And it's YOUR TURN NOW!

Ever come home from a fat, long day to a four-course meal, specially prepared by your flatmate to de-stress you?

Ever had a random traveller of public transport carry all your gigantic bags down the never-ending staircase, merely at the thought you might struggle?

Ever found an anonymous envelope with a note from a stranger, wishing you a fabulous life?

Ever had the stranger man in the video below, singing at the Statue of Liberty, telling you to always stay cheerful and wish you all the happiness and more?

I have. And I don't have words enough to describe the kind of spirit all these people have! These people, and the stories of many others on a mission of kindness, inspire me. They inspire me. They make me believe in kindness that has no ulterior motive, kindness that is random.

In our everyday lives, we're offered a helping hand, now and again, when we least expect it and most need it. And it's our turn now! Our turn to give back what we were given, and form an infinite circle of kindness. Want to know where you can start?

Start with YOUR TURN NOW!

YOUR TURN NOW (YTN) is an initiative undertaken by Rushabh Turakhia, a man from Mumbai, who believes in making a bigger, better world for everyone around him.

The idea behind this concept is; every time you lend a helping hand to someone, instead of accepting their 'Thank you', you give them a YTN card, which essentially tells them 'It's YOUR TURN NOW'.

This person can now go away to thank you by helping someone else in need, and pass on the YTN card to them.

In this simple handing over of the YTN card, the kindness that goes around, really will come around. Rushabh believes that we can multiply a single act of kindness into many others, and eventually translate them into lots of happy faces.

This vision of his is. in fact, manifesting in our world. This initiative was established in 2009, and over 315600 cards are already out there in the passing in 38 different countries!

The YTN Card

You can have your own set of YTN cards, not just in one language, but in 9 different languages. Wondering how much you need to pay for these cards? Well, stop. The YTN cards are absolutely free of cost, and you don't need to pay for postage either! Just pass it on every time you help someone and have them pay it ahead, with nothing but kindness. For your YTN cards, visit www.yourturnnow.in or send an email to Rushabh at rushabh@yourturnnow.in.

I have already ordered my batch of cards in two different languages. What are you waiting for? Is it not, YOUR TURN NOW?

#LaughingAnanas

From one Stranger to Another

In my previous post, 4 Main Things to do at Kew Gardens, I talked a great deal about the key attractions of Kew, its plants and their shenanigans. 

And I now have more to add, something beyond plants...

As I was exploring the Palm House in Kew, I found a light blue envelope sitting in the plants, with the words 'Please open me, I'm just for you!' on it. 

I was obviously excited and curious to open it and see its contents, like it asked me to do. I wondered if ants would swarm out on opening the envelope, but that didn't stop me.

In my excitement, I ripped it open and found the following note:

 

Those words say everything and more. To have such random act of kindness bestowed upon me, seeking nothing in return; and to do that anonymously for a complete stranger - it made my day!

It made my day to know that genuine kindness like this exists and to feel it first-hand. The love and kindness this Stranger dwelled in his/her note, reached out to me and instilled in me the very same love that originated within the Stranger. From one Stranger to Another. 

Reminded me of a message I'd written over two years back and sailed it away in a bottle in the River Thames:




I wonder if it ever reached someone...

Going back to the note from the Stranger in Kew; it's placed back to where I found it, waiting to make someone else's day.

―――

Every time you love something or someone, you automatically grow your 'self' and your mind. I don't mean the kind of love that is only for exhibition to convey others of your kind nature and build a self image. I don't even mean the kind of love that aims to please people, and in turn please oneself. And I definitely don't mean the kind of love that expects something back in return.

The 'love' I speak of is beyond any of the aforementioned. It's deep-rooted within all of us, in fact it is our true nature. It's unconditional, it's boundless, it's genuine. It's the highest form of energy that creates good on every level of your being and makes you feel at one with all the other beings! We feel it time and again, but we're not always aware of it.

The next time you feel at one with the universe, ask yourself whether you feel this type of love flowing within your entire entity. Ask yourself if its the same type of love you normally claim to feel for others; or is it Different?

#LaughingAnanas #FeelingBlessed

iAm Loved ..

.. and Blessed.

I didn't know how it would go when I first started penning my thoughts down in this alter-ego-avatar-blog of mine, aka Laughing Ananas. My sole aim was to encourage a healthy lifestyle and express that it doesn't have to be that difficult to be incorporated in our same ol' day to day lives. And now I wonder.. how's it going? Big hit, big fail? Readers healthy, readers unhealthy? Well, me no know.

But, when I get whatsapps and inboxes, from the most unexpected, asking when the next Ananas post is scheduled for or saying they can't wait for more posts and that the Ananas should keep writing ..

And then I see those who religiously like, share, comment their words of motivation on every single post inspiring the Ananas to laugh even more ..

And those anonymous friends, who probably follow the Ananas by mail just so they can, by default, post their feedback under every post as soon as it comes out ..

And of course those who are completely nonexistent when it comes to social media, and too busy to even shoot a hello once in a blue moon. But, when the Ananas first spoke, they revived their close-to-dead accounts, and spread his word of mouth on, oh yes, la social media!

And the others who actually walk the walk of the Ananas by practicing his suggestions habitually as an everyday thing - eating the avocados, singing to their plants and going as far as hula hooping at the dinner table! Not to forget, getting back to the Ananas to inform how much they enjoy their daily avocado ..

And then some other newly-mets, who don't just keep an eye out for the 'coming up on Ananas', but compare his words to that of the Grand Master Osho's!

Makes the Ananas feel blessed. Feel loved.

So loved, that there are so many genuinely interested in what a random, high-on-life Pineapple has to say.

Thank you for supporting and keeping the Ananas in your kitchen :) You know who you are.

#laughingananas