Did you have a good year? Was it placid and calm or one roller coaster ride? No matter which, it helps to have a friend to talk to. One you can unburden yourself to, without the “I told you so” or a bunch of preaching.
The lady above has been my closest friend since I moved to Mumbai. I have gone to her with tears rolling down my eyes, bursting at the seams with anger, and starry eyed, in love with every colour and nuance of life. I have had conversations with her where I have poured my heart out or just sat in stony silence, confused to the core with life’s mysterious incongruous ways. And at the end, before I left, I’ve looked at her face, and whispered “Thank you.” Thank you for listening and giving me whatever she felt was best for me.
To a non-believer she is merely a wooden statue of Mother Mary in The Basilica of Our Lady of The Mount, brought all the way from Portugal to Bombay in the 16th Century. To a believer she has miraculous healing powers.
The centrepiece of the Bandra Fair, people from all faiths, ages and social strata come to her to attend mass or simply sit in silence. Some walk down the aisle on their knees clutching wax offerings. Some chant the holy rosary in fervent whispers. Some just sit in silence [like me]. And some come waving colourful candles and are more excited about taking pictures with their cell phones of her beauty or of themselves with her in the background.
When I look at the bigger picture it was a good year for me, and I hope it was for you too. As we step into 2017 I would like to wish you all a wonderful year ahead. And my best friend would like to join me in this.Ok, I am being presumptuous, and perhaps it is the other way round—that she would like to wish you, and I am just tagging along. 😀
Happy Holidays, everyone. God bless. ❤
Note: The Basilica of Our Lady of The Mount, where the effigy stands, was originally a simple mud oratory (1570) for private prayer. It morphed itself into the grand semi-Gothic edifice it is today on Mount Mary Road, Bandra West, Mumbai in 1904.
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Love the Our Lady of the Mount Cathedral and love the way the Lady of the Canon Mount Camera (or is it Nikon?) writes this blog!!! ⛪🎄✝ Happy 2⃣0⃣1⃣7⃣!!!
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Wishing you a wonderful year ahead too, Aadil, full of blessings and opportunities. Btw the lady is a Canon. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words for my blog. Means a lot.
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Please can you share my blog I want to share to the world what I think and to help make this world a better place
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Thank you for stopping by, and reading my blog, Natasha. 🙂 I read your blog. You write well. Good luck for your blogging journey, and in spreading positivity!
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Greet post mister
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Thank you, but am not a Mister. Am a Ms. 🙂 Nice to know you enjoyed the post. Hope you enjoy the rest of my blog too.
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Great post Rama Arya! Nice to read you! If you want come to visit my blog. I wish you a nice 2017
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Happy New Year to you too, us4p! Am happy to hear you enjoying reading my blog. 🙂
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Enjoyed your post. Every word of it. There is so much of “me” in you. Loved it.
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A bit of me in everyone. A bit of everyone in me. After all, we are all connected! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the post. Happy New Year.
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That was a nice one Rama Arya! You wrote well. I enjoyed reading your post. Happy new year 🙂 Hope this year is good as well.
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Thank you for stopping by and your kind wishes. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the post. Happy new year to you too. May it be filled with travels, learnings and beauty.
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Thanks a lot! 🙂
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