What do you do when life gives you lemonade?

Hi Friends,

I have been blogging here for nearly a decade. Recently, I published my first fiction work in the form of a novel. While, I remember all those who have been my best critics, and send out my gratitude to them, I distinctly share one anecdote. What do you do when life gives you lemonade? The answer is provided by a great poet, celebrity lyricist, and author, and a humble person.

Picture taken with Shri Jayanth Kaikini

January 2021 began with a head start with the release of my debut novel Kismet. No doubt, I have put in my toiled efforts. Finding my way out of a new maze, as a beginner, was never easy. It is more of an amalgamated attitude than an achievement. 

Here, I must mention the person whom I met when I was midway through accomplishing my novel. When he was at my residence in Doha, having brunch with my family, I was running a marathon. After my return, he talked about my interests, and his words filled up voids in my strong will. As he signed two of his books and gifted me, laughingly said next time you will be signing your book and gifting me! He is himself an award-winning writer, lyricist, and poet. Shri  Jayanth Kaikini. Worth mentioning here is his down to earth nature and subtle humour in simple conversations.

Those who did not hear about him can simply google him. That evening, addressing the Karnataka Diaspora in Doha, he said these words: "Felicitation is something I run away from. But when it comes my way, I take them as my cheerleaders. When Sushma ran her marathon and reached home with a medal, she must have met with many cheerleaders cheering up during the race, or also offering water or lemon juice. But she can not stop there, smiling and thanking them. She has to simply run faster to reach her finishing line. So, is our life. We meet with many people who may criticize us, or felicitate us or appreciate our work. This should simply motivate us to move further faster".

Today, after the successful release of the book, I am in receipt of many wishes, enquiries, and messages from friends, acquaintances, and even unknown people. And also few snubs, and accurately blunt critics. I take all of them with gratitude. All these have only challenged me. "They heal you," says my Reiki healing partner Pratibha too, to me.

One of the wishes that came was humorous too. One new reader, wrote to me saying he could only pronounce my name as in Kamla Harris.  This left me smiling away. 

Overall, I am delighted to feel that success to me, at this juncture, is nothing but the best wishes and love poured by people around me. It is my lemonade and all of you being my cheerleaders.

The definition of success depends on us. The sky is the limit. But it all begins on this earth where people have showered empathy on me and that makes a
big difference. In the making of our kismet!

Sending loads of love to all people who mean :)

Cheers

Sush