are..

my husband making it all look picture perfect!

and of course Lola had to "pose" with all the goods!!
It was all so unexpected..I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined getting all that I got for the children in Mysore. I guess I should have though..because of last years charity..and the overwhelmingly HUGE amount of shoes that arrived at my door. But this was just, WOW..so amazing!!!!! I can't even express here how much this has touched my heart.

Let me tell you one thing that I have learned from this experience..

People whom you have never met...or even spoken to...WILL reach out and give to others in need. There is goodness all around us...and the kindness of strangers is Real and Does exist. I am here to tell you that is Does Happen! People care, and Life is filled with Love if you are willing to let it happen.

and for this I am truly humbled and Grateful.

OM Shanti~

If you see God within every man and woman,

then you can never do harm to any man or woman.

If you see God in yourself, then you attain perfection.

The Bhagavad Gita

soon....

soon it will be Christmas day...our neighborhood is all aglow with various lights and decorations. The spirit is definitely in the air around here....
As this year is coming to an end, I must say that looking back on it, I have much to be thankful for. My family, though we are spread out, and aren't able to see one another all that often know in our hearts that we are always together and there is so much love. My Mom is back in the hospital, hopefully she will not be on Christmas day..but she is still with us and still as strong and headstrong as always. Did I mention she is German??? I inherited a lot of her qualities, even though I am adopted!!

My children are well as are the grandchildren..and my husband is as always the bright light in my life and I love him so much ,sometimes it hurts...

Soon we will be making our way back to our most beloved country and we count the days....

I have been so blessed with all of the art supplies and now have a suitcase full of things for the children in Mysore...It is always such a wonderful thing just to see them smile when I arrive and now, with the help of so many..their smiles will be even bigger this year! That I can assure you, and we all know how much Art can change and enrich our lives....

I will be meeting up with a lot of wonderful souls whom I have met online and feel such a kinship with, and will finally see them Live and in Person! And of course so many that I already know and love so much...... Good times are in store in a few cities on the other side of the world next year...more memories for me to store away and to be grateful for.

So, I say goodbye to 2008 and hello to 2009. May it be a year of positive Change, new Hope for many and Peace for all.

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

ileana~~~~~~Thank You for the Art Supplies!!!!

so....this was Quite the unexpected surprise this afternoon!!
My friend Lydia (see post below) had sent me some art supplies earlier this week for the kids of Karunya Mane..and then, much to my utter amazement and sheer Delight...another BIG box arrived today from one of her best friends in Miami..Ileana~~
I do not know Ileana...and have certainly never met her, but she sent me the most wonderful box filled with Glue Sticks, Coloring Books, Pencil Sharpeners, Stickers....colored pencils and some multi-colored pipe cleaners! WOW!
What can I say...once again, the kindness of a stranger has captured my emotions and yes...Made Me Cry!
Thank You Ileana, Thank You for your thoughtful kindness, your compassion for those children whom you have never met..I just hope you know how much of a difference you will be making in their lives...and in mine.
Shanti my friend~~~~

(I have one more big box coming from Kristi soon..and then I will have reached my limit for what I can carry with me to India. So, I am VERY happy to announce that I am no longer accepting donations for The Colors of Love!!!! Thank You SO much to all of you who donated either Money or Art Supplies for the kids of Karunya Mane~ I will be sending each and everyone who gave, something wonderful upon my return from India!!!)

Happy 1st Birthday Marley!!!!

Today is your First Birthday little man! Happy Birthday to you my little angel~~~~~~~~
Love you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!
Gigi and Papa xoxoxoxoxo

Lydia..Thank You SO much for your Donation of Art Supplies!!!!

I have this wonderful friend who always supports my endeavors regarding India..actually she supports me in my life in general. We don't get a chance to talk all that often...an email here and there...but she is always in my heart. She sent me these wonderful things for the kids of Karunya Mane today....and I just want to tell her how much I love having her in my life...and for all of her support and her long standing friendship. Life can sometimes get in the way, and it shouldn't..but it does all the same...and I just want to say..I love you my friend~ Thank You for always being there for me!

ohhh baby is it EVER cold outside!!!

oh my goodness....it is SO cold today!!! I just went for a 10 mile run...and it is snowing outside....my hands can hardly type this entry...they are FROZEN!!! But is sure is pretty~~~just in time for our Christmas Party this evening!!

the ironing man in india!

this dear man works in the little Ironing stall around the corner from the shala...

he does the most incredible job, and he makes it look so easy as well...one thing i really dislike is ironing, and i Really dislike wearing wrinkled clothes...whether i am in india, or my hometown. wrinkles are not a good thing for me...

i think he charged me 3 rupees per piece.. but i always gave him double the amount. just because i so appreciated his his hard work, and his smile! plus, no matter how many other orders he had waiting, he Always took my clothes and pressed them when i arrived so that i could just take them and go...Plus, he loves chocolate..and i would stop by the little chocolate stand round the corner before i went to see him :0)

Oh, if only he lived closer.......(if you want to hear the sounds of india, turn up the volume..oh, and my voice as well..why do i not sound like that in real life??!!)

22 years ago...I caught THE Ray!

Catch the One Ray
Tracy,
The possibility is there. If you make the effort you will catch the one ray that exists in you, and once you catch the one Ray, the sun is not very far; then through the Ray you can reach the sun - the Ray becomes the path.So remember: find attention, let it become a continuity in you twenty-four hours a day, whatsoever you do. Eat, but try to be attentive: eat with awareness. Walk, but walk with awareness. Love, but love fully aware. Try!

It cannot become total just in one day, but even if one ray is caught, you will feel a deep fulfillment, because the quality is the same whether you attain to one Ray or the whole sun.
Osho

february 2009

this is where i will be...

how can anything compare to the beauty and peace of this?

i for one cannot think of anything or anywhere i would rather spend time...especially in todays times.

just to let it all go and Be...i can hardly wait!

it's about as close to Heaven as i can imagine...

Balance....in lotus forever

The life-like sculpture "Balance" by artist Carole Feuerman is displayed at the Art Miami fair in Miami, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. Miami's Art Basel kicked off Wednesday with Design Miami, satellite fair openings. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

of course..it's my favorite color!

We don't need a psychic to tell us that you're giving off a Violet vibe.

An amethyst-coloured aura is the trademark of compassionate, empathetic people with arms big enough to hug the whole planet.

If you had your way, you'd be teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony (and maybe even buying them a Coke) or heading to a third-world country with the Peace Corps.

Spiritual and caring, you're a true music lover and probably committed to at least two or three causes.

Your heart is so tender that it bleeds when you hear about any pain and suffering. That's why you're always working toward change, whether it's improving your workplace or rallying for global peace.

You've got your sights set on lofty goals and, because you're such a dreamer, you might occasionally overlook the details when you're on one of your missions.

But you're sophisticated and worldly enough to know how to dig in and make a difference where it counts.

Strong-willed and kind-hearted, people with a Violet aura are the world's activists.

Madonna for Louis Vuitton..............

ok..I will fess up...Madonna is truly an awesome ashtangi, that we can all agree on, can we not?? remember her in that movie...what was it called with Rupert?? what was his name...the movie was called "The Next Best Thing" well...of course I am all confused. BUT..there is one thing that I do love, and that will never change, no matter how close to Enlightenment I get....and that is Louis Vuitton. Sorry, hate to say it, but it is true...Always have, Always will.

Fortunately I have a connection...and I am able to get all of the newest releases...at a fraction of the price...really, a HUGE fraction..so that was what my husband got me for christmas this year...a new Louis...

and I really hate that I am so all about the handbag, but some things a girls just gotta have..and that is my pick!

Merry Christmas~~~~

Stop Global Warming stocking stuffer....

I just purchased some of these myself..http://usa.roots.com/ they donate 100% of the proceeds to the Stop Global Warming Fund! We MUST do what we can in every way possible..and this is a small start...as things aren't going to heal on their own.

OK...Here is the Scoop!! More Great Books for those Karunya Mane Kids!!!!

and a GREAT HUGE shout out and Thank You to Charlie Brown, as this is what I bought with her 20.00 donation for the kids at Karunya Mane!!! More Great Books coming for you guys!!!! We are going to read!!Yes, we are!

Shanti Om~~~~~~