Memories are made of these

There’s a quote that goes - “Good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories”. I couldn’t agree more that the best days give beautiful memories.

At this time every year, I always get a little nostalgic thinking of Christmas past as memories of wondrous childhood seasons of carols and cards and trees and family are rekindled. December opened the door to this magical other world of joyous anticipation, imagination and excitement and it was my favourite time of the year.

Open letter to the Chief Minister

Dear Mr Chief Minister,

With repeated attempts by Persons with Disability representatives for an appointment running into the proverbial brick wall time and again, I am compelled to write this letter.

Mr Chief Minister, our understanding of our government is that it is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. I believe this essentially means that the government has come to power via the votes of the people, that the people who voted them to power have a say in what the government does or doesn’t do and that the government exists to better the lives of its citizens – all its citizens and not only the privileged class or a chosen few. As you are the head of our government right now, our desire to meet you was simply to apprise you of the appalling conditions in our State that continue to marginalise and discriminate people living with disability and deprive them of their rights, in the hope that you will hear our voice and take steps to right the wrong that has been perpetuated by consecutive state governments.

Time for the Church to step up!

The Ao Baptist Church Diphupar, one of the very few churches in Nagaland with ramp access into the building 

The Baptist Church of Nagaland has designated the third Sunday of November every year as PwD (Persons with Disability) Sunday, a day for churches and fellowships to focus on celebrating the abilities and involvement of disabled people. This year it falls on the coming Sunday – November 20.

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has taken a very important step towards building an inclusive church by setting up a Disability Commission to guide its churches. I believe this is a watershed moment in the Nagaland Christian disability movement.

Who exactly is governing?

I’m sure most of you have seen the above news clip which appeared in the local dailies on September 22.

So, are we to take it that the democratically elected Nagaland State Government and its administrative machinery are now defunct and the state is being governed by the NSCN-IM?

Better & Stronger because of it

I found the lovely short story I’ve shared below while browsing online and it got me thinking.

When tough times invade our lives or when bad things happen to us or our loved ones, it can be incredibly hard to understand and accept. Sometimes there just seems no sense in what is happening or has happened.

A Nagaland where ‘No one is left behind’

Sharing with you the presentation I submitted to the Nagaland Vision 2030 expert team. The team is currently in the process of preparing a roadmap vision document for the development of Nagaland over the next fifteen years.

WHAT DO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WANT?

They want the same things that everyone else in the community wants. They want the opportunity to get a good education, get a job, lead worthwhile lives and be valued members of the society. They want to be able to go to church and worship, to go shopping, go out with family and friends, and enjoy a concert or festival celebration. They want a chance to participate meaningfully in the life of the community. They want their human rights recognised and realised. They want change and are hopeful that others will share their vision of an inclusive Nagaland that leaves no one behind, a Nagaland that enables people with disabilities to fulfil their potential as equal citizens, a Nagaland for all.

No, it’s NOT barrier free

The above is a photo of the plaque proudly displayed on a wall at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat complex – ‘BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT’.

I beg to strongly differ and my request to them is to please, please remove it because it is utterly embarrassing. The complex is far from barrier free and I have the photographs to prove it.

Smoke free: But how, Mr DC?

Here we go again. Another grand but doomed announcement, another good idea set up for failure!

I’m talking about the ‘Smoke Free City’ declaration made by Kohima Deputy Commissioner during a smoke free campaign programme held in Kohima on April 28. According to media reports, the DC addressed the gathering of students from 22 schools and declared our State capital a Smoke Free City. He invited the schools to be ambassadors in bringing about the transformation.

All that sounds fine, right? It’s what comes next that makes the declaration a joke. The DC added that guidelines and rules for adherence by public and enforcement by the district administration and police would be brought out without delay!

Tourism for All, please

Nagaland’s famous Hornbill Festival does not include Persons with Disability 

Poster put up by the Nagaland State Disability Forum at Kisama Heritage Village during Hornbill Festival 2015

To,

The Parliamentary Secretary

Tourism

Nagaland: Kohima

With tourism a major focus in the State today and the industry only set to grow in the coming years, we would like to draw your attention to an aspect in the State Tourism Policy that has been ignored and neglected leading to the complete exclusion of persons with disability  – the aspect of ACCESSIBILITY at the various tourist sites and events.

T20 off my menu

West Indies team celebrates their World Twenty20 2016 win. Photo: sportsroar.com

West Indies has just won the sixth World T20 held in India. The Caribbean calypsos beat England by 4 wickets in the final and have become the first team ever in history to win both ICC Cricket World Cup and World Twenty20 for more than once.

Yay, good for them! But sorry, I didn’t watch even a single match throughout the tournament. I just caught news about the winning teams from the various news channels. The fast food version of cricket has lost its lustre for me.

Speaking Picture 2

Photo courtesy: Alice Lase Yhoshü  

So, here’s another picture that speaks much more than a thousand words about us.

How happy are we?

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands………..

Well, the people of Denmark must be clapping hard and loud. The Scandinavian country, which has a population of around 5.6 million, has officially reclaimed its place as the happiest nation in the world. It knocked Switzerland into second place to take the title of the happiest country in the 2016 World Happiness Report.

My greatest blessing

Recovering from a pretty severe bout of the flu and feeling weak and totally out of it still – head not yet in the right place! This was rather a strange flu attack. It came on so suddenly with a painful sore throat that appeared out of the blue one evening after dinner. No itchy throat or cough or any other warning symptoms whatsoever. Then came the high-grade fever the next day that felled me completely.

This picture speaks volumes

Photo Courtesy: Ato Richa

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. Well, the image above says a lot about us, doesn’t it?

Garbage piled up right underneath a public notice put up by the authorities of a residential colony in Kohima warning against the same - “Dumping of waste and garbage is strictly prohibited in this area. Defaulters will be penalised with a fine of Rs 1000.”

Every day is the 14th

So, the day set aside for celebrating love is over. Does this mean you’re done showing your love for each other for the rest of the year? I sure hope not.

Every year around this time everything goes heart shaped, pink and red and chocolaty. And if you’re to go by all the commercials, the only way to show you truly love someone is by participating in the occasion by buying and gifting cards, chocolates, flowers and balloons.

This animal hides in my heart!

Photo: en.wikipedia.org

With millions of people celebrating Chinese New Year across the world and talk about 2016 being the Year of the Monkey popping up everywhere, I went to check up on my Chinese zodiac sign and found that I was born in the year of the Dragon. Yep, I’m a dragon.

Dangerous foods we eat everyday!

We need food to live. Nothing new there! But what most of us are unaware of is that some of the fruits and vegetables and other foods that we eat everyday are toxic and dangerous.

And no, I’m not talking about the chemicals and pesticides that most of our foods are laced with these days. These are poisonous or harmful by design, not accident. If stored or prepared incorrectly, or if the wrong part is eaten or too much of it eaten, they can cause great harm and even death.

People who make a difference

I found this lovely piece online and wanted to share it with you……..

You don't actually have to take the quiz, so no need for paper and pencil. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point, an awesome one. .....

My friend the storyteller

Easterine Kire seen at the release of her book ‘My Book of Angels’. Photo: Atom Puro

Poet, novelist, storyteller par excellence – that’s Easterine Kire for you. I always marvel at the way words flow so effortlessly from her pen. She’s got this wonderful gift of spinning her tales and descriptions in such a way that her stories are conveyed to the readers’ minds almost like a vivid film.

As I read ‘When the River Sleeps’†, Vilie and all the other characters came alive and I found myself living the book and experiencing their joys, sorrows and their fears alongside them amidst the wonders of the forest and the spirits that roamed the land. It continued playing in my mind long after I had finished the book. What a gift to be able to weave words in that manner!

Only in Nagaland?

Check out the December month taken from the official Nagaland Calendar 2015 (shown above). The rows of red at the bottom indicate the number of days that were declared as public holidays for government employees on account of Christmas – seven days altogether, minus the Saturday and Sunday in between.  

Does it not make you blush in embarrassment just looking at it?

I am rich……….

If you have a family that loves you, a few good friends, food on your table and a roof over your head…...you are richer than you think!

What about that!

I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes, as you might have noticed. I use them often in my writings. There’s something about them that I find irresistible. Perhaps the fact that they usually come from ordinary people who’ve gone on to do extraordinary things in their lives is what makes them so fascinating. Reading their words, their take on life, always revs me up and makes me think.