A conversation between two friends...

Akira: Anthropophobia. That's it. That's what I think I have. I'm scared of people. So scared.

Kabira: What type of people are you scared of?

Akira: I'm scared of them all. I'm scared of Masters and I'm scared of Minions. I'm scared of the Fair and the Foul. I'm scared of the Smarties and the Dummies. I'm scared of those who appear to be my Friends and those who I've known to be my Foes. 

Kabira: Really? That many?

Akira: Yeah, sometimes I'm even scared of you! And it's fine, you know. Isn't everyone scared of each other anyway?

Kabira: Possibly.

Akira: Who is it that you're scared of the most? 

Kabira: The fine man I see in the mirror everyday. Myself.

_ _ _ _

Don't we all feel like Akira time and again? Sometimes we're afraid of people, other times we're afraid of heights. Either way, fear is a major part of our lives that we externalize onto people, things and events. 

But on reflecting upon oneself, we realize that fear is within us. It's all in the mind. It's like our own personal demon based on accumulation of our insecurities, failures, traumatic experiences and ego, along with many other factors. This demon within us drives our day-to-day lives, affects our decisions and of course, determines our behaviours. Consequently, the demon in our minds paints our outer reality. 

In that case, should we find threat and be scared of what's outside of us? Or should we let go of and recognize the threat that lies within us? 

#LaughingAnanas

The Life of Akira

"My dear Akira, I see worry lines on your forehead. What is it that brings you here today?", asked the wise old sage.

"I... I don't know", said the hesitant Akira.

"Is that so? And what is it that you don't know", prompted the sage gently. 

"It's just... nothing makes me feel happy. I don't look forward to anything. I don't even feel like I'm entirely here in front of you", confessed Akira.

"I see. Tell me Akira, is there anything you did to overcome this feeling?", interrogated the sage further.

"Of course I did. I did it all to realize my dreams. I've been there all to find my happiness. I wandered in the deserts and I voyaged in the seas. I flew over the moons and I dug under the soil. I saw my tomorrow and I relived my yesterday. No luck. Tell me, o knower of all, am I dying?"

To this, the sage finally revealed:

"My dear Akira, you have been there all. You wandered in the deserts and you voyaged in the seas. You flew over the moons and dug under the soil. You have seen your Tomorrow and relived your Yesterday. But the only place you haven't been to, is Today."

#LaughingAnanas #CarpeDiem

iEat Avocado Toast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Simple but Genius!

It's almost like my new tradition. I fall asleep after a big long day, go to the nicest places in my dreams - up the mountains and under the water of course, wake up when my alarm starts screaming at me, get myself on a Yoga mat to burn off my totally unnecessary carbs and run straight to the kitchen bewitched by the thought of my Avocado waiting for me to crack it open and destroy it. 

My Cracked Open Avo :)

A Recipe for Blessing

Key Ingredients:

A pinch of sea salt
A dash of black pepper
A drop of lemon
A slice of bread
A hint of excitement
And a very questionable Avocado

The Avo-Tomato Duet on my Chop Board

There's a lot you can do to this fruit to make it yummy in your tummy, I generally like to dissect it into thin, long strips for starters. 

You might also want to chop a tomato for your toast (optional), I like to.   

The rest is really a personal choice, some hand mash the Avocado while others like them in strips for their toast. I have phases - at times mashed, at times shredded pieces. Whatever you do, don't forget to sprinkle some salt, lemon and lots of black pepper. And drizzling some olive oil on top of it all, is always a good idea.

I've started to realize that a nice healthy breakfast in the morning really defines the rest of your day. My new Avo Toast tradition leaves me feeling fresh and energetic for the rest of my day! In fact, Leo Widrich, the Co-founder and COO at Buffer, points out How your Productivity is Determined by What you Eat in his blog. And especially eating Avocados is believed to lower bad cholesterol, and improve learning and muscle function. See for yourself!

In the meantime ..

PRESENTING MY AVO TOAST!

Type A - Long pieces with sprinkled black pepper et al.

Type B - Mashed Avo with grilled Halloumi

Type C - Mashed Avo with an evil smile

Try it, and let me know how you liked it. Stay healthy, wealthy and wise. And, for more Avo experiments and recipes, check out The Scoop Avocado Blog.

Bon Appétit! :)

iSing to my Plant

That's right!

It's soon going to be two years to that day when my dad bought me my very own Aloe Vera plant from a flea market that did a lot more than selling used, old rags. It sold life.

That's what he looked like when he was born to me

I'd take my Aloe everywhere, to the swings, on walks, underground tubes, and of course, supermarkets.

Spotted: Chilling in London with my friend :)

And most importantly, iSing to it. You may call it strange, but it's just a way of showing love. And my Aloe likes it like that.

Plants like music - FACT

There are a lot of studies in the market that have spent a lifetime in proving this instance. A beautiful snippet of this is presented by Sanjay Sharma in The Effect of Music on Plant Growth and Pests, for all those of you who are interested in learning more. 

Question. So plants like music, but how does that help you?

It helps your Attitude. Plants react to the attitude with which they are nurtured. And to raise a brilliant child plant, the parent aka YOU, must also have a brilliant attitude. An attitude of Love, Care and Patience. These are the key rules of life that raising a plant will teach you and fill your life with. Do you like that? So go for it! Improve your own life by raising another life with the right kind of attitude. Really, that's all it takes - One Good Morning Song a day :)

As for my Aloe, he continues to breathe, grow and live ...

Take 1

Take 2

New Life: Baby Pups beside Big Daddy

In fact, he's started having his own children. Just recently, I potted his baby pups in a different pot, so they don't overcrowd :) It's a beautiful feeling. I have enjoyed it and I know you will too. Try it! Keep living, keep loving! 

I'm a virgin blogger, naturally not knowing much about how stuff works around here. I'd really appreciate all the comments, advice and feedback. Gracias. 

Love life!

The Aloe Life