Compassionate Clowning : Silly Smiles Take You Miles

The tagline of my blog says, Silly Smiles take you Miles... it's wonderful to live your saying, your belief and perceive it in real. It's actually inexplicable how you feel when your words become alive with their real meaning and make you dance to their tune. 

Since my childhood, I had always been fascinated by Clowns. When we used to play cards, I always used to wonder why the joker is always left out. I used to feel very bad for that Joker card being sequestered and instead used to keep it in my deck. Whenever there was a circus show in the town, I was all excited not to see the lions and elephants dancing but the clown juggling the balls and deliberately making fall his red nose or colorful curls instilling laughter in the air. I always thought how difficult it is to make someone else laugh, to make them forget about their pain and misery and soak them in the wave of joy and laughter. This very thought always provoked me and apparently brimmed in the form of my maiden poem Spreading Smiles.

I had never thought that the joker so much playful in my subconscious mind will attract me to play its role one day. These lines are popping up in my mind from James Allen's , "As a Man Thinketh",

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,

And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes

The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,

Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: —

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:

Environment is but his looking-glass.

So, I became a clown. Yes, I did. I dissolved my identity to embark on the journey of spreading love and happiness. And the first lesson I learnt was to be compassionate. Yes, in the world where we are all confined to our tiny cubicles unaware of the person sitting at our backside but communicating to unseen souls through social media, are we compassionate enough to hear the sob of the person sitting beside us. Have we ever noticed why the person who was coming regularly, occupying the seat next to us has suddenly stopped coming. Do we ever bother to ask a person how he is doing after a long sick leave. Are we really compassionate or we have forgotten what being compassionate means.

I became a Clown, not just a clown but a compassionate clown to heal the tiny souls undergoing excruciating pain with a little love and happiness. As my doctor friend says, "laughter helps in fighting stress. It reduces pain by releasing endorphins (the body's natural painkiller), boosts the immune system by increasing the level of T cells & lowering serum cortisol levels, thereby promoting a positive outlook. Laughter helps people to cope with difficult situations and create loving and helpful bonds which aids the healing process."

Compassionate Clowning is an initiative taken up by compassionate clowns to visit hospitals and help the doctors and patients in their battle with their sword of laughter fighting away the pain and distress. Compassionate Clowns is a group of volunteers where anybody and everybody is welcomed with warmth and love. The volunteers gather every weekend in different cities and visit the nearby hospitals to infuse the air of ailing pain with refreshing laughter and happiness. This clowning activity is carried out in different cities of India like Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Rajkot. You can easily connect with the nearest clowning group at their facebook page and volunteer for the noble cause -https://www.facebook.com/CompassionateClown

I took the new year resolution to be more compassionate and became the clown with a red nose and pink cheeks at Gujarat Cancer Society Hospital, Ahmedabad. The clowns are regularly visiting the children suffering from cancer being treated at this hospital. Every saturday it seems as if the entire children ward awaits their arrival. From parents to doctors to hospital staff to the anxiously waiting tiny tots.

There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of young toons. 

As the clowns dress up, paint their faces, the passing-by patients and visitors curiously look at us for being so colorful and vibrant at a morbid place. And we greet them with our vivacious smiles and joy.

Clowns with the Hospital Staff

As this was my first time being a clown, we started off with painting our faces red and yellow. Then we made a circle holding hands to share the positive vibes amongst ourselves and take the oath to spread it forward with everybody we come in contact with.

Clowns taking the pledge

I was the engine of this session. Yeah, the chhuk chhuk gadi engine ;) We entered the children ward like a vibrant colorful train. The children resting in their beds woke up and smiled. So, finally the jokers are here. We were late by half an hour and one child was very angry. See the receptivity of the child for warmth and happiness that he refrains to wait by even a few minutes.

Why are you late today?? Can't you see me waiting for you with this mickey specs?

The clowns are in action now. They have dissolved their identity of a student, of a job seeker, of a tired professional. They are just the clowns saying sorry to the little child by dancing to his favourite song.

Acchi Nani, Pyaari Nani, Maan jao na ;)

As it was the new year, so we had carried new year hand-made cards for all the children wishing them a bright and healthy new year. We chatted with them like our own siblings and asked them to write down their goals. "What would you like to be??" See, we are giving them a hope to achieve their dreams irrespective of the disease they are suffering. If you wish you can, then you surely can!

Happy New Year Princess!

We blew balloons, we sang with the children, we told them stories, we chit-chat with them. They love us as clowns and we love them more and more. Some children are very naughty. Afterall how can one disease take away their innocence and we make sure that never happens. 

Inky Pinky Ponky

The little energy packets energized us more than we had expected. They make us the child again and take us back to our golden days. They forget about their pain and get lost in our stories and magic tricks. 

And when you find a cute child dreaming to be SRK, the clown teaches him how to be SRK. And the entire ward becomes a movie theatre with dialogues of SRK, Bacchhan, Kapoor falling around.

Click me fast! I'm the new SRK ;)

The doctors also find it refreshing to laugh heartily and enjoy with their little patients. They always say, "I pray this child lives his dream of being a pilot."

Dr. Uncle! See my mustache, I have grown up now :P

More surprisingly, its the parents who participate in the games and feel joyful. They enjoy us as clowns and we enjoy seeing them laughing and cuddling with their kids in all joy and happiness.

A happy Tigress mum with the SherKhan :)

As we leave for the day, we share our experiences with each other and there's always a lesson learnt. We always complain of trivial things, of being deprived of this and that. But as we see the little guns fighting against all odds, we are charged up. One clown said it so rightly, "I dont come here to make them happy. I come here because they make me happy. "

All colorful Clowns:)

This is all possible with the energy of togetherness. No one clown has the strength to go alone inside the room full of pain and agony. Sometimes we too break down on seeing our brothers/sisters in such tormenting pain. But together we vibrate in symphony and blow the breeze of triumphant happiness.

We are a Happy Family :)

Smiles are contagious and we are its brand ambassadors. We spread it, gather it, spread it more and blow it around creating a peaceful happy aura. We believe in making people happy together. We are #SpreadTheVibe. Come, join us in spreading this vibe all across.

Clowns in Caps!

Öbrìgadò!
JJJ
 
This post is written for #SpreadTheVibe by youthkiawaaz

Under the Canopy of Grannies

"Hello! Hello!

Good Morning everyone! Today we have gathered here to celebrate Grandparent's Day. Grandparents are the strongest pillars of the family. They nurture us with utmost care and affection. Lets take this opportunity to make them feel special. They are our valuable assets. Hello.. Hello.. Mike Testing..1..2..3.."

Such rumble sounds were banging on my eardrums early in the morning at 7 o' clock. As I reconciled to my consciousness, I found it was some teacher who was rehearsing her lines for the Grandparent's Day celebration.
 

Ravindra Bharti Global School , a primary school is situated just behind my hostel. I bounced out of my bed and peeped through the window. What all is going on?? Is there  something called Grandparent's Day??

 

Yeah! 7th September has been declared as Grandparent's Day by UNESCO. I had never heard of it before. An hour later, many grandparents started coming in holding the hand of their grandchildren. Soon the celebration started with a welcome note from the Principal. I was watching all this from my window. I clicked some pics also from my window at the fifth floor.

 

The grandparents were made to play some games, some quizzing games and some funny games. To everyone's amazement, the intelligent Grandmas proved their excellence here too. After that grandchildren presented some dance and sang a Thank-you song in their honour. Later the Grandparents were asked to share their views, their experiences, their lovely thoughts about their grandchildren. Many of them shared their views. One of the Grandpas had a hearty laugh while describing how his Grandson studying in Class-II daily insists for bedtime stories and he has to daily struggle to do this homework.

 

It was my immense pleasure to listen to so many Grannies. Some also thanked their better halves for walking so long without any complaint filling the journey with love and happiness. At the end, the rocking song "Badtameez Dil" was played. Everyone was on the dance floor- Granpas, Granmas, Grandchildren and teachers. It was fun watching the young Granparents moving their shaggy bodies to the music. I enjoyed this entire celebration sitting at the window. It was after so many days I sensed happiness in the air.

 

On this day, I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to Granny- Mrs. Usha Menon ,a 77-year young lady who is so active in her real life as well as blogging world (http://eccentricgrandmum.blogspot.in/). She has been inspiring everyone who walks past her. I'm one of the lucky person to get to know her. It was just a day before when I saw an old lady named Usha Menon (as her profile picture said) has commented on one of the blogs I regularly visited. I was stupefied  after reading her 'About Me' section and a few of her blogs. And I was left dumbstruck when the very next day she visited my blog and felicitated me with the prestigious Liebster Award. It was a complete exotic moment to have her imprints on my space. She is the real "VIVACIOUS PUERILE" whom I know. I present a few lines in your honour, Grandma.

The silver lining on the head

The crinkles lying on the hand

The waist stooping down the cane

The eyes still gleaming like of a child

The heart as young as mine

She is my Grandmaa smiling from miles.

Your praiseworthy words

Your vivacious spirit

Your sweet voice

Your all-time support

Makes me feel blessed everyday.

Thank-you for making this big world a tiny microcosm.

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi

JJJ

THE DRIED TEAR DROPS

The three - year old half naked child with dark colour, filthy body and shabby shirt with just one button to hold up the cloth on his body was roaming in the general compartment of Indian Rail. With his hands spread out to receive something in kind rather than the one-rupee coin, his eyes carried a different gleam while visiting every passenger in the hope of some mercy. I was watching him from the past ten minutes when he appeared from the passage near the toilet and embarked upon his MISSION ROTI.

 

Begging for the mercy he went to a young man who seemed too busy with his cellphone that I doubt if he had heard his voice behind the music playing in his ears and fingers moving fast on the touchpad. The poor child was accustomed to such apathetic hearts, so he moved forward. He approached a lady carrying about ten- months old baby. The baby was jumping  in his mother's lap to grab the water bottle. And the mother was enjoying tossing the bottle from left to right and right to left. The little boy slyly put his finger in mouth wishing if he too  had such a mother. The lady shook her head beckoning him not to stare but go away. The pauper- boy trudged his feet along with the dirty litters lying on the floor of the train. His malnutritioned body was clearly visible through the tattered shirt he was wearing. He had completed one row juxtaposed with the passengers but was still empty- handed.

 

Ironical, tens of people can't feed one single child. The poor boy still had hope and moved towards the next row. How much patience such vagabonds carry that amongst the thousands, one will definitely show mercy on them.

 

In the next row, a young girl almost of his age was munching uncle chips. When she saw the poor boy, she put her hand into the packet and took out two chips. When the boy came near, she gave him the chips. The boy smiled and the greetings came through eyes. But no later the mother of the girl caught hold of her and served her with two loud slaps. The lady shouted at the generous girl while she sobbed. The pauper-boy ran away and watched the show from a distance. He was feeling sorry for the girl and put the two chips in his mouth. It seemed his stomach felt happy after being fed with two crumbs.

 

When he walked to the third row, a family was having their home-made lunch. As they saw him begging, they shrunk into their seats with the food. The boy held no expressions and turned back. Suddenly another man sitting there called him. The man stood up and reached for his bag lying above him. He took out his lunch-box he carried from home. He opened the lunch-box and gave the only paratha to the boy. Perhaps he had already took his lunch and that last paratha was his leftover. The hungry boy seemed elated as if he had received a kilo of rasgullas. He humbly took the feed and rushed towards the passage. There emerged a few more children and a vagabond-woman carrying a young baby. The boy showed the paratha he earned today to his fellow friends. But suddenly the vagabond-woman snatched the paratha from him. She kept half with herself while distributed the remaining half amongst some odd five children including the boy. The poor boy hardly got a piece to be called paratha rather just a crumb. I was sitting in the fourth row and watched the vagabond- lady eating half of the paratha.

 

This is an everyday scene in the train, on the roadside. I have seen many beggars earlier too but what typical catched my attention this time?? Was it the little boy who blankly stood near the gate after winning just a crumb of the whole paratha ? or was it the kind girl who was slammed for feeding another child? or was it the man who gave away his leftover to the boy?

 

Each of us come across such beggars outside our home, while commuting to school or office, while visiting the temple, outside a vanity fair, at the bus stop or at the railway station. But we hardly stop to take a look on them. Though as a child we might have felt pity for these beggars just like the young girl in train but as we grow up, we become accustomed to their terminal miseries which becomes a show for granted. Perhaps this time I looked on that pauper-boy because I was not moving anywhere , neither was I caught up in any work but just watching the show from the fourth row.

 

 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

CAN I BE THE REASON???

Reason to live?
Reason to eat?
Reason to play?
Reason to study?
Reason to laugh?
Reason to cry?
Reason to celebrate?
Reason to sleep?
Reason to love?
Reason to fight?
Reason to question?
Reason to answer?
Ahh!!!A reason to a reason makes the reason release that reason.

CONFUSED!!!
Infact I was terribly confused when a little girl asked me all the aforesaid reasons to be reasoned. Well!! our brain do the most weirdest thing when it is required the most not to do so. Is finding a reason for each of our actions , reason for our existence, reason for our happiness appreciable? Yet brain appreciates to do the unappreciable many-a-times.

So I asked back the little kid, "Amm.. Tell me what do you like the most??"
"Chocolates",she answered candidly.
"Why should I offer you a chocolate?? Give me a reason."
"Because I command you to give me one right now", ordered the jejune voice.
I chuckled , "What else? I'm not satisfied with this reason."She thought for a while and cutely answered tilting her head left resting the hair over the shoulder,
" Bee-caa-use I always make you smile even just for a while."

I was taken away by her words. Instantly a smile nested over my lips. I groped for the chocolate in my pocket and offered it to the current reason of my smile. She grabbed it and ran away to play with her friends. But she left me contemplating how often do  we need a reson to smile? a reason to stretch our facial muscles to seat the curve cosily?

I was perhaps correct, we humans need a reason to do everything. Until and unless it is demanded our geek professors don't smile, The stubborn landlady feels charged a million bucks for a smile, the shopkeeper finds it tough to sell his smile to his customers paying off. Isn't it disheartening that people search for reasons to make themselves happy. They are seldomly ready to help others but when it comes to themselves then too it seems a herculean task for them. Irony of the hour!!!

Smile is that little word with five alphabets which makes all our five senses vigil simultaneously. 
I myself leave no chance to make others smile and make them join my "HAPPY CLUB". It's said so true - Smile for no reason and gradually it becomes your habit. To live this gifted life to its best is our sole right so why to miss a chance??

 I smile for you

You smile for me

We all smile for us

Making this world

A smiling place to live in.

 :) :) :)

SPREADING SMILES

Smile on one's face prompts other to smile back. Sometimes its a sign of merry, sometimes of a approval. It may be the result of some crap.But overall it makes us feel juvenile, more happy , more joyous.

Here I write down the first poem of my life. Though I don't know how exactly the verses are composed but I have tried my best.
Here it follows :-


Gone are those days,
When she dropped me to the way. {MOTHER}
My eyes were full of tears,
Her lips were full of cheers,
I clinged her wrist tight,
She pointed to the path right.
I turned back to see her for a while,
She waved me a good bye.
With heavy heart I stepped ahead,
With perturbed heart she drove back.

I entered under the same roof again,
She welcomed me with a smile. {FRIEND}
I gazed at her ring for a while.
She holded my hand
And made me seat.
I laid my heavy bag down,
Thinking of the pink clown,
Which I saw on the stage,
Spreading smile on everyones' face.

Suddenly a stick banged over desk,
I returned from clown to my bag.
Miss asked to open the Literature Reader,
I turned up the page to THE LOST CHILD.
She pointed to the girl next to me,
She stood up and started humming.

I didn't listen to her words,
And got lost to my clowny world.
How pretty his red nose looked,
How charming his big eyes moved,
But his wide smile seemed clowny,
Perhaps he had hidden his melancholy.
Still he continued to spread the smile,
To make masses alive across a few mile.


She pinched me to listen her,
I sailed back to the reader.
Still my heart pumped for him,
I waited for the bell to ring.

The school was over,
The children rushed over.
But I sat back,
Lost in the pack.

On the way to home,
I was not excited to meet my mom,
Just wished for his true smile.
I wished to meet him once again,
God listened me and shared my path with him.

The conical cap stood high amid the flock,
I pranced high in my frock.
Rushed to the clown crossing the palms,
But what I saw answered my soul.
The clowny smile of the clown,
Was all the game of dawn.
Dusk brought his mom ill,
Dusted the dawn with her veil.
She laid silent on the overhead cot,
Made my clown to carry the hot pot,
I cried a lot.

Clown taught me one thing,
Never show your sad face to this world,
If so, they will make fun of you.
Just wear a smile,
Hiding your pail of tears.
You will win one's heart,
Prizing you the king award.
So let the days pass by,
But dont let your smile to fade by.
So Make Smile everyone
To make A SMILE for you.
:-) :-)