Book Review : "Mental Illness and Caregiving – Challenges, Concerns, and Complications" was written by Amrit Bakhshy

 💬 "When the mind is unwell, the heart of the caregiver often breaks in silence."

Today, I want to talk about a book that isn't just a read, it’s a reflection of reality.
Mental Illness and Caregiving is a powerful, deeply moving exploration into the unseen, often unheard world of those who care for someone battling mental illness.

This book doesn't just talk about mental health.

It shines a light on the resilience of caregivers, the stigma they endure, the burnout they face, and the unconditional love they continue to give day after day.

Mental illness doesn't affect individuals alone, it affects families, relationships, and ecosystems.

Yet, caregivers are often unsung heroes, navigating through trauma, confusion, financial strain, and emotional exhaustion, with very little support or acknowledgement.

What I loved about this book:
✅ Honest narratives from caregivers and professionals
✅ Practical advice on coping, seeking help, and building support systems
✅ A gentle push towards normalizing conversations around mental illness in our families and communities

Whether you're a caregiver, a mental health professional, or someone simply seeking to understand, this book is an essential companion in building empathy and resilience.

Let’s remember: Caring for the caregiver is just as important as caring for the one struggling.

As someone who has lived through the turbulent, unpredictable, and deeply painful journey of caring for a loved one with schizophrenia, this book hit me not just in the mind, but in the heart.

Amrit Bakhshy has done something incredibly rare and brave as he has not only documented the real, raw, and layered complexities of mental illness but has also given voice to those of us who often remain invisible in the larger discourse: the caregivers.

Reading Mental Illness and Caregiving was like seeing parts of my own life reflected on the pages,  the denial, the confusion, the hope, the exhaustion, the isolation, the guilt, the anger, the fierce protectiveness, and most of all, the relentless love that somehow keeps us going.

What I appreciate most about this book is its honesty without drama. It doesn’t romanticize the role of the caregiver, nor does it reduce it to victimhood. Instead, it presents a balanced, empathetic, and well-researched look at what it means to be a caregiver with insights drawn from real cases, medical facts, personal stories, and decades of lived and professional experience.

Amrit’s own journey as a parent and caregiver to his daughter living with schizophrenia lends a deeply personal lens to the writing. His compassion is evident, but so is his activism, his urgency for systemic change, and his voice for policy-level attention to mental health and caregiver support.

As someone who has walked through fire through hospital visits, medication side effects, relapses, stigma from society, and the ache of watching someone you love be consumed by an illness you cannot fix,  I found this book both validating and enlightening.

It reminded me that I am not alone. That there is a whole silent tribe of us out there, holding lives together in the shadows. And that our stories matter.

I sincerely recommend this book not just for caregivers, but for anyone in the ecosystem of mental health, therapists, doctors, friends, family members, employers, policymakers because understanding caregiving is the first step towards empathy, and empathy is the foundation of real support.

Thank you, Amrit Bakhshy, for putting into words what many of us have only been able to feel in silence.

 

📢 Have you read a book that touched you deeply around mental health or caregiving? Share in the comments — we learn by listening. 💙

#MentalHealthAwareness
#CaregivingJourney
#SchizophreniaAwareness
#CaregiverSupport
#LivingWithSchizophrenia
#MentalIllnessIsReal
#EndTheStigma
#CaregiversMatter
#InvisibleHeroes
#EmpathyInAction
#MentalHealthAdvocate
#LeadershipWithCompassion
#BookRecommendation
#WellbeingMatters
#DiversityAndInclusion
#WorkplaceWellness
#SupportDontStigmatize
#VoicesOfCaregivers

 #MentalHealth #AmritBakshy

#UmasreeRaghunath

My Favourite Poem from Rudyard Kipling - ‘Brother Square-Toes’—Rewards and Fairies (A choice of Kipling's Verse )

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sine

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Thanks to my friend Ian Coote for sending this to me!

Book Review and Learnings - The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

 Shawn Achor's research, particularly from his book "The Happiness Advantage," provides insights into achieving happier minds at work.

Here are ten key points from his work:

1.    Positive Psychology and Success:

o   Achor's research suggests that being positive or having a happier mindset is not just a result of success; it precedes and contributes to success.

2.    The Happiness Advantage:

o   Achor proposes that happiness gives individuals a competitive edge. When the brain is positive, it performs significantly better than when it is neutral or negative.

3.    The 21-Day Challenge:

o   A simple daily exercise called the "3 Gratitude’s" involves writing down three things one is grateful for each day. This practice can shift focus from what is wrong to what is right.

4.    Positive Ripple Effect:

o   Achor's research shows that positivity has a ripple effect, not only improving individual performance but also positively influencing those around us.

5.    Social Connection:

o   Achor emphasizes the importance of social connections at work. Positive relationships with colleagues contribute significantly to happiness and job satisfaction.

6.    The Tetris Effect:

o   The Tetris Effect, as Achor describes it, is when the brain gets stuck in a pattern of scanning the world for the positive, like how people become absorbed in the game Tetris.

7.    Acts of Kindness:

o   Engaging in acts of kindness, even small ones, can create a positive feedback loop of generosity and happiness.

8.    Mindset and Stress:

o   A positive mindset can buffer against stress and improve an individual's ability to cope with challenges.

9.    The Power of Perspective:

o   Achor argues that the lens through which your brain views the world shapes your reality. Changing that lens to focus on the positive can lead to a more optimistic and fulfilling life.

10.                       Happiness as a Work Advantage:

o   Achor suggests that organizations can benefit by promoting a positive work culture, as happy employees are more productive, creative, and resilient in the face of challenges.

 

 

Book Review : Songstress of Srivilliputtur: Aandal's Journey of Love and Devotion - Author Dhivya Balaji

When I first met Dhivya Balaji, fondly called as DB in the Chennai Bloggers Club group, I was super impressed with her style of speech, choice of words and quality of clarity when it comes to handling books as an Editor.   Siddharth and I initially wanted DB to do the editing of our book "Simply being Sidd",  however Notion Press offered it as a package and we went ahead with them, later on to regret not engaging DB in the work

As she pinged me couple of years later, I was amused by her growth as a Author and Book Editor.  Her style of editing improved, her writing skills were top-notch and choice of words much more classy and had its own pitch in the readers mind.   

She uses Simple words, sometimes in Tanglish - a mix of Tamil and English in her book "Songstress of Srivilliputtur" and it makes the book much more enjoyable.  Honestly, every time I visit a 'Sriman Narayana' temple, I used to stand and watch the "Andal" sanithi in awe, admiration and devotion.   This book only strengthen my bond with Andal in wholesome

Madurai Artist - Oviyar Maruthi (I dont want to call him Late despite the fact he passed away this year),  because there is no real death to an artist.   They live on the work they leave behind.   The cover page of this book stands as a strong testimony to the amazing art of the Oviyar Maruthi from Madurai.  Dhivya indeed made him eternal through her book.

Every chapter takes you one step closer to Kodai and her devotion to Lord Srirangan, Sriman Narayana, Sri Ranganathar, which ever form you want to call him.  Trust me, this is the best and probably the only book in English that speaks to you, takes you to the world of Andal.   Kodhai.. found under the Tulsi tree, garlanding herself before sending the garlands to her Lord, there are such instances, that touch your heart and soul.

Andal from just being a form of Goddess, Alwar, to us, we find her an angel in devotion to her Lord, a poetess who weaves words to enrich the greatness of her God, and the love that has no parallel.   Dhivya manages to keep up the momentum of the story across the chapters of the book.   It is very tough to right about this genre in specifically about a character that lived hundreds of years ago, who keeps mesmerizing us with the beauty and her utmost devotion and love.  This love makes me compare the love of Radha-Krishna,  Ramar and Sabari,  Meera and Krishna and every other eternal form of beauty of the heart we have known

Dhivya Balaji succeeds as a writer for the simple reason that she keeps her reader glued to the context of the story.  I started it actually months ago and took a break for my daughters marriage and spent last few days after my hectic work schedules as I found this book giving me peace, feeling of satisfaction of reading a great facto-fiction filled with prose and poetry and making my day end with its beauty.  The madness of work, used to stress me out and couple of chapters after that used to make me feel stressfree.   If that is what this book can do to me, I am sure it would bless all its readers., in its own way

My mom's Tirupavvai singing found a new meaning after I read this book.  The love of an young girl touched my heart as she yearns for her Lord.   This book made me fall in love all over again with my Sriman Narayana....honestly, I wished I lived like her.   The love she felt and showed to her God and the beauty of the poems she weaved for HIM.   

Dhivya Balaji,  thank you for writing this book.   This book is here to stay.  This book is a script for a movie.   This book reminds me of 'Avvaiyar" movie, and makes me feel, one day, some director will find this and dream this as a worthy project.   

Loved reading the "Songstress of Srivilliputtur".   Thank you DB!

#BookReview : The Powerful, The Powerless by Shiva Dhuli

 

The Book -  “The Powerful, The Powerless”  indicates the larger divide in the society between haves and have-nots.   This fictional novel contains characters which are seen around us in daily lives.   The characters those represent the top layer of politicians and corrupted system  and the downtrodden who are suppressed and kept suppressed always by the society for no fault of theirs.  

The Poor remains Poorer, and The Rich becomes Richer.     The darker side of our thinking is clearly brought out in the novel, which is for serious readers and deep thinkers.  The power struggle politicians who use powerless underprivileged lot for their own benefits is clearly brought out in the novel.  

Not many writers can weave this story brining in the harsh realities of life.   This fiction is not for fun reading but for people who have thinking about the hard lives around us, show empathy and try to be good at least within our levels of control.

Summary of the Story.

The story starts in the hospital beds of two people waiting for their time to get the organs for transplantation and ending up talking about the story of the person who seems to be powerful at beginning but of the most powerless background.  They pray for miracles in life.   The main characters Bharat and the Government man Kanskumars is introduced to us from here.  Bharat starts narrating his story to Pasupathi in the hospital ward, about his story, struggle, losses, and everything that can be sad in one’s life. 

The transition of a destitute boy, abused in childhood, traumatised as a teen, and transforms into a well-educated professor is the picture we get from the story of Bharat.   How a politician can destroy the world of a commoner for his greed and political upliftment, how the love world of this young man shatters with murders, kidnaps, and killings.   Eventually how he gets framed for a  murder someone else does and murder is made to look like a suicide.    The repeated scenarios that show the pathetic circumstances that evolve around the protagonist, and despite of all the odds, spends time with hope and revival  in life.   Shiva Dhuli weaves this tragic situation around us, and we can find many Kanskumars and Bharaths around us!!

Circle of connecting dots

1.      Political incorrectness with all its corruption, greed, and heartlessness

2.     The great divide between the working class, labourers and politically and financially rich is portrayed in dept.

3.     The story strongly supports the title of the book

4.     Journalist tragedies, erasing of judicial evidence and portrayal of the characters wrongdoing is clearly brought out.

5.     How government and opposition, always try to rub on the mud slings on each other and trying to dispose of each other convenient for their political vendetta.  

6.     It is not just the powerless, but also the struggle of the powerful to remain at power.    They represent lack of justice, spreading of hatred and evil around us

7.     To me, personally, the story has a gripping view of the society and some chapters felt dragging and the reader would love to have a speed in the story.  However, for this kind of a serious subject, you can introduce all characters at once and rush into the sequential events.

8.     Shiva Dhuli, clearly brings out the uncertainty and continuous suffering of the downtrodden and how society in general, ensure that the poor remain poorer.    There is no known mystery but an unending misery that is deeply conveyed

9.     This novel showcases the realities in life, which we fail to acknowledge around us

10.  Final say:   good novel to read.  To think.  To redeem few things around us if we can.     Fortunately, to a reader who is sensitive it will hit straight in their head for some deep thinking.   Unfortunately for readers who do not like serious stuff, this book can be lengthy and not to the speed.   But be prepared to unwind with the unfortunate power struggle, powerlessness, and nothing in our power to control anything powerful around us. 

I brought the novel from Amazon India .   Good work Shiva Dhuli.  More power to your pen!!!

Book Review : Ponniyan Selvan English Translation by Author Sumeetha Manikandan - Jan 2023

Kalki's Ponniyan Selvan translated by Sumeetha Manikandan....the gripping novel of 5 volumes and more than 2000 pages...a month long mesmerizing reading, best utilization of holiday season, last night I finally completed reading this populous novel.

My interest in the story started since the PS1 release and at the right time, Editor Divya Balaji posted about this English Translation from Sumeetha published by Giri Traders.

As a writer, I couldn't stop admiring the herculean task of translation by Sumeetha. Writing for your self is much easier than daunting task of translating a well-known novel and right, yet simple language, without diverting a single line is not easy. Kudos to Author Sumeetha and her team who worked hard behind this. They literally nailed it to the core.

Coming to the story of PS, the author very cleverly leaves the story with lot of open ended questions and suspense. The success of this story is in the weaving of innumerable characters and making each one of them important

Nextly, not giving it an ending that of popular opinion, Kalki n Rajendran very beautifully ends the story with readers wanting to read more. Not just 2 series of movies, but more than a dozen of them can be made from this magnificent book.

A facto-fictional story allows the author to pick important pieces of history and weave his imagination and bring in fictional characters that can dominate the story. Classical example is Nandhini.

Taking you through a journey and enhancing anecdotes of the dynasties that ruled the Tamil Kingdom, bringing the beauty of natural resources of rivers, forests, mountains and a subtle romance, fierce wars, vengeance, lust and love, relationships, cultural references, spiritual touches and references to epic Tirukural, everything becomes a part of the maya of this novel. Unknowingly you will get addicted to this novel, once you start reading. You will crave for the story to continue even after you complete reading all 5 volumes.

Jai ho Kalki...jai ho chola dynasty...jai ho Tamil culture...Jai Ho Sumeetha Manikandan. Congratulations girl, you have for sure etched your place in history with your English Translation. Way to go author !

eAnthology Green Awakenings- My Poem -'Dharthi' -The Earth published in Aug 2020

 Thank you Kavya-Adisakrit  for this beautiful anthology and it is a delight to be part of this amazing journey.

The eAnthology Green Awakenings, featuring poems of 80 poets, photographs and art, is now available for free download on Amazon. Please download it now and enjoy it leisurely

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08GNXG2QG

We at Kavya-Adisakrit, are delighted to present 'Green Awakenings', our environment-themed e-anthology, the launch of which all of us had been waiting for.

We take this opportunity to thank all our poets once again for their enthusiastic response to not only our invitation for poems, but also our call for voluntary contributions to the Madras Literary Society.

"Green Awakenings" features more than one hundred and twenty poems from eighty poets—established as well as upcoming—from Canada, Mauritius, Palestine, the United States, and India. Four budding poets have been introduced too.

It is our pleasure to share with you, the Amazon link for downloading your free copy of the anthology through Kindle, between 29th August and 2nd September after which it will be available for ₹99 on amazon.in and for $2.99 on amazon.com. Any proceeds from the book will go to Madras Literary Society maintenance fund.

The ebook is ISBN registered: ISBN 978-81-944096-2-5

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08GNXG2QG

Your feedback on 'Green Awakenings' would be much appreciated. Please share the link with your friends and remind them to post their reviews on Amazon. We hope you will enjoy the poems, pieces of prose and the pictures that we have put together with as much love for the environment as for poetry.

We look forward to many more such meaningful and creatively fulfilling endeavours with all of you.

Until the next then, stay safe and dream green.

Vidya Shankar

S. Sundar Rajan

Anju Kishore

Shankar Ramakrishnan

Sumita Dutta Shoam

(The Editorial Team)

Kavya-Adisakrit

(An imprint of Adisakrit Publishing for publishing poetry)

Book Review : 'Fall Like a Rose Petal' by AVIS Viswanathan - A book that will take you to realities of life!

Rose Petals

Does not leave the fragrance of the hands 

that have once held them

even after they have fallen to the ground!

Author - AVIS Viswanathan

Exactly, this is the similar impact and feeling as I finished reading AVIS's book 'Fall Like a Rose Petal'.    Its been few days since I finished reading and did not actually get time to pour out to the lessons that book had reminded me rather.  Given all the hectic and erratic work schedules I have, reading a book at a stretch is most of the times not possible.   However, this experience was different.  For almost a week, my every day ended with couple of chapters read, and few re-read as they were so close to me.....and after completing the final page....I sent AVIS, the below given whats-app message

"Hi AVIS...Namaste.  Just finished reading 'Fall like a Rose Petal' book last night.  It was such an amazing journey.  Beautiful narration n valuable lessons of life.  Plenty of takeaways.  Though our situations are different in terms of pain, the way we faced them, reacted n responded can be related.  For few sentences, I kept underlining in the book, is because, they were part of our lives too.   

Life is a beautiful journey and each experience enriches us and going by the flow of it is what makes us live today.   Honestly my respect n love for Vaani grew multi-fold after reading the book...I know you both for long, but few instances where she showed great decision making and resilience n trusting in her love, faith and inner strength is what made me salute her this moment.  Trust me, our children are lucky. One that they have parents who learn from lives,. Yet we let them dream n chase their own passions and we don't burden them with our ups n downs.    Our mothers were no different too.  Only thing is my sisters stood by me all times.  

Next thing is how we don't understand the benevolence of universe. The minute we do, I think, everything becomes bearable, manageable n life livable with happiness n focus on health both physically n mentally.   You and Vaani will always remain in my prayers.  And I will hold you closely as my good friends as well forever.  I will write a detailed review in my blog as time permits.  Just wanted to pour out my thoughts as I kept the book down last night around 1 am....thank you for the book...I want to forgive my brother in law who had similar situations but pushed us to pain n grave situations without acknowledging his mistakes.  I will gift this book to him for he may find few lessons helpful and he lives a better and non worrisome n not hurting life going forward.   Thank you Avis and Vaani.  Sending you loads of love and best wishes.   Life is beautiful. Let's celebrate"

Then you may ask me?  Why this specific review post now?  It is not for AVIS, or for the book, but for me !  How can I not document the key takeaways!

• The very introduction of how being human beings is itself a spiritual journey takes you one step above the nomenclature of the routine lives.  
• The assurances of a wife that ' I am there with you, however long this takes.  We have to win!'  - resonated to my own personal experience when life ravaged us with the shadows of Schizophrenia.....This particular assurance among-st spouses or any people in relationship is what makes or breaks a relationship!
• Why we are going through all this?  Would we live to tell our tale?   -  Again, each one of us will ask during the dire situations that threaten our own existence.    Answering to ourselves affirmatively is the only way out!
• Faith has replaced fear and we have developed boundless patience.  No longer scared of LIFE.   -   Trust me this is not a spiritual book, but a story of unfortunate circumstances of the writer.   But the inbuilt faith and patience built over several instances is what makes them fearless.   The minute you are fearless...your mind become stronger and agile to face anything
• If we trust Life's master plan and celebrate living our Life exactly the way it is unfolding, without resisting anything, we will be in bliss, irrespective of our circumstances.  -  It sums it up all...!
• You live Life, one day at a time, one moment at a time, making each one count!   PRESENT MOMENT!   The only one that you can call your own! 
• Mouna works brilliantly   -    Yes, it is in those depths of silence, you will get to hear your soul!   Very lately I personally started experiencing this myself and it is absolute bliss
• The more you hold on, cling to something, the more you suffer.   Nothingness is what you and I are all about.  Live Letting Go!    Powerful words, especially those in love, acquiring wealth, attention,  holding on to past suffer most when we cling on to it for longer than needed.   End of the day what started in dust, ends in it so...so whats the use of holding it !
• Don't Interpret, Understand -   90% of the time we assume, we interpret in the way it is convenient to us or we are able to understand without properly listening or understanding in the right sense.   So assuming or interpreting leads to misunderstanding of any situations and its better we stop doing this!
• Shirdi Baba's two point doctrine of Faith and Patience  -  This is the faith and Sai Baba chapter that moved me.   All my childhood, the only places of vacation/travel/pilgrimage..what ever you call it were to Tirupati, Shirdi and Madras and Sabarimala !   Fakir Baba always took prominence at home and when tragedies kept shaking us like hell, I fought with him saying I will never visit his temple again!   Just few months back in Nov 2019, my best friend pulled me to Sai Baba temple and that day I felt sad at my ignorance and cried to myself so much.   Sai Baba's life teaches us a way of life.   Faith or no faith..doesn't matter.  He will protect you once you trust in him.   Feeding those in need, trusting in him and being perseverance brings in the much needed serenity in your life.   Period!   Once he is part of you..He is in you!  Guiding you!
• Treat someone's need as higher than yours.  Your want may be someone's need.  Giving is the most beautiful part of being human.  Live, Love, Give!     Having been doing this with what ever little I had,  life kept giving me in abundance without asking, the more I started to give.   Giving in any form -   money, time, energy, love, acceptance, care, friendship, without expectation actually gives you back in multi-fold.   
• Intelligence lies in knowing which parts of your Life you can fix and which parts you can't.    -   This is a way of finding bliss !   This echo with the story time and again shared by Masters like Osho, Sadguru,  Assanji-   saying, if you can change something, why worry!  If you cannot change something, then why worry!   Knowing what you can have and what you cant have and in accepting both is the very crux of the Serenity Prayer 
• Life will Always go on!     Kalachakram does not stop for anyone or anything.   I thought our lives are all done, the day my dad fell dead in my hands...we survived.   I felt the ground shaking the day I ended up in a bad marriage....we survived.   Heart broken the day I had to let go my second child...I survived the pain..    The song of life doesn't stop for anyone or anything..It just goes on!
• All Right -  Celebrate Life -   its OK to fail, its ok to lose , its ok to be heart broken, its ok to go penniless....its all part of Life.   As long as we don't let any of the down streams affect our morale or self-esteem and break our confidence,  its all right!   The only sentence that is true is 'This too shall pass!'.  Yes AVIS, you are right when you said -  Humbling experiences are romantic and inspiring to hear, but extremely painful to go through -  Yes, but this too shall pass!
• Learn to separate ourselves from the situations that haunt, agonize and worry us the most-  and experience Peace.  And the rare state called bliss.    What lies between you and inner peace are layers of worry, guilt, hatred, grief and anger about situations...!  
• Do not invite suffering by letting the past haunt you and the future worry you -   Neither prejudiced by the past, not in the fear of the future, just live the moment..The Moment!
• Be the happiness you seek!   Live with what has been ordained.  Magic and miracle of life showering you with abundance!   Celebrate life -   Celebrate Life!
• Being an emotional fool myself, I could pretty much relate to AVIS words -  Life got me addicted to emotions that as I was soon to discover, were ruinous.   It's ok to be emotional as long as we are in control of the same.  And don't let the emotions override us being practical in any situation
• Quality of Life -   determined by being loving, caring, laughing, watching nature and being compassionate  .  Right thinking comes from good heath
• Seek Within and Ye Shall Find!
• 'To awaken people to the right way of thinking, living, working and winning!'-  Thanks to these words from Philip Sir
• We are merely executors of a Cosmic Will.   Never claim any of the success as your own.  You are only an instrument
• A soul-mate is always understanding, demanding,  forgiving, compassionate, teaching and uplifting!    A soul-mate can be your spouse, best friend,  guru, mentor or someone who can match your thoughts and passions and understanding and will be a long lasting relationship.  Glad AVIS and Vaani found this in each other.  Grateful to have learned to Rise in Love!
• Truth will inspire you.   Life never ceases to surprise you and amaze you.  In every moment you will find beauty, often in completely unexpected places. -   Whereas AVIS found this bliss in a courtroom,  I have found such miracles in hospital ICUs,  office lift, classroom,  one time during the long drive in the car in a blissful evening!  Life could have be lost in nano-seconds, but found miracles raising Life all over again.    See beauty even in pain and in the most unlikely of places.   Treat everything in Life as just another event!  Preconceived notions and expectations ruin our peace. 
• Forgiveness is freedom.  It is liberating.  -  Forgiveness is not for those forgiven but who has given it without any baggage.  It makes you peaceful,  free from the haunted grudge and pain of the rotten past.  
• All is fair in love, war and business.  Unable to concentrate on anything else but that, when you are stung by betrayal, are hurt by someone's senseless guile, you feel used,  abused and discarded  -    When you are faced with this situation, the only way to heal faster is to forgive and move on....As AVIS said,  separate the perpetrator and the action.   Also learn to forgive myself!  Give yourself the gift of forgiveness, to yourself and others, you will find peace, love and bliss.
• Remember Everything and Everyone with Gratitude.
• Profundity that only the inscrutable ways of life can imbue in a person.   Wanting Inner peace and wanting to be useful rather than wanting to rid ourselves of our problems or wanting to be more successful!    'Be Useful'   - This life for sure has a purpose.  Many a times, our lives goes off in this earnest search.  It is better we be useful to our fellow human beings in the smallest ways possible rather than trying to be behind the endless search.  In each instance of help you give others, when you can find the opportunity of giving,  it makes you rediscover yourself as a human being as AVIS says
• Bottom line -   Be Happy despite your circumstances

Life is beautiful, like a rose.    However, it does not come without its share of thorns.  Those who know to deal with the thorns and embrace the rose petals to enrich the life with its fragrance....will feel liberated, rejoiced and rejuvenated in every moment that life throws at us.      AVIS and Vaani's life is a reflection of the beauty amidst adversities.   This book does not have a beginning nor an end...just like the human suffering.   As long as we know to rejoice the journey,  life goes on!     It is very easy to judge people from outside.   To be resilient, to be honest, to be in love, to celebrate life despite all its tantrums is never easy.   But those who know to embrace life with all its magic, miracles and mysteries and mountains of pain, love, happiness, sorrows can alone celebrate life and become Happynesswalas - truly like AVIS and Vaani.   God bless you AVIS and family.

Raghunath, Umasree, Vaani, AVIS