Home Sweet Home
By Vijaylakshmi Nagraj
Educational consultant, Author and Storyteller
Vijaylakshmi’s special focus has been integrating storytelling to textbook learning. She has been storytelling to children suffering from cancer using her handmade puppets, as she believes that storytelling is an excellent therapy for children suffering from long term illness. She was involved in a “Reading to Recovery,” programme for the Tsunami orphans in Nagapattinam (2005) She has authored a number of children’s books, and written research-oriented articles on children’s literature.
She is a life member of The Association of Writer’s and Illustrators for Children (AWIC) a New Delhi based NGO. She has worked with Akshara Foundation in their Library programmes. She has been a member of the Steering Committee for Psycho-Social Support and Mental Health Services in Disasters, National Disaster Management Authority, Govt of India.
Her recent works include a Tamil Translation of Julia Donaldson’s very popular book “A Squash and a Squeeze”, published by Pan Macmillan. Vijaylakshmi has won a prize for her short story in a Competition organized by Children’s Book Trust this year. She does storytelling sessions for the children in an orphanage once a week. She is one of the Founder Members of Booklore, a Bangalore based book club for children. Presently she is a consultant with Funky Rainbow, the best Independent and Travelling Bookstore in Bangalore.
Her love for children and the desire to ensure that they have a happy childhood has been her focus and mission in life.
Introduction by Venkat
Faith is the home for intention, intention the home for thought, and thought the home for actions. Likewise, our body is the home for our soul in this life and the living space is the home for our body. Those who experience the sweetness of faith can experience the sweetness in every home mentioned afore. The place where we have a sense of belonging becomes sweet and what could be a better place for it than our own physical living space called home?
Mrs. Vijaylakshmi, beautifully elucidates on the sweetness that is inherent in our homes, as the belongingness is losing the attention, swayed by the demands and pace of our modern lifestyle. She recommends practical ideas to bring back the intimate connection, because as she put, “Your home is where your heart is.”
She is one of the speakers in the currently running Bangalore Literature Festival at the Lalit Ashok, Bangalore.
Home Sweet Home
Home sweet Home, surely the most beautiful words today.
Think about it folks when you didn’t have the time to spend in your own home. Life was on fast track, rushing to work, meeting deadlines, attending to children, rushing to market and of course shopping as if there was no tomorrow. Going to the Malls was a favorite pass time. Eat, drink, watch movies and have fun. Cooking was not high on your list most days, so Swiggy, Zomato and Fresh Menu were your favorite apps. Food delivery, online shopping, enjoying without a care and life was one big picnic. Your home felt lonely all day cause you were away. Your home felt neglected and wished you would stay. Then came…
A small unknown virus, with the power of a bullet train and turned the world topsy-turvy. Where is it? No one knows! Unseen, unknown creating a medical emergency like never before. It is like groping in the darkness or looking for a needle in the haystack. Our fight is with the unknown. Stay safe, stay home says the universe. Your home is the safest zone. Keep your parents and grandparents safe at home. Isolation is the need of the hour. Don’t have to panic or fear. The solution is simple, stay home, stay safe.
Your home is where your heart is, your love is, your life is. Make the best of this time at home. Look around your home and see the beauty you have created. The painting on the wall, the books, the kitchen and the cupboard full of clothes. Have you ever wondered at the amount of things you have collected? You now have the time to relook, tidy up and give away the surplus. In your kitchen rediscover the joy of cooking, try out those special recipes and watch your family enjoy home cooked delicious meals served with love. Engage your children, even the little ones, no age bar here, to help you in the household chores. They will learn team work. Teach them that self-help is the best help. Reinvent your lives. Spend time with each other, specially your children. Listen to them, for in your busy schedule you hardly had time for your children. See the smile and sparkle in their eyes when you play with them, eat with them, sing with them and share happy hours with them. Fun unlimited, undiluted, just pure fun. For home is truly where the heart is.
The three most meaningful words ever coined and relevant today are “Home Sweet Home.”
By Vijaylakshmi Nagraj
Educational consultant, Author and Storyteller
Very inspiring and well written Vijayayalakshmi rightly says thru the turmoil we as a world suffered it is now within ourselves to be cautious and alert
The 3 years gone by has been alert for all us .We don’t know what and when will shake us So as the writer we have to be at home with our dear loved ones sharing caring and empathic