Hi all, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read! I am happy to have you here as I celebrate Love, Laughter and Life!Maybe you had a tough day but I’m sure there is something you have to celebrate. Maybe you got some bad news you weren’t expecting.
I’ve got a quick question though that will make you stop and think and surely leave you smiling at least once you think about it: When last did you laugh so loudly or so much that you couldn’t stop and it didn’t matter who wasn’t around?
It felt great right and it was probably one of the most natural stress free moments you will never forget!
Either way, let’s celebrate what we are here to celebrate…LOVE, LAUGHTER, LIFE!
Today we joined with millions to celebrate Mother’s Day the world over! Today I recognize and salute my Mom and ALL other Mothers. When we think of Mothers we think of our Mothers and rightfully also, we think of the Universal Mother and Divine Mother- all of whom are nurturing, caring, loving, kind and an epitome of virtue. This is what a Mother is! I was happy to see my Mom as I am sure many of you were too! My mom is Mrs Doris Thomas and I love her very much. Like you who still have your Mom around would have done I make the most of every opportunity to tell her I love her and to show her how much I love her! Hearing her voice, seeing her smile, hearing her laugh, making her laugh or just being in her presence is more than enough. You might here the same about Dad, but it’s no ‘mamagism’ Trini style, I’m close to both my parents. Please accept this simple token from me:
A token from me to you Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers-those reading this, those who are Moms and those who have their Moms!
So much is going through my head as I type this but with so much going on I will focus on a few things in particular. I have been not lucky but blessed to have both my Mom and Dad. Throughout my life I have learnt so much from my Mummy and Daddy and nothing I have learnt in any class could be seen as being remotely close to what they have taught me. It may sound ironic coming from a teacher but it’s the total truth with no pun intended and though I’m older now, I still learn from Mom and Dad and they have always pushed me to be the best I can be! Mom is Mom yes but before she became Mom and Mummy, she was a firstly a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter and great granddaughter and then aunt, wife and sister-in-law. Today she is a grandma and mother-in-law.
My mom is an incredible woman who complements my Dad who is an incredible man and both are in my estimation, a blessing to us all! What they have given me is what I can never say “Thank you!” enough for! I don’t wanna get too mushy on everyone but maybe this can sum it up:
Happy for an opportunity to do Aarti for my Mom and Dad! “Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava” Meaning: Mother and father are the primary GodsThank you for everything Mummy!
For some the title may be very long but as always the title of my post needs to capture the essence of it!
Far too often we hear of the negatives about people and experiences and forget the positives.As Antony said in his famous soliloquy, Act 3 Scene 2, Lines 1619-1620 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar,
“The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;”
This may seem a harsh reality but should not be so though far too often it is.I have always been a firm believer in recognizing the good people do, saying “Thank you!” and treating people the way you want to be treated and as such remain committed to continuing on this path.
On this note join me in Celebrating San Fernando Teaching Hospital Level 16, Ward 12, Suite 5 Doctors, Nurses & Support Staff on duty from Feb 23, 2015-Mar 19,2015 who attended to my grandfather, the late Mr Ramlal Dookie.
the late Mr Ramlal Dookie
To Dr Asha Bissessar, Dr Amit Ramesar, Dr Saroop, all the Nurses, Interns and other support staff, we thank you wholeheartedly and most sincerely for your patience, the care, the time, the understanding and the concern you showed to our loved one in the 3 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours and 10 minutes he spent in your care. It tells of our commitment and dedication.
We thank you immensely for the time you spent talking with us. One of our particularly fond memories we will remember in our interaction with you was the Nurse who in his last days at the hospital said, “Darling, darling your family is here to see you…Come on darling get up, your family is here to see you!”
In spite of our great loss, we are comforted by the high level of care you provided to him. We pray that God may continue to bless each of you richly so that you will continue to discharge your duties to others in their time of need and their time of distress.
From his wife, Mrs Jassodra Dookie, his children, his in-laws and his grandchildren, thank you all once again very much!
For many there is a misconception that the terms “entrepreneurship” and “making money” are the same thing. Firstly, this is not true and there are different types of entrepreneurs. With my field of study being Mass Communications, for my ENTP 210 class I had to find an entrepreneur in my field. The entrepreneur of choice who fit the description perfectly was Mr Lasana Liburd. Mr Liburd was quite willing to share his story in spite of his very busy schedule and allow me to prepare a narrative on him.
Mr Lasana Liburd
Mr. Liburd is the Managing Director, CEO and Editor of Wired868, an online newspaper in Trinidad, in existence since 2012. It is a company that distinguishes itself through its clever, analytical sport stories and blogs as well as its satirical weekday news briefs. He was a Freelance Sport Writer from 2004 to 2005, and prior to that held the post of Sport and Youth Affairs Writer at Trinidad Guardian Newspaper from 1995 to 1997. As a journalist with over 15 years of experience he has worked at several local and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
Mr Liburd through his efforts over the years emerged as an entrepreneur as he used his knowledge and expertise to create something different for locals in the form of a news and media website and the name Wired868 is indicative of its Trinidadian roots and focus. Other newspaper agencies began with print, but Wired868 has been online and mainly a one man show. He has been seeing things through with his hard work and ownership of things. His high internal locus of control was evident as well as his clear and visionary thinking.
Essentially, his vision for an online paper was one that was different to what was on the market. He felt that he could offer something “special and necessary to the media landscape”. Since it did not fit into anyone else’s plan, he decided to take ownership of the project and do it himself as he felt he could satisfy it.
Along the way he has faced many challenges, but identified the challenge that moulded him as being selling. It meant transferring his vision, belief and enthusiasm for this project to people who did not know him and were unsure as to whether his project could survive and even flourish. It meant he had to learn how to communicate with corporate Trinidad and Tobago. It was a long time he sold his first advertisement facing “brutal hours” which he endured.
His goal was to make Wired868 the starting point for intelligent conversation by giving readers the information they needed to form opinions on various subjects and to grasp issues at more than a superficial level. To quote his words, Mr Liburd said, “It feels great when readers say they appreciate us being here to cover local football or for our sometimes thought provoking satire but the best thing of all is just to see persons understand the talking points and debate them, even when they might not agree with our conclusions.”
As many in the field would expect, it has been tough on his family. In spite of the challenges he faced he has had support from his family from the very beginning and over the years they never insisted that he quit. According to him, that was all the support he needed. He added, “I hope to reward them for their help as Wired868 flourishes.”
He further stated, “You have to be stubborn and flexible at the same time. You have to be absolutely driven in your belief in your company but, at the same time, open to what needs changing in your initial plan.” Wired868 has changed quite a bit over time and has reacted to the public while keeping its core idea alive. This is what he described as “a tough balancing act but it is one he balances well as many who follow his work would agree.
I concluded my interview by asking Mr Liburd what it means to be an entrepreneur. This was his response, “For the most part, as an entrepreneur you need to be a problem solver and you should always be thinking about what your customers need and want, which may not necessarily be the same thing.”
It is clear that he loves what he does and I urge those who do not know of him and are interested in the work he produces visit this site: http://wired868.com/
and these pages,
Happy Easter 2015 everyone from my family to your family! For us it was a very quiet and peaceful day. We hope it was for you and your family too and that you enjoyed it!
Some of you may have gone to Church, some of you may have spent time with family, some may have gone to the beach. Whatever you did I hope you enjoyed it thoroughly and it was a safe one.
As we celebrate Easter 2015 let’s start by looking at what Easter means.
Happy Easter 2015 once again everyone! I hope you enjoyed this Easter Celebration! Have a good Easter Monday also. Hasta la vista! Thank you for your reading!
Om Namo Hanumate Namaha! Jai Guru Datta! Today April 4, 2015 is Hanuman Jayanti! It was another blessed day for us. An early part of the day were these messages my sister Ria sent! It is my sincere wish for those of you this post reaches.
The first picture I got from my sister, Ria ThomasThe 2nd picture I got from Ria- another beautiful message!The 3rd picture Ria sent- many beautiful sentiments!The 4th from Ria- Jai Bajrang Bali!The 5th from Ria- A prayer to Lord Hanuman
Chanting Hanuman Chalisa is important. A minimum of 40 per day is important and daily chanting is completed, send your name, picture, location and the number of times you chant the Hanuman Chalisa to sgshanumanchalisa@gmail.com.
At Dattatreya Yoga Centre Carapichaima Hanuman Jayanti festivities began from 4am on Friday 3 April 2015 and continued till 9:00 pm on Saturday night.It comprised of Hanuman Chalisa chanting, Puja, Homa and Abhishekam. Hundreds of devotees turned out in their numbers to participate and make their offerings. https://www.facebook.com/sdyctt At the Sri Sachidananda Yoga Ashram, on Friday 3 April 2015 108 Hanuman Puja were performed and this was followed by chanting among other religious observances. https://www.facebook.com/ssya.penal?fref=ts Here are some pictures from DYC Carapichaima
A view of devotees listening to chanting at the 85 ft Karya Siddhi Hanuman Murti at DYC CarapichaimaAnother view of Lord Hanuman!Seated near the feet of Lord Hanuman as chanting continued!The picture of Sri Swamiji is always a sight to behold!The moon-picture taken from the car-parkPuja in progress!Offering of the Purnahoti in the sacred fire
Today is Rama Navami which commemorates the birth of Lord Ram. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMFxDbXfkTU Who is Lord Rama? He is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, consort of Mother Sita and eldest son of King Dasarath who was the King of Ayodhya and Mother Kausalya.
Lord Rama and Sita Ma
Fortunate indeed we were to be present for Sri Sita Raam Kalyanam at Sri Dattatreya Yoga Centre in Carapichaima. I took some pictures which I am happy to share with you:
Puja was in progress!A closer view of Lord Hanuman. Look at the moon which adds to the beautiful view!A shot of the picture of Sri Swamiji Ganapathy Sachidananda greets devotees!- view from under the tent after puja!Another shot of Appaji His Holiness Sri Swami Ganapathy Sachidananda!A very beautifully decorated Sri Hanumanji after Puja was completed!
To see Appaji Sri Swamiji conducting Ram Navami Puja visit this link:
We hope you had an enjoyable Ram Navami! From our family to your family Happy Ram Navami 2015! May Lord Rama’s blessings always be with you! Have a look at this and please feel free to share it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA2BYSivPXA
Celebrating Love: My Grandparents & the bond they share!
Ramlal and Jassodra Celia Dookie They were married on June 15, 1958. This picture was taken on October 3, 2010
Mr Ramlal Dookie of Coromandel Village Cedros was married to Jassodra Celia Ramlakhan of Rochard Douglas Road Barrackpore on June 15, 1958. In their marriage of 56 years they had seven (7) children- 6 girls and 1 boy- Doris, Dora, Dolcie, Devi, Jaggs, Bena and Rajdaye, and over the years became the mother-in-law and father-in-law of Ranjit, Winston, Fyzal, Sharaz, Hosein, Rosemary and Rajesh. With 15 grandchildren -Rishi, Savita, me, Adesh,Ria, Ricky, Sarah, Imran, Candice, Premnauth, Susan, Joseph, Josiah, Vincent and Leah, they became great grandparents of 4. Their journey together has been a long one and they not only got through the years together, but they understood each other and they loved each other. The time they spent together and the bond they share is something many only dream of! Some things in particular are that they took care of each other, they had a good relationship and for them it really was teamwork over the years. In 2013 they were blessed to sit for puja together and gave thanks for life and their years together. It was a true celebration in that it was a celebration of my grandpa’s birthday and their 55 years of marriage.
My dedication to my grandparents- Ed Sheeran’s song that describes their relationship and echoes so much!
Many may be able to recall that years ago they would be seen either going to or returning from Bowen Trace. It was their everyday routine. Each day grandpa was in the hospital he looked forward to seeing grandma and would constantly ask for her until she arrived. When he saw her it was just the way he would hold her hand and his smile said everything. He wanted her by his side and when she was there she continued to do what she could to take care of him. Her smile showed so much and her actions too. Definitely a lot one can learn from their relationship! Definitely proof that relationships are learning about each other, accepting each other for who you are, working things out together, the value of compromise, spending quality time together, trusting, caring, loving and so much more. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!
Today I celebrate my grandpa, the late Mr. Ramlal Dookie who we, (all of his grandchildren) called Baba.
This picture is one I took on October 3rd 2010. I was so happy to take this of my grandparents. Grandma looks serious but the truth is, they were both so happy as they sat together and I was thrilled for an opportunity to take the picture. She was telling him I was waiting to take the picture and he was laughing.
Mr. Ramlal Dookie passed away on March 19, 2015. A husband,father, father-in-law, grandfather, grandfather-in-law, great grandfather, uncle, friend and respected elder, he was known by many and well loved by all.
He has left us all with very fond memories and if you ask each of us, we would all have a different story to tell. The one thing each story would have in common is a fond memory. In his last days he spent 3 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours and 10 minutes in the hospital and had only fluids, mainly water and during the time we spent with him, his love for each of us was so evident.
His laughter, his smile, his jokes, his affection, his personality are some of the many things that would have impacted on us all and left a lasting impression.
Born on November 14, 1933, when my grandpa passed away on March 19, 2015 he was 81 years old and 7 months and 26 days short of his 82nd birthday. His union with my grandma, Mrs Jassodra Celia Dookie began on June 15, 1958 and spanned 56 years.
Parents of seven (7) children- 6 girls and 1 boy- Doris, Dora, Dolcie, Devi, Jaggs, Bena and Rajdaye, my grandma is the mother-in-law of and my grandpa was the father-in-law of Ranjit, Winston, Fyzal, Sharaz, Hosein, Rosemary and Rajesh.
He was the Brother-in-law of Mynee, Bissondaye (Betty), Bharose, Doodnath, Sita,Vinda and the late Sookraj Ramlakhan (my grandma’s siblings). Grandfather of 15 (Rishi, Savita, me, Adesh,Ria, Ricky, Sarah, Imran, Candice, Premnauth, Susan, Joseph, Josiah, Vincent and Leah), he was also a great grandfather of 4, uncle of Dilip, Mala among many others and he was a friend of many.
Apart from loving his family, anyone could associate him with riding his bicycle which he did for many years and with fishing with his seine which he enjoyed a lot.
Have a look at this: Years ago this would have been what we would have asked:
Today we know better.
Pay attention to these words:Itna tu karna swami Itna tu karna swami… Oh God, when the life leaves the body, your name should be on the mind, in the heart and lips and then the soul leaves the body. The banks of sacred river Shri Ganga and Shri Yamuna should be near, when the pran leaves the body. The place should be Vrindaban and in my mouth should have the Tulasi leaves and charnamrut the water that has washed Lord Vishnu’s Charans. When death is nearer no disease should harass me and Yama the god of death should not harass me. Also when the preparation of soul is leaving the body, my body should be cleansed of all vikaras, and the wood on which the body would be burnt should be synonymous to that from the forests of Vrindavan. Oh Lord this is my request…
Lord Rama and Sita Ma
Grandpa, our Baba was a spiritual person and in his last days spoke to Lord Rama and Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna and Radha Ma with the sacred cow!
We got our time to say our goodbyes while he was here and let him know how much we loved him.
In Bhagwat Gita- Chapter 2, Verse 20. For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain. Chapter 2, Verse 21. O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill? Chapter 2, Verse 22. As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones. Chapter 2, Verse 23. The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind. Chapter 2, Verse 24. This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same. Chapter 2, Verse 25. It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
Celebrating Existence 