Another example of our wonderful guests, that become friends and how our chosen family now spans the world.
How lucky are we?
Here’s this weeks Facebook posting from them. ….
Ten years ago when we planned a visit to Mysore with children for the first time, we wanted to give them a unique experience. After lots of googling we chose an english man Stephen Farrell’s , Mysore Bed and Breakfast. It was a home away from home where travellers from different part of the world prefered to stay during their Mysore visit.
Stephen shares his home with guests and offer complimentary home cooked tasty breakfast. All the guests share the same table conversing with each other during breakfast.
Warm hospitality shown by Stephen, Manjula and their lovely Lucy remained as fond memory with us, especially with Dhrithi n Diya.
We were in touch with Stephen through Facebook and we knew what’s happening in his life. He married Manjula but unfortunately their time together after marriage was only for short duration due to untimely demise of Manjula. Stephen gave a beautiful experience to Manjula during her life time. He traveled with her to different tourist destinations, took her to his home country twice, Introduced her to his family and friends. He loved her unconditionally, gave best treatment possible and tried to fulfill her dreams. The days spent with Stephen might be the happiest moment in Manjulas life.
Few days ago, i. e. After ten years we got the opportunity to visit Mysore again with daughters. Dasara Celebration was just over but vibe was still there. Dhrithi Diya didn’t show any interest in seeing palace, decorations, exhibition or lightings. Instead they wanted to meet Stephen at his place. We were meeting him after ten years but surprisingly we didn’t feel the time gap and the connection was instant. He interacted and narrated stories with same enthusiasm, Lucy was as lovely as she was before. Beadu cat is the new addition to the family. Even we could feel the presence of Manjula in every room every corner of that house. Stephen manages public garden in front of the house in her memory. Stephens eternal love towards Manjula is incomparable.
He converted one room to Library in Manjulas memory. He showed his collection of books to Dhrithi Diya. He is keeping Manjulas memory alive through various activities including reading activity for youths. Dhrithi n Diya received godfather card from Stephen . And he said only few children recived that card from him so far and he will support them always .
Stephen conducts MyCycle, tour on Cycle to various parts of Mysore and surrounding villages. He has good knowledge about India, he apreciates cultural diversity, craftsmanship, artifacts & practices of India. He loves to interact with people from diverse background , celebrate festivals. He has deep understanding about the essence of India and some time I feel he is more Indian than many of us.
We have our fair share of things we do … at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.
Here we commemorate MAnjula and help her spirit find its new body.
We’re outside discreetly waiting while her spirit feeds. As we re-enter the house we make noise so she knows to leave.
Support Kaveri in Manjula’s name and share her sunshine
Go cycling with our guests
Ask the goddess to make our ‘tools’ work for the next year
That’s MAnjula
“There are some people who have sun inside them. It’s hard to explain. Their presence just brightens, it’s not about their beautiful smiles. They have an internal being that sheds light and feels like sun. It’s a calm energy. Inner peace. But most importantly; it’s not wanting anything back in return. It’s sun.”
comes from whimsical, I quite like the energy and pace involved but it isn’t necessarily the best way of making decisions or implementing change
I thought it might be useful to consider the difference between well thought through and ‘on the spur of the moment’ decisions. Here’s a dictionary definition.
..
Quick decisions, not well thought through and rapidly changed can create unnecessary uncertainty and centralisation as the members of the team or community don’t know what might happen next. Unpredictably is the nature of our life but this approach can result in even more.
It might create an unhelpful organisational culture, that’s capricious.
The effect might be to create worry and uncertainty yet by contrast it can motivate some people through increased stimulation (and extra adrenaline) and quickly changing action.
It’s like the rushing fire engine dousing fires rather than thought through and planned.
So what’s not management via whim?
In the late 80s and early 90s when working for a (local) government , in England, I was given responsibility to consult the users and managers of a ‘welfare’ (social services) section and to review its services: was it meeting people’s needs? Could it be organised more efficiently and effectively?
A team of government officers and members of the community used this to devise a plan to reorganise the service. I together with my colleagues implemented that change.
All my workshops with businesses since then have been based on engaging people’s active participation. ie gaining ‘ownership’ of the various ‘stakeholders.’ (Ie those with interest and influence).
That approach is not management through whim, as people were consulted, a plan devised and adopted. It involved changing the jobs, buildings, shifting the budget. It took a long time to plan and implement. Continuous evaluation was built into how it worked.
The non-whimsical approach is likely to be more long-lasting and sustainable, and better suited to meeting the needs of the individuals and communities the organisation exists for.
BUT however we manage—it needs to anticipate, respond to and facilitate change ie innovate, otherwise it’ll not flourish or even survive.
Here’s two recent terms I’ve used to describe management ‘styles’ that may need more explanation.
Banyan
Meaning a manager who is so strong in imposing his or her will that nothing below can easily grow and flourish.
This style is often seen in command and control structures or in new developments that have difficulty in moving on from the initial pioneering stage.
The end result is limited delegation, people fearful of taking the initiative or making mistakes. It’s centralised control and reliance on one rather than the many in the team and loses the valuable diversity that is achievable through engaging all the brains in the organisation.
Please note I’m not disrespecting the Banyan which is wonderful.
The delicious cake complete with family. Manjula’s Memory Tree decorated with hanging messages and wishes. Delicious cake didn’t last long devoured by, from left : SB, Ina, Stephen, John and Satish.
Not forgetting Lucie being spoilt by Ina.
And then again, not satisfied with one we had to have another.
This time following the theme of the radiant sun that Manjula brought into our lives and still appears exactly when it’s needed.
Ina worrying the sun is about to explode
Gathered today on Manjula’s bench, next to Manjula’s garden, eating Manjula’s radiantness cake and celebrating her wonderfulness on her 51st birthday celebrations that have already gone on for a week. we have Kaveri, Radhika, Maria, John, Ina, Lucie and Stephen.
Please note Ina is naughty, bribing Lucie for affections with cake.
Italian crazy hair accompanies us to deliver Kaveri back to school.
That’s after Mr No experience was coerced into decorating Kaveri’s palm
Next day
SB couldn’t miss out and had to have more cake….
Yes that’s two pieces. One was supposed to be for her son Naveen.
I’m in the park to wish Manjula happy birthday and hang out with billet-Doux, butterflies (messengers from Madam) and too many mosquitoes!
Here’s the lovely video created by Faizan through which many old and new friends have met Manjula.
My ulterior motive on being here was to be security for the flowers and stop people stealing them.
I failed
But it can’t affect our celebration of her wonderfulness.
As I completed a video call to my son Oliver in Vancouver, —and realised I was due back to make breakfast—three sets of neighbours walking in the park saw Manjula’s poster and wanted to know her story. I’d never met them before a mom her son , another young woman and an elder.
An opportunity to meet to share your thoughts with other young adults (and one or two who are just young at heart)
Our monthly meeting is a way to connect and share with other open minded people ….
Reflect on what’s happening in the world, consider what the future holds, support each other, share the mistakes we’ve made and lessons we’re learned, be more active and less passive.
…and stroke a dog (Lucie) and a cat (Billet-Doux). If you’re lucky, there maybe cake.
Interested?
Check the links on this page for more information.
Typical English countryside walking. Liz, the mum of my boys. Elodie my brother’s granddaughter and already into books.Brother Andy building a giant playroom. He’s missing renovating houses. Skalextric!!! At one end with soft toys and computer games. All for his three grandchildren, obviously. Creative Poppy my granddaughter following in the footsteps of her mum Alice.My eldest son Ben and Poppy’s DadGina one of three good friends from University. She introduced me to Liz. Piccadilly Circus. London Nelson’s column London. Brian my first supervisor when qualifying as a social worker. He deserves a medal as I’ve known him forty years. London double decker. Poppy, my granddaughter, with her mum Alice who kindly put me up when in London. Like it? Japanese style. Poppy modelling a dressing gown from India. The new household cat at Alice’s is actually friendly. A picture to share with Kaveri and Radhika. We’ll fly in a plane like this on our trip to the U.K. in two years.
The travels in the U.K. have so far included: London, Derbyshire, Yorkshire … next Bath and Trowbridge before a big leap to Italy.
Me and MYCycle 