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

4 Main Things to do at Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens; the house of the big and small, wild and tame, African and Asian, and all the types of plants that you possibly can't imagine! I learnt so much in my weekend visit to Kew Gardens, and this short post is to share it with all those who are interested in plants and their shenanigans. 

Here it is, the eye of a commoner explores key attractions of Kew and what they have to offer you...

1. The Mighty Palm House

From the busy streets of London, I landed in this out-of-the-world glass house that felt like a furnace slowly evaporating every little drop of me. Walking around in the glass house, I felt like I was walking in the woods of the Amazonian rainforest. Every 15 minutes, the visitors are pleasantly surprised with the onset of inbuilt water sprinklers in the killing heat of the glass house - phew!

This rainforest-like living laboratory allows you to enter the lives of these exotic plants and observe the most fascinating ways in which they grow and interact. To top that, you can expect to find plants from the Americas, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific, all showcased in this one house! 

Not only do you get to see this wide variety, you also get to interact with it. At every step of the house/At every turn of the walkway, you can see these informative boards that tell you the story of the plants, starting from their origin to their cultural history to their uses. 

And that's not it. At every corner, you'd find stands of various herbs, spices and plants, exhibiting different forms in which people use them. These stands also had a drawer with a small 'Smell-Box' that asks you to smell the smell of the plant.

Information Stand

Smell Box

             

            'Smell Me'

I smelled Chinese Keys, Black Pepper, Curry Leaves, Ginger, Vanilla, Nutmeg and Mace. What's on your plate? 

2. The Damp Waterlily House

Soon-to-be Waterlily

Giant Amazonian Waterlily

If the pictures didn't speak for themselves enough, I'd like to add a bit more.

Few Facts

• The Giant Amazonian Waterlilies in the pictures are not just used by frogs, birds and snakes to sit on. They can hold babies up to 2 years of age!
• These leaves are designed to support their huge size. Their ribs-like structure on the underside traps air for buoyancy and strength. They also have sharp spines underneath to deter hungry fish.           

• Santa Cruz waterlilies release heat so to enable beetles to locate them. 
• The flower of the giant Amazon waterlily can close totally holding the insects captive inside it for several hours, to make absolutely sure that pollination occurs.
• The underground stem of a Lotus is edible when fried, pickled or roasted. 

3. Treetop Walkway

Photo Credit: www.kew.org

This walkway is WOW! You're not just on top of the world, but you're on Top of the Trees. You get to be so close to the trees and experience how it'd feel to be taller than them. So up close and personal, that you can probably touch the topmost branches of some of the oldest trees.

118 steps to climb

    Did you know?         

    ● The world's biggest Pine Cone lives here!
    ● Tree roots are twice as wide as the tree is tall, but only a               metre deep.

4. When you are in Kew, Remember to:

Hold the tip of the Pagoda in your fingers

Sleep in the Woods

When its Bloomed up

Take a pic in Rose Garden

      

Eat the Giant Chilli

Snooze on the BigBoyBeanbag

And oh, ENJOY! 

#LaughingAnanas

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

51 fun things to do this Spring

Want to have not a single dull moment this spring? Read on!

Instructions for the List

Print it out. Put it in your pocket. Do it. 

The Springler's List

1. Go jogging

2. Wake up with the Sun

3. Re-dream your dreams

4. Write your dream on a piece of paper

5. Laminate your dream paper

6. Look for a seed

7. Plant the seed

8. Find out what plant the seed grows into

9. Make a smoothie

10. Feed a dog

11. Burn your jacket

12. Burn your coat

13. Burn your hoodie

14. Paint a sheep

15. Drink aloe vera juice

16. Write a story

17. Dance in the streets

18. Learn to play violin

19. Make your own band

20. Get a gig for your band

21. Play in your band

22. Make your own game

23. Build a sand castle

24. Do the rain dance at a signal

25. Enact Superman

26. Make your own cartoon

27. Name your cartoon Schindler

28. Go on a picnic in your backyard

29. Camp in your local park

30. Ride a tricycle to a club

31. Play a flute in a restaurant

32. Sing to a flower

33. Plan a sleepover

34. Print your own book

35. Name a vegetable after Spiderman

36. Name a flower after Spongebob

37. Name a star after Pinocchio

38. Cut your own hair

39. Cut other people's hair

40. Spin a hula hoop at the dinner table

41. Make your own paper boat

42. Eat all kinds of berries

43. Swing

44. Run a marathon 

45. Eat Avocado Toast

46. Master the art of french cooking

47. Write a message in a bottle

48. Find a message in a bottle

49. Grow tomatoes in your garden

50. Go to Spring Break

51. Bake malteser cupcakes

1 down, 50 to go

iWelcome The Sun

The Sun, The Moon and I are celebrating the First day of Spring, and oh, so is Google. I woke up today to the foggiest morning, not knowing today is THE day. The First day of Spring. The fog obviously didn't help my case.

Forwarding fast to the point of the day I realized the importance of today, thanks to that picture I received on my WhatsApp. Yes, it was The Solar Eclipse. I cannot believe I missed it. But then again, it wasn't as crazy to the local eyes of London as BBC portrayed it. That type of image probably just comes with equipment, and clearer skies of course. Else you're just stuck with your fog. But, you're not alone ..

Spotted: A randomer Googling The Infamous Eclipse

Lots of us would much rather rely on our good ol' mate Google for the latest gossip. I like how the Eclipse marked the First day of Spring this year. Makes it nothing but all the more special. 

I stepped out, without my jacket, yes, to Welcome the Sun. Turns out, I wasn't the only one. 

Exhibit A: The daring Pigeon tanning himself at the edge of a London Platform

Exhibit B: The Mighty Spring Flowers blooming away

Everyone has their own way of Welcoming the Sun. You might be packing your essentials to go out for a picnic, or you're probably camping in your backyard. Either way, get ready to go out with Miss Sunderella, she's back and she's here. 

And for me, I'm only thrilled to have my shadow back.

Peace Sir

#HappyMothersDay

Today's most sensational hashtag is probably #HappyMothersDay.

Technically, everyday should be mother's day, but today, in particular, is that one day that all the children around the world devote to celebrating and hastagging how special their moms are. To be honest, for a large part of my life, I never even knew when mother's day was, let alone celebrating it. Things have changed now. I've realized that its not always enough to feel that your mom is the most special person in your heart; expression matters. It makes her so explicitly happy, even the smallest expression, that its so totally worth it.

Your mom is probably the most unconditional person there ever is when it comes to you. The only thing she's qualified in is Love, and she expects nothing back. Oh yes, she's done her PhD in How to Love, Unconditionally - something most people can only dream of achieving. I wonder how they do it. In fact, even now, I am undoubtedly my mom's career. She's worked on me since I was born. And even in my worst times, I am my mom's Star Project - All day, Everyday. 

In my opinion, mothers should be celebrated everyday. But let's ask ourselves, how much does that happen in reality? So many mothers, and women in general, are controlled, beaten up and/or insulted. In short, treated as worthless. Fair? I don't think so. Jonathan Simpson, a Labour Councillor, tells us of ways we can help these women and these mothers out in his blog A Happy And Safe Mother's Day. Have a read!

For now, lets all go make our moms feel special, with maybe a small collage, a FaceTime call or something as little as saying "I love you Mom". 

Happy Mother's Day!       

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