A memorable Sunday service…

A memorable Sunday service…

“So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.-Jesus Christ”

Well I can say that this was one of the most memorable Sunday I had in my life. Few months ago I discovered that one of my friend is Christian and he goes to church on Sundays. I felt like I should try this time to attend church with him once, because where my home town is, we don’t have many churches and the one we have, I always felt something mysterious about that place. I had always an attraction of church, because unlike any other regional place, it is not filled with other sounds and loudness making us deafen to our own voice. I rather loved the sound of softly clinging bell, and the beautiful voice of people singing hymns with the piano.

 I declared to my friend that I want to go to church someday, and he too agreed that of course we shall. The days went by and we somehow found this Sunday to go to church. We accompanying with one of our professor who is also a Christine and always takes my friend with him to church, whenever he is going. It was absolutely a beautiful brisk summer morning, and roads were filled with golden sunrays. and I was sitting in the backseat how visiting church would be.

Well its not that I never went to any church, I have seen churches at Goa, and some places, but yet this one was not like visiting a tourist destination, it was more of an important something for me. Like proving our theories moment o something…

I thought to myself as maybe pune looks more beautiful when all people are sleeping , tucked in the lazy summer morning. and we reached to the army campus where actually the church is.

My friend showed me the school behind the church and then I saw a familiar building which could be termed as the church. I heard the soft murmuring  of people singing and trailed with the piano playing with it, and a smile escaped though my lips. I felt happy for the reason I don’t know. I was feeling like this is it. This is what I was waiting to be felt, when you reach a place and its entire aura fills you inside out. I didn’t stop smiling till I reached to the stairs of the place. And my ears were still listing to the beautiful sound.

Our professor asked whether the service has been over, but the person replied as its still there. And we entered in the building. I saw people standing, holding small books in their hands and singing their hearts out. I saw the beautiful glass painted exactly in front of us. Although I missed the entire view as we got place in one left corner. I stood besides my professor unsure of what to do next. I just stood there and looked around, people were looking in the book and singing something.

Later the priest told us to turn to page number something, and I saw two books lying there, I picked the wrong one and my professor corrected my by showing the actual one.  I heard the number, and found the book everyone was singing. It had the hymns and some lines of the rituals. We found each one after another as we go further. And I just started humming the tune. It was even fulfilling

After some minutes I lost the page count and just started staring around. I saw the golden cross hanging at the middle of the church. And felt as how many years it had been, and the cross still holds its beauty along with its sacred purity and the touch of god. Like it had been running for thousands and thousands of years till it reached us.

We finished with the hymns and then everyone started going further for prayer. I thought I should go too, so I just got up and went straight through aisle and reached to the middle of the passage, I saw people leaning against their knees paying and priest was giving them something to drink. I didn’t know what do we have to do, so when my turn came I just went there and leaned on to my knees, and closed my eyes.

When I am praying to my god(I am hindu by religion), means the usual morning or evening prayer, I always have something to talk about. I talk about my day, or even something I want fixed in my life, or even thanks for giving me already something I wanted. But here I got totally blank, I couldn’t think of anything to say , I just closed my eyes and stayed there for a second or two. The priest was in front of me now, he asked me something but I couldn’t hear. I looked at his glass and a white round piece of something I didn’t know. I just blurted that “I don’t know, what to do”.

He asked me again, “Are you Christine?” I nodded as “NO”

And he said okay , and draw a cross on my forehead with his thumb. I felt it more strongly for no reason maybe. I closed my eyes again for just a second, and returned to my seat. We sang one more hymn and then they declared as the service was over. We saw people getting up one by one and leaving church, but we sat for some more minutes and then headed out.

I saw one little boy trying to put 10 rs. Note in the money collecting box, but it was shaped as sharp cross and he couldn’t fit into it. Even so somehow he did, but couldn’t push further with his fingers so I pushed it inside with my pointed nails. :D

We went out and had coffee served for the people.  I saw around and found the area surrounded with the trees and the yellow blossom flowers covering the roads. And then I remembered what I had to say to god in there.

“Thank you!”

J

I just wanted to thank you for letting me see you, and embrace you in another form. I am always seeking for some kind of spiritual enlightenment, and this was one of the most beautiful experiences I had. I wish I will visit so many churches over the year because it’s more calm and subtle way of prayer.  I thank you for such a beautiful morning, for the sun and stars thy gave us, and the courage to discover the truth of our hearts, and the strength to achieve what our hearts seek for.  Forgive us for our sins and I shall love thee till I find out where we all going .

 To the Christ , whose door I knocked and who opened it for me… J

And the Best sketch award goes to....

The best things about awards are that they feel more attractive till they are not in your hands. :D
Today we had annual award ceremony at our college.  and I received two awards in category of best Research project and one for best sketch award in our college magazine. That was amazing feeling when we bow to get the medal from dignitaries and hearing the crowd cheering for us. :)
The most important thing about the ceremony was the Padmashri Leela Poonawala. who was the guest dignitary for the ceremony and who shared really valuable thoughts with us for the function.
One of the thoughts she said which was outstanding as do not say that sky is the limit, rather say as I will define my own sky. And to reach that sky, keep your small goals and try to fulfill them. 
Celebrate your small achievements , if you don't celebrate your won success who will have value of them? 

she told about her life as a student, and how she struggled through to get education complete. and then she decided that when she will be earning enough money she will help other girls to get higher education. and she did found the foundation later which helped the young girls to get high education who are from low economically background.

One of the students asked her that she has received these many awards, what is the ultimate motive of her life. She gave an outstanding answer as "As I said you define your own sky. I decided that my happiness lies among the girls I help. I get the most happiness when they call me to tell that they had got selected in MNC's and having lucrative packages. That is the my ultimate motive which gives me immense happiness. "

Then we all enjoyed the photo session and the day was absolutely filled with enthusiasm.
well it was just a small ceremony and little award function we had achieved , yet it matters as we never achieve the bigger success with one jump, It takes so many small steps to reach there. :)
 and I guess this was one of them... :)

Anna, Lola, Isla... and its the tale of true love...

 First when I read Anna and the French kiss I was instantly in love with it. Although it still awkward to tell people when they ask me What are you Reading?  and I have to think twice before telling I am reading Anna and the french kiss... :D because they look at me like, "And I thought she must be reading serious books!" :D
I Initially I was really ashamed of this comment so i tried reading serious books like War and Piece ,or even Hitlers biography, but then after few pages I felt as what am I trying to prove and to whom? :D I don't think anyone reads these books now a days, I mean no offense to those who might have read too. but its just not my cup of tea.
I can read continuously for hours and finish 1000 pages books but still they had to be filled with emotions, drams love and of course passion.
So later I decided that If this is what I like, I will read this. Later I completed 4 books of song of ice and fire too. :) which was amazing experience.

Well so my review about Isla and the happily ever after.
First of all I really liked the concept of linking characters through the stories. I was really shocked when I read about saint clair being friend with Cicket, and then again they being together in the third book as well. Its like you knowing that your old friends still together and happy. Still its fairy tale and I loved it.
But , well this but came after finishing the last book of series so far, that are we really that matured always to make something work out... The Heroin is always so darn in love with hero, and finally hero too appears to be taking interest in her, and then they meet, find that trigger, and fall for each other. Even so I LOOOOVVVEEE this concept of fairy tale and then happily ever after, still the truth hurts as not always our crush takes mutual interest in us, and thats where everything sucks :)
you don't get the equally interested partner when it comes to reality I guess. :P even so I enjoyed all three stories, I felt little annoyed by the fact that love is not always that easy that you find at the cafe in DC. or living in front of your houses, or in your classroom. :D
I so darn wish I will at least meet,
either One Cricket Bell-crazy for automatons and entirely driven by the girl living next door, who eventually becomes his child hood sweetheart and the love of his life.
or One St clair- Extremely charming and handsome guy, who talks in British accent and have charismatic persona who finds the true love of his life at age 19.
or One Joshua -A handsome guy, who has realllly good taste in art and has crush on the same girl who has crush on him too...
:)

well I gotta appreciate Stephanie's art interest. for which I loved Lola, and Joshua... :)
 So to the Happily Ending Love Stories... to Isla, Lola and Anna... and of course their respective love. :)