Hi friends,  my last post was about my #100happydays that I completed and the whys and hows of it.

 I have been asked by several of my friends to have an open-ended happy days which they felt was inspiring and good-to- follow on my page. As I debate whether to do that or not - have 100 happy weeks or 100 happy months, I decided to put some random thoughts to paper... So here goes....

Last week , I had an opportunity of traveling across the breadth of my  state, Kerala, situated on the Malabar coast of southwestern India. Aptly named  

"God's own country",  Kerala abounds in natural beauty varying from  beaches to hill stations and that unique feature of this beautiful state - its backwaters. As often happens  all my visits to my home state Kerala have been devoid of "exploring it" per se.  This time however  we decided to "see"  a little of Keralam... starting with the north ...

As yet undiscovered by  tourists,  Kannur has a beautiful coastline with a few lesser known beaches like Peyyambalam Beach  Baby beach and a particularly interesting one known as the Drive-in Beach supposedly one of its kind in Kerala. Kannur has very few resorts and 5 Star hotels to boast of and home stays form an important form of accommodation for tourists  in this quaint little town.

We stayed in a Govt guest house very aptly named Jannat that is built as part of twin guest houses literally on the beach. With a coconut grove  separating it from the rocky beach, it is a place one can spend hours......reading, reflecting or  just watching the sea change its moods from calm and still to rough and tumultuous...reflecting one's own mind. My husband also seemed as taken with the sea and the beautiful surroundings...as we watched the boats go by,  watched the sunset from the room or had breakfast on the beach. Morning walks were a study in contrast to the ones I had become accustomed to used to in the busy Metros -  I found time to stand and stare and listen and imbibe.....sounds and scents and sights...Kannur has been in the news off and on for some disturbances, but to me,  it offered a place to  rest, recoup and rejuvenate my mind. 

As I watched the waves,  I marveled at the way they  mirrored life itself  and the people we meet along life's way........... As each wave crashes on the beach and having spent its energy, recedes, it meets another wave on its onward journey towards the beach....they meet and both change ...in  direction, depth and content   just as we  do as and when we meet people who change our lives in some little way, tangible or intangible

.  All relationships begin as strangers who cross each others paths by accident  or providence as we traverse the path of life.  And ever so often, these chance meetings result in relationships which affect each others lives in various ways, sometimes just for a season...sometimes  for an entire lifetime. We change a little with each life that we touch and each one that touches ours... never the same again. Ah, Life! 

The other place in Kannur I really liked was the Drive in Beach. The Muthappan temple, the colorful and awe inspiring Theyyam,  the lighthouse, the Bekal Fort and  the newly made Arackal museum are some of the other sights that Kannur offers.

We may be busy with innumerable things in our lives.......but its important to take time out.... and re-connect. Reconnect with ourselves first of all.... with our world...with the people in our lives..  Cliched as it may sound, I remember a quote.... Take vacations ... You can always make money... but you can't always make memories...

Discover unexplored territories... in yourself ....and in the world around you..Make memories..

Cheers till my next missive....... Have a great weekend......