The Sky, is a sort of constance in my life…like as if to say “No matter what, I am here.”

I was outside at dusk, as the first stars began to appear in the sky(Yes, I am a compulsive sky watcher/seer/starer). I was sighing as I realize that as I age, there are lesser stars I see on the night sky, lots of things that I wont see without the help of some optical device. Suddenly the topic for today’s Musing appeared to my brain- Light Years!

The first time I heard the word was in a Physics class at school where my teacher was explaining what a light year meant- it was the Distance travelled by Light in one year. At the time, all I did was to read the definition, memorize it, and tuck it away so I could have the right answer on my exams in case the question was asked. Yes, nothing was more important than just muddling through school.

Years later, I realized the implication of the word- Light Year, and it completely boggled my mind. If someone said “They saw something that was at a distance of ___ light years.” It meant that they were at the time, seeing something that was there One year ago, that the object that the eye was seeing at the moment was something as it was in the past.

Now imagine this – we are seeing the past in our present each time we are looking at the twinkling stars in the sky. Magic! We are in Two Time Zones at the Same Time. Is that Time Traveling without Travelling? That thought made looking at the night sky even more fascinating.

The brightest star in the most visible Constellation the Ursa Major(the Big Dipper aka Sapta Rishi of the Hindu Name and Fame) is about 81 light years away, which means the light we are seeing is the light that was 81 years ago and what ever light that star is emitting in our now will be visible to us 81 years from Now. Mind Boggling isnt it? And so I walked in after staring at the sky to write this on 10th day of September…while wondering what other things I had missed scrutinizing while I learned them at school.

Signing Off

You know who.

This term is so versatile in meaning, the way it is used. For the longest time as a child when this term was used, I thought they meant the left hand. Its what happens when you are learning English and you speak a different tongue and are surrounded by other languages, especially in India.

There is a lot of unspoken nuances with the this term. The most familiar ones to me are hand-me downs(clothes, toys, books, jewellery, accessories) – aka, second-hand goods. They brought with them a set of rules in my home – Never wear them or use them around people, who know the people who gave them to you. It was emotionally degrading, not saving face especially if someone in that group would say “Isn’t that so-and-so’s dress(or item)?”… you could wear it around the people who gave it to you, as that was an expression of Gratitude. Navigating this was such a pain, that I just wore these, only while I was at home, less stress, less botheration. As I grew older, I found ways to counter the disdain from the wealthier, unseeing lot. I looked upon it as being kinder to Mother Earth, filial to our Ancestors, whose motto was(loosely translated) “waste not, want not”. Afterall, the best expression of awareness is to do what you know is right and in harmony with people and resources available to you at any moment. And, my second hand clothes that were still in good condition were handed off to my cousins, I guess you could call them Third-hand? So I understood the term as applied to things we got from someone else who has no use for them anymore.

But, that wasn’t the only way. I heard this applied to a person, and I was appalled. My young brain was set to a rage when I heard a relative talk very flippantly about a Widow who was marrying again with “I don’t know why he wants Second-hand goods” A Woman, a Person, a Hand Me Down!!?!! And the Irony, the Man was a Widower, and none thought of applying this term for him? Isn’t he a Hand Me Down “Goods” too, by the same standard. Alright, so People can think like this too. I filed that piece of knowing away, promising to never ever use that term on anything Alive.

Fast forward to my life here in the US. I came across two more ways of using the term. 1. Second-hand Smoke- Which I had to be very aware off, unless I wanted to be sick with irritated sinuses and a massive gong-head 2. I have watched some bizarre ways people from my Country behave, and my skin flushed, I didn’t understand why that happened. Rationally, each person is responsible for their behaviour, yet here I was flushing, wanting to dissociate with the other person who I knew was from my land of birth with skin tones and lilts in their tongue just like mine, yet, I had red ears, flushed face and crawling skin. Much latter I came across the term – Second-hand Embarrassment. I have since learned to set up a fortress for this feeling, so I can walk away without flushing.

In a way, this is a second-hand account of my mulling over the term, as the experience I write about is in the past. yet here I go musing about it.

Do let me know what other versions of these you have heard. Language, vocabulary, meaning, usage of those aspects, fascinates me. Thank you for Reading.

Signing off

You know who

September 5th is the Birthday of Shri. Sarvepalli RadhaKrishnan (Sep 5th 1888 – Apr 17th 1975) the Second President of India(1962-1967) who was a Historian, a Professor of Philosophy, a Politician and a Statesman. Indians celebrate his birthday as Teacher’s Day. He has authored books about Indian History, Hindu Philosphy and Translated Many Hindu texts and the Dhammapada to English.

My take on him feels like Plagiarism, as I am only spouting what others have said and know of him. The only direct perception of him I have is when I read His translation of the Upanishads.

This day, I would like to offer my Gratitude to the Teachers, who are present and absent, who come in the form of the Profession of Teachers and those who Teach with their mere presence and interactions in my circle of life.

In Gratitude to my teachers who I had the privilege to be a student of Physically at school, college and other extra-curricular activities. Gratitude for teachers in the family, among my friends, acquaintances and people I meet in my day. Gratitude for teachers, who come to me through books, art and entertainment. Gratitude for teachers I chose because I was drawn to what they said and did, who I never met but have a profound affect in the way I think and do. Gratitude for the teachers of my children at school, college and activities too, and for those silent watchers with helping hands, minds who helped raise my children.

I do enjoy Learning. I have to figure How to Learn the subjects I don’t like, that’s my big flaw. I will go all in when it comes to something that interests me or holds me in awe…but ask me to do something I “HAVE TO” learn and my Heel goes 6 or more feet in! But I will take that small blessing and be happy – I like to learn what I like to learn.

Thank you all for keeping me Humble enough to Learn and Hopefully share in what I learn. May We Continue to Learn and share in our Learning all through our Lives.

I leave you with a Sanskrit Hymn that I chant as an affirmation to begin any study, with its meaning

Saraswati namastubhyam varade kaamaruupini
Vidyaarambham karishhyaami siddhirbhavatu me sadaa.

Word Meaning: Saraswati – One who flows. Namastubhyam – I bow to/bring attention to Varade – One who blesses Kaamaruupini – One who fulfills our aspirations Vidyaarambham – Beginning Studies Karishyaami – I am. Siddirbhavatume – My goals fulfill. Sada– Always.

Translation : I bring my attention to that which flows, blesses and fulfills my aspirations, as I begin my studies. May I accomplish my goals.

Signing off,

You know who.