Dear Varalotti's birthday falls on 29th April !

Dear Cheer,
Thanks a ton for your kind wishes. One of my most fervent prayers to Lord this time was that I should continue to write in such a manner as to deserve the love and affection these gracious ladies shower on me.
Thanks for the beautiful card. Whether I am warm or not, my friends should tell. Whether I am loving or not, my wife and daughter should tell.
And my enemies should tell about my strength. And my clients and customers should say whether I am dependable or not.
But you have said it all, Cheer. Let me try to fit into your description.
Thanks once again,
sridhar

Dear Mythili Madam,
Thanks a lot for your kind wishes for my birthday. I am happy that IL is an addiction for you and proud that I am cited as one of the reasons.
Mythili, I would like you to read my new serial SHE and post your comments. It is a story of one woman who went in search of her identity. And it is the story of every woman.
Here's the link
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/sa...isode-1-a.html

Thank you once again,
sridhar

Most Gracious Ladies and Gentlemen,

This very post you are looking at happens to be my 2500th post in IL. I am happy to do that on my birthday.

Every birthday brings us happy memories; brings us wishes from near and dear, even if they live far away from us. Just a few seconds back an ILite called from Philadelphia to wish me.

At the same time I realise that with every birthday the age goes up by one. And I come a foot closer to the grand finale.

All these feelings made me to write a poem which I want to become my 2500th post in IL.

On this solemn occasion my thanks to all the ILites who have been strongly with me in all my 2500 posts.

And here's the poem:

I am The Illness And The Pain

I cried, ‘Why my Lord, you made me ill?’
He said ‘It is not my will to see you ill.
But I am the illness and the pain.’

I woke up one day and got a cure
For all my pains and aches, I was sure
‘Thanks My Lord , for making me well
Thanks a million; for in me you dwell.
Thanks My Lord, for what you gave
No..no Thanks My Lord for what you are
And Thanks My Lord, for what I am’

‘My son, let me confess, I did not cure you
But I was the cure that worked on the painful you.
I am the illness, the ache and pain
I am the medicine, the cure and the gain.’


“Thank you Lord for my daily food”
I thanked Him aloud
‘I am not the food-giver my dear son
But I am the food myself, please listen.
Take me in with lots of love
Take me in and make me you

In a moment of vexation vain
I cried, ‘Why did you make me born again?’
‘I did not give you your birth, my dear
But I am the birth that made you come near
To me, to live and to work with love
That you will never have to be born again’


‘If it is so, My dear Lord, give me death at once.’
‘I can’t make you die now, hence
You will have to walk your path and bear your cross
And suffer your pains, even if they are gross.’

I was about to turn away
And walk with my cross in my way
When a hand fell on my shoulder
‘Son you are a soldier
And I am but the death
That will give you the glory and the honour.’

Tears flowing down my wary eyes
I prayed to him, I worshipped Him.

If you are the birth that brought me here
And also the bells of death that I may not hear
If you are the illness and the cure
I am you, and you are me.
What I eat and what I drink
What I talk and what I think
Is nothing but You divine
Without You what can I do,
And without me what will You?

- Varalotti Rengasamy

Hai Varalotti sir,

Wish you a very very happy birthday and many more returns of the same. In true Indian spirit or Indus spirit, may Ishwar, Allah and Jesus shower their blessings on you .

Regards,

Abha.

Hai Abha,
Thanks a lot for your kind wishes. It is a rare privilege to have the blessings of Ishwar, Allah and Jesus on this day.
On a deeper thought one finds they are all one. In one religion the spirit is called Abraham, in another Ibrahim and in still another Brahmam. You can see that the root word "brahm" is the same. As the root is the same for all the religions.
And that root is love.
Tanks Aba once again,
sridhar

Dear Varalotti
Wish you a very Happy Birthday and many happy returns.
May Sri Meenakshi Amman and Sri Sokkanathar bless you and your family abundantly on this their wedding day.
Regards
Manjula

Dear Manjula,

Thanks a lot for your kind wishes. And thanks for invoking the blessings of the presiding deity of our Town and Her Consort.

I do miss your firebrand posts in IL.
regards,
varalotti

Dear Sridhar,

You wrote that poem?! You surely are blessed. But we are the lucky ones.
A lovely poem with the scent of Gita! I shall forward it to my friends and family.

Have a lovely day...

L, Kamla

Dear Sridhar,

A beautiful peom. Just so very moved on reading it. We all in IL are really very blessed to have the oportunity to read all your works.

Congrats on the 2500th post. All of them a real gem of their own.

Vandhana

Dear Kamla,

I did write that poem last December when I was in bed writhing in pain thanks to that viral fever.

L.,
sridhar