Serendipity

A Clown's Prayer : As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent, that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child, or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people, make them happy, and forget momentarily, all the unpleasantness in their lives. And in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: "When you made My people smile, you made Me smile." h ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clown%27s_Prayer I had first read ' A Clown's Prayer ' in the Reader's Digest magazine years back in school. To say it was moving or inspirational would be just stating the obvious. It is a little gem, iridescent and luminous. I had written it down in my precious diary immediately after reading it, and today, I am writing it down again in a different format but with

“Memory is like a child walking along the seashore. You never can tell what small pebble it will pick up and store away among its treasures.” This actually did come true for me on a vacation to Puri in April ’11. It was on a stroll along the Puri beach ( ‘ Swargadar ’ literally translated to ‘ Gateway to Heaven ’ ) that I came across this desolate mansion. An imposing structure, regal and impressive – quite a welcome change for the visitor accustomed to the sight of sundry hotels of all dimensions and proportions burgeoning up and clamoring for a foothold on the populous beach.                                                For the first few days of my visit I had looked on curiously at the house while passing by; the rush for sightseeing not sparing me a moment to inspect it up close. It was on the penultimate day of my vacation that I set out for a closer look at the house, camera in tow. The entrance had almost been blocked by temporary stalls, crowded with tou