Cherishing mother Earth, ‘Gaia’ .................

   ( Diplomatist plus oct 2012 )

“All the world’s a stage…,” said Shakespeare and how fortunate humankind is that the ‘stage’ supporting us is the incredibly beautiful, colourful, and vast mother Earth. Recognising the pivotal role played by earth in our lives, our ancestors worshipped Mother Nature. The Greeks personified her as the goddess ‘Gaia’.

The renowned scientist, James Lovelock, chose this name when he proposed his hypothesis about the earth’s functioning many years ago. He had an able collaborator in Lynn Margulis, an American biologist .The Gaia hypothesis (now a theory) described the earth as ‘a self-regulating system made up from the totality of organisms, the surface rocks, the ocean and the atmosphere tightly coupled as an evolving system’ and striving to ‘regulate surface conditions so as always to be as favourable as possible for contemporary life.’ 

Over-consumption of natural resources causing their depletion and big changes brought about in the biosphere by our actions cause new feedback loops. These can throw the process of self-regulation into a different gear. The earth has so far survived varying and extreme climatic conditions such as the ice ages. On the other hand, several species have often not survived. We, as a race, need to be mindful of the impact our habits have on fellow species as well as our own.

A few core concerns:

Are we fiddling while Gaia burns?

A comprehensive article on the melting Arctic ice caps by James Astill in the June issue of the Economist described the impact the melting of the ice caps would have on biodiversity, environment, people, and policies. What is astonishing is the diverse perspective of different groups. Those who worry about the long term effects of global warming want to put environmental safety measures in place before the stage of ‘terminal decline’ is reached. On the other hand, many others speak in terms of ‘resources getting easier to access’ and ‘new shipping routes opening up’ because of the melting Artic snows. Why are we even calculating how to exploit the remaining resources in the Arctic areas when we have reason to believe our planet is changing in ways that may one day make it uninhabitable?

It is reassuring that so many scientists from different countries are observing and documenting in detail what is happening g to the planet and the species that inhabit it. We hail their discoveries but do we heed their caution?

It is arrogant and short-sighted for anyone to assume that only man was meant to use the planets’ resources to thrive and that other species are totally dispensable. It does not seem fair to sit and watch smaller and less advantaged species fade away. Will it really matter in the long run if we got a hundred bushels more of Arctic oil or managed to sail more freely in the cold Arctic waters before we, ourselves slowly vanished as a species? Who will be there to laud our last few acts of consumerism? No one can predict the future with certainty, but surely, when the issue is critical, it is better to err on the side of caution.

Are we behaving like spoilt children?

It is reprehensible when we hear how people neglect and abandon their old parents. In such cases, the story is typical. An elderly person signs over the ancestral property over to their children: these children, rather than being grateful, think that they already have the most important thing, i.e. the property, in their grasp and become callous. The parents, who have often made a lifetime of sacrifices, do not get the love and gratitude they richly deserve.

Likewise, should we not feel collectively ashamed when we fail to return the favour that mother earth has shown us by supporting, nourishing, and sustaining us ? Apart from food and shelter, we derive so much of our creativity from her. It is mother earth’s various hues, such as her beautiful mountains and sunsets, which have inspired many a poet and artist. Sometimes, when unhealthy lifestyles and stress get the better of our bodies and minds, we take a quiet holiday in Mother Nature’s lap. She nearly always succeeds in restoring our mental and emotional balance.

While watching out for our own comfort and wellbeing, we do not often stop to consider the ways in which our lifestyles deeply harm Gaia. We use non-biodegradable plastics, which stay around for hundreds of years leaching toxic substances into the air, ground, and water. We buy far in excess of our actual needs and our high rate of consumption encourages more factories and more production. The refrigerators and air conditioners we use release harmful fluorocarbons into the atmosphere. We mine large quantities of precious stones, which are not in any way imperative for survival. We spend a lot of money on advertising and creating a need for things and then invest more money producing and buying them. We sometimes behave like schoolchildren under peer pressure and feel the need to have something only because our neighbour has it.

If people consciously decreased their consumerism, the demand for quantity would go down. A slow sustained use of resources would ensure that they last longer and thus help us enjoy them for a greater period. It is for us to decide between one short glorious burst of consumerism and a long steady enjoyment of it.

Whom are we putting in charge of Gaia, officially?

Who are we leaving the official looking after of Gaia to? The subject of environment rightfully falls under the purview of scientists and environmentalists. Though there is outstanding research work being done by this group on understanding of natural issues, they do not have executive powers. The decisions directly and indirectly influencing the environment are finally made by the governments of the day. The environment is unfortunately, not a high priority when human matters are being settled. Typically, when wars are waged, it is officialdom that is consulted and not any scientists or environmentalist. When we have attacked and plundered other countries, we do send peacekeeping forces and try to put interim political systems in place. However, not many spare a thought for the flora and fauna that has been decimated over there. When we speak about rebuilding a nation, of picking up the pieces and cobbling together a whole, how much attention is paid to the species that are lost forever? How much money is spent in rebuilding natural habitats of animals? Can we undo the long-term effects of pollutants released into the atmosphere, some of which last for several years?

Gaia can be whimsical…but are we reading the long-term patterns carefully?

Like humans, Gaia can be whimsical. One begins to understand a human when you stay with them long enough. So it is with Gaia. Definite patterns emerge, albeit slowly. Scientists who have cautioned us about global warming repeatedly warn us not be lulled into a false sense of security every time there is a cool summer. Like weather, climate can also be unpredictable in the short run.

Why is the long term important? Simply because the process of discovery takes time. The first step in any process is identifying and describing the cycles in nature. For example, it is recognised that oceanic phytoplankton release sulphates into the atmosphere in the form of dimethyl sulphides and these can be the nucleus for condensates thus precipitating oceanic rainfall. Next  come the months or years required to fashion the equipment to study the natural cycles in detail -in this case ways to measure dimethyl sulphide in the atmosphere. Finally, the observation should be repeatable/reproducible.

Keeping in mind, the time it takes for a hypothesis to mature into a theory makes it obvious that there are no shortcuts when trying to understanding nature. It did after all take nearly four decades for the existence of Higgs-Boson particle to be scientifically proven!

How can we reach out to Gaia?

We can extend a hand of friendship to Gaia…

Some who recognise their filial duty to Gaia, pay respect through the way in which they live. A few use only glass items in lieu of plastics, have their own home waste recycling systems, try to walk rather than drive short distances, become vegetarians, use solar heating systems, produce their own electricity from solar panels and so on. Each of these small acts is important and reassuring because they show we are mindful. However, these do not yet constitute universal trends and occasionally are still referred to as ‘alternative’ lifestyles.

In our childhood, we enjoyed reading tales of the Phantom. In these stories, news was rapidly disseminated by drumbeats through the jungles where Phantom lived. Every jungle inhabitant was thus quickly updated on any occurrence. A similar phenomenon occurs when you reach out to nature. News travels fast and the entire nature seems to want to embrace you. Should you put healthy plants on your balcony, you will soon find many daily visitors such as birds, bees, butterflies insects, and worms. Or try feeding a stray dog on a few occasions. You can be sure it will turn up the next day at the same time bringing along many more hungry friends!

Being a friend of Gaia means thinking about Gaia every day. Build small environment-friendly  habits into your daily life such as switching off the fans when leaving a room, recycling the paper from old diaries or gifting plants to friends on birthdays. Gaia is appreciative of every tiny act of thoughtfulness. As Kennedy famously remarked “and all these tiny ripples…..million different directions….can build up a mighty wave…..”

We can invest much more on Gaia

People admire the great infrastructure of the developed countries. Good infrastructure means having sound basic amenities … roads, water, and sanitation. However, the infrastructure supporting all the developed and developing countries is planet earth. When we cut down forests, ravage the land and even the seabed in our unending quest for more oil and minerals, we are systematically destroying our infrastructure.

When we study the Indian union budget, it is a complex task to figure out how much money we are actually spending on environmental infrastructure. As a gross percentage of the budget in 2010/2011¹, the science, technology and environment group of services were allotted about 28,051billion rupees out of 8,18,299 billion rupees or about 3.42 %. For comparison, interest payments got 28.5% (2,34,022 billion rupees) defence services 11.2 % (92,061 billion rupees) and social services 4.27% (35,014 billion rupees). In USA in 2009², the federal budget earmarked about 35,149 billion dollars (2.83%) for natural resources and environment. By way of comparison, the national defense budget was 6,56,761 billion dollars (53.06%), transportation was 82,297 (6.64%), education, training, employment and social services was 101511 (8.20%).The estimate for 2011 was 7,44,026 billion dollars for defence (52.59%), 1,01,631 for transportation(7.18%) and 40,604 for natural resources and environment (2.87%).

Calculating the exact amount spent on protecting our natural resources is not easy as a small part of the concerned budget lies with several ministries such as Earth Sciences, Environment and Forests, Drinking water and sanitation, Renewable energy, Water resources and Science and Technology. It is also a moot point as to how much of the allotted budget actually goes in maintaining the planetary status quo.

We can try to win bonus points with Gaia.

Since the last couple of years, Gaia has been accorded greater importance. In India, the Ministry of Environments and Forests was created in 1985 and by 2006, we had a national environment policy in place. A record of statistics is being kept by Central Statistics office since 1997.

Various national missions are in place in India that play a responsible role in looking after our environment. These include Solar, Enhanced Energy Efficiency (which looks into efficient equipment and industrial processes that can help save energy), Sustainable Habitat (which looks into efficient housing and transport), Green India, Sustainable Agriculture, Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change, and others.

Now that the groups have been in existence for some time, the processes are sure to be in place and we need to move forward to the next level in imaginative ways. Perhaps a popular TV show on environment may help to make it a topic that stays in the public consciousness. A popular cooking, singing, or dance show on the theme of environment may win over the public imagination. Environmental clubs could be established in neighbourhoods much like sports clubs. Perhaps a Nobel should be instituted for exemplary contribution towards protecting or understanding our environment.

We must realise that news related to Gaia is breaking news….

Reading the newspapers in the morning can be a depressing affair. There always seems to be such a lot of bad news to share. Most papers are structured in a way that the front page is used for reporting political and breaking news. This page is liberally peppered with reports of swindles, misdemeanours, and horrific crimes. The centre page has the more deeply researched articles and editorials. Sports and other events follow. The news is a daily reminder of the troubled times we live in.

Mention must be made however, of one popular Korean newspaper that has a rather different layout and a refreshing perspective. The front page usually carries a piece on ambient nature conditions. For example, what trees are in bloom in that particular season, the red dust coming from the nearby desert, which is giving a red tinge to the atmosphere and so on. High quality colour pictures provide a stunning visual effect.

If this could become the popular style - if we are first reminded that we are in nature’s comfortable lap before the bad news is delivered to us, how soothing to our nerves it would be.

We can help Gaia out of vicious cycles

Global warming is leading to various changes on the earth’s surface, one of which is melting of the Arctic ice caps. This trend is further amplified by local feedback loops .When ice melts and becomes water or even a thinner layer of ice, the darker surface traps more heat and this causes further melting. This is referred to as the albedo effect.

Deforestation for agricultural or other purposes causes more Carbon dioxide to remain in the atmosphere, as there are fewer trees to remove this greenhouse gas. Since tree roots draw up groundwater and evaporate it to the atmosphere, in areas devoid of trees, the soil and air are both drier and hotter.

Climatic changes augmented by these types of feedback loops have a profound effect on many species and the least adaptable may be lost to us forever. Since humans have the ability to control their local microenvironment by use of gadgets invented by them, they are not, yet, feeling the impact of climate change that deeply. This security may well be short-lived and many of us are perhaps deluding ourselves about our relative invincibility.

We are one….

Our fates are actually deeply intertwined, and we cannot harm Gaia without harming ourselves. Gaia can be our strongest ally, if only we let her. Let us do well by our friend, our mother, and by extension, by ourselves.

[1] From Indian budget and economic survey

² From US Govt Printing Office site

Bordering on Friendship.

(Diplomatist plus June 2012) 

Bordering on Friendship

Fifteen members of our family travelled together to Amritsar recently. Among several enjoyable highlights of the trip, including visiting the magnificent Golden Temple, was witnessing the change of guard ceremony. This happens every evening at the Wagah border between Pakistan and India.

For those who have not yet seen the ceremony at the Wagah border, it is quite a big local event! 

Fundamentally, it is a change in shift duty of the guards accompanied by the usual army practice of lowering the national flag at sundown; but it has a lot of tradition, pomp and grandeur built around it. Thick gates separate the Pakistani army barrack from the Indian barrack with a metre of no man’s land in between. A large photograph of Mahatma Gandhi adorns one wall on the Indian side and on the Pakistani side a photo of Mr Jinnah is displayed. Facing the barracks on both sides are wide stone steps where people can sit and watch the ceremony.

People come from near and far to watch the ceremony which takes place daily. The audience starts taking up vantage positions on the stone steps in the early afternoon itself. Patriotic songs blare from microphones two or three hours before the event and really build up the mood. Many from the audience climb down onto the road below and start to dance enthusiastically. At 5 o’clock this party is interrupted by the master of ceremonies. The dance floor goes back to being a road and the revellers remember what they came for in the first place. A relative silence descends as all wait for the more serious business of the ceremony to start.

A powerful command from the guard commander suddenly pierces the silence and heralds the beginning of the event. The commanders on both sides compete to keep their voices as loud as possible and the words stretched out as long as their breath allows, giving us a slight feel of the Opera. Suddenly, the lead pair of soldiers start marching smartly to the gate. On that particular evening, it was heartening to see two young women in uniform take the lead. Thereafter, more soldiers march individually or in small groups to the gate. It is a matter of prestige for the soldiers to be well turned out and to march with such agility that their legs touch their foreheads on the upswing. When they come close to the gate (and consequently face to face with their rivals), they swagger, click their heels smartly, thrust out their chests and adjust their headgear with mock-aggressiveness. All these gestures are meant to convey confidence and intimidate their counterparts on the other side. Throughout the hour-long show, the master of ceremonies, mike in hand, guides the audience on when to clap or shout and when to be (relatively) quiet. At one point, the gates are opened, the soldiers shake hands and the flags of the two sides are lowered in perfect unison. After that all too brief interlude of togetherness, the gates are shut again.

Those thinking that a guard changing ceremony might be a solemn occasion, will find themselves mistaken. It is more along the lines of a boisterous and friendly cricket match. There is a sense of drama and various emotions course through the mind. Though each side fervently encourages their own soldiers with loud shouts and clapping, there is a healthy curiosity for what is happening on the other side of the gate. Everyone keeps looking over to the other side to see how they are faring in the friendly competition of smartness and bravado. There is a desire to wave out to the audience on other side (people often do that) and establish a rapport.

Surely, there is a sense of pride in one’s particular country. But for those who originally belonged to undivided India there is also a deep sense of longing and nostalgia. Their past seems so tantalisingly close and yet so far away. As my mother in law wistfully said “Do you know Lahore is only 31 miles away from where we are sitting now?” Many people of that generation earned their professional degrees in Lahore. Several think about where they were born, where they lived and worked and are engulfed by a curiosity to see what changes time has brought to their old haunts.

What is impressive is the perfect harmony and unison of the so-called rivals when performing the ceremony. Each side keeps a watch on the other and they synchronise their movements perfectly making it look beautiful. Even the flags are lowered simultaneously with hardly an inch of difference between their heights. One can’t help but reflect on how well we work together as a team.

As individuals, many of us have faced the sorrow of a good sound friendship suddenly turning sour. A single incident can spark the unravelling of a relationship and sometimes things come undone at such breakneck speed that all concerned are left a little breathless. We may feel shattered. We may feel a deep sense of loss. There may be anger, bitterness and sorrow but underlying these is a secret longing to go back to the way things were before all hell broke loose.

 
If we extrapolate this to an entire community, one can try and imagine somewhat the collective sense of loss felt after the bloodshed and displacement of the days of partition. No doubt, the minds of many revert back to and relive the months and days of horror when it all came apart. When friendships established over a lifetime were destroyed in one fell swoop.

 
There must be profound regrets on both sides about the process by which a hardworking and close-knit community fell apart into fragments.

I can recall Jagjit Singh’s mellifluous voice reminding us of that moment in which love comes alive “woh pal ki jis mein mohabbat jawan hoti hai”. I wonder how many people across the border feel nostalgic and await that moment when, by some miracle things can come together once more. Can we be friends all over again? It would be so heartening if in our lifetime, the gates are opened and Indians and Pakistanis alike dance to a common tune…for example Ghulam Ali singing “Bichad ke bhi mujhe tujhse….”

Eulogy for a grandmother

Our most adored Nani passed away on 7th April two years ago.She left behind a huge treasure trove of wonderful memories which is the richest legacy possible. We were blessed and lucky to have her as our Nani. On the anniversary of her death, I am sharing with you the eulogy I read at her funeral.

We recently visited the Wagah border for the changing of the guard ceremony, and had my trend-setting nani been alive she would have smiled with joy two see two smart young lady soldiers lead the change of guard !

April 7 2010.....

We are gathered here in memory of  Mrs Sushila Tandan, a wonderful lady who left our midst on 7^th April. She died at the age of  87, peacefully, suddenly and in the presence of her loved ones .

Born in 1922 in Aligarh she was a witness to almost an entire century, and adapted remarkably well to the changing times.

Over the years, the lens through which we, her grandchildren, have viewed our greatly loved  nani has changed and matured. As we became older we became increasingly aware of just how privileged we were to have her as our nani.

As small children, we thought our nani was the most glamorous lady and probably the best cook in the whole world. I can still visualise nani in one of her beautiful chiffon saris, moving briskly about the house smelling of a lovely perfume. She would cook these fabulous meals for us, mainly mughlai food, Biryani and Kebabs, and my brother Rahul and I would compete to see who could demolish more of Nani’s cooking. We spent many idyllic summer holidays with Nani/nana where we woke up in the morning to the smell of lovely jasmine flowers which my nana had gathered during his morning walk and lovingly placed on our pillows as we slept. Nani was an expert driver and would drive us to our favourite places in her green Herald (after we could get it to start!). Nani and Nana were very warm and hospitable and there was a constant stream of friends in their house. I remember the pride with which they used to highlight our little accomplishments to their friends. They had instituted a prize for any acheivement, big or small, and my brother and I had built up a little treasure trove of pens and diaries which our doting Nani/nana had given us for our scholarly successes.

 As we grew older, we began to see her as a social being rather than just our nani. From the stories told to us by family and their friends , I gathered that Nani/nana were very progressive and compassionate people. Nani was the first batch of girls in Aligarh to gain an MA in English and Geography during a time when girls were not educated beyond class 8, if at all they were. She told me she had to be very responsible in her behaviour all the time as the slightest slip up could have had a great negative social impact with people commenting “See this is what happens when you educate girls” !  Later, as the wife of a civil servant, she did a tremendous amount of social work specially for the up liftment of rural women. Her welfare model carried out in Lakhimpur Khiri when nana was the district magistrate was greatly appreciated and was replicated in other parts of UP. She was highly active physically and  right till the age of 75, when she suffered a stroke, she was even traveling in trains by herself.

Our multi-faceted Nani was also greatly recognized in her community as a teacher. Generations of girls at Loretto convent lucknow were taught by Mrs Sushila Tandan and by all accounts she was a very popular teacher. She later also taught English at Delhi college of engineering Kashmere gate and her teachers accomodation there was always full of young students and collegues. I spent a lot of time with her and she used to take me to several ghazal concerts with her. She also took me for my very first -movie - ‘Julie “. The experiment was not very successful as every time Julie shed tears on the screen, I would start weeping loudly in the audience. Thereafter we confined ourselves to other activities.

Nani was highly relied upon by all members of the family as she had an outstanding sense of responsibility. When my father was posted in faraway places in his army tenure, it was nani who would drive up to Nainital and bring me home for the summer holidays. All the nuns knew her well. Similarly, when my parents were abroad she helped settle my brother into college. She was an ideal companion to any age group  and was able to stand on pavements and eat roadside food with my brother as effortlessly as any college friend of his. She also came to visit me in AFMC Pune and played the role of a batch grandmother, telling stories late into the night to my friends.

Nani was amazingly well read and well traveled. She had backpacked alone in Europe in her young days and used to tell us wonderful stories of  her travels.

Later, when we got married nani extended her special relationship to our spouses and children. Kapil used to really enjoy discussing various books and current affairs and used to remark on how well read and insightful she was. Yogita used to marvel at how nani, always the ever gracious hostess remembered her favourite food items and made her feel even more special than she would  her own grandchildren. Our kids loved their parnani. Like so many years ago with us, she  now delighted in the acheivements of our children and  very recently she bought a beautiful book on flowers for my daughter who had run very fast on her sports day.

Finally I need to mention how remarkable and courageous my nani was. About twelve years ago, she  was uprooted from her home, lost her husband and sufferd a near fatal accident all in the space of one or two years. All this was not enough to daunt this brave lady. She later suffered a stroke  which left the right half of her body paralysed but this too did not diminish her joie de vivre and she led a full life even in her severely handicapped condition. A great deal of credit for that goes to my mother, family and close friends who were a constant and remarkable support to her when her body was weakened. But her spirit retained an infectious joyousness and she was always very hospitable even from her bed, offering all of us our choicest foods when we went to have a cup of tea with her, engaging in deep discussions on our families and professions, participating in all family and colony functions from her wheelchair.

This remarkable and lovely lady remains a true inspiration and although we had her with us for a long while it never seems enough. A couplet from one of her favourite singer, Mehdi Hassans songs expresses very eloquently the sentiment we feel…. “ Tu jo mila hai , yeh ehsaas hua hai mujhko, yeh meri umr mohabbat ke liye thodi hai ….”

I would like to thank you all very much indeed for being here with us today.

Message for woman’s day

Dear friends ,

Mrs Kodian asked me to write down a few words for women's day for her group.The steady work she and her association have been doing in the last couple of years to make Dwarka a safer and cleaner place is truly inspiring for all of us. It makes one realise that there is a lot one can acheive if we put our mind to it. Here is the message which I shared with the group :

Wouldn't it be most rewarding for all of us women if we could discover our full and true potential some day ? But how are we to make it happen ? Reflecting on this brought out these thoughts which I put before you.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been” – is an inspiring quote attributed to George Eliot .

Well , I thought, what if someone had a sports trophy in mind ? Agewise, it may be much past the time where one can truly excel  as an athlete . But then, it occurred to me that one could instead just play the game of life with excellent sportsman spirit. It gives as much satisfaction as momentarily holding up a shining cup does.

In his book “The last lecture”, Prof. Randy Pausch talks about his childhood dreams and explains in a delightful manner how he came to achieve some of them. I thought about my childhood . At a very  tender  age I dreamt of being able to play with water for unlimited periods without being scolded or stopped by any adult. Now, as a doctor, I see one childhood dream coming true every time I have to thoroughly scrub my hands with soap and water before a surgery!

Perhaps one of you always wanted to be a professor and are currently a busy, harried housewife.Try  to remember why you wanted to be a professor in the first place. Did you enjoy reading or love a particular subject ? Was it the thought of moulding young minds or just the academic atmosphere? Once you are able to answer this question correctly to yourself, the rest becomes easier. If you  already have a thorough knowledge of your subject, but don’t want a conventional job ,you could sign up with an NGO in the teaching field ( they are almost always looking for skilled volunteers.) If you want to brush up your experience before embarking on the task, many schools offer learning programmes where you can observe the teachers at work. If not looking for a formal training, you can request a friend who has a school/NGO to let you observe other teachers for a few days. Any combination is possible to ease you back into your chosen field.

Some people wanted to be at the best institutes  and interact with the “brightest minds” in a particular field.  They just didn’t get the chance . I would urge you not to fall into the trap of thinking that good theories are formed only in elite institutes. The most pathbreaking ideas have come from uncluttered minds of diverse backgrounds and inspiration can come from anywhere. A simple question asked by a simple mind may lead to the discovery of the most profound truths. Some women enjoy what they are doing but want to be paid much better for what they do. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 90% of men and women feel that they are underpaid for services rendered. Join the gang !

A friend always wanted to be a nightclub singer.  She was now past forty and had never managed to get behind a mike. Two fears she had prevented her from doing so. According to her , her voice was too raspy and her figure slightly plump . Only her love and knowledge of music matched the glamorous club singers she had grown up hearing and seeing. It was pointed out to her that most singers had predictably melliflous voices , hers being slightly husky, would be a refreshing change. Also, age had lent some gravitas to her comportment which most people would find attractive . As far as tyres around her middle went, there were two aspects. Firstly, it showed how well she represented nature. After all , even trees showed off  their age by adding rings around their trunks ! More to the point, one of her designer friends could easily make her suitable dresses which concealed the bulges. Most importantly, her target audience had also aged alongside her.Our friends were more refined in their tastes, a lot kinder and some, deafer. All this made for a great audience. I think what really clinched it for her was watching the video of Susan Boyle who was ‘discovered ‘ at the age of 47.

So friends, on the occasion of woman’s day, I ask you to just express yourself in any way that makes you happy. Don’t let age or fears or circumstances hold you back. Work with them or around them and achieve what you want to . Or at least live with the satisfaction that you tried !

Wish you all a wonderful woman’s day !!