Readings and walks

Tripoli notes- This year, I separated my Reading journal

into a different website.

Gracereadings.com (links are given below

Letters– In the past year, I consciously developed the theme of –Write a letter to a loved one who has passed way-and every month review those letters. These deepen my connection with many currents.

BHATT FAMILY 1970

Remembering parents and times gone by- 1970

Here I am reproducing in part a letter I wrote to my father- who passed away in 1999, on meeting his old friend and colleague from Army medical Corps in August 2015

MEETING SURI UNCLE- In August , when I went to India, I met Brigadier Suri. He talked affectionately and told about many intricacies of life, how it developed after his retirement, the business he is doing with his son-Muneer. As we sat on that evening in Palam Vihar, my mind’s eye went to the times in the eighties in Pune when I used to come from medical college, and stay in Chest diseases hospital of Golibar Maidan-and prepare for the next semester. The studies of Pathology and Pharmacology in the second professional, the intense studies of Medicine, Surgery in Final professional. The trips you used to make to visit me in Old Boy’s and New Boy’s hostel of Maulana Azad. I cherish those trips we made together, the one-on-one time we spent, the times we went to Golcha and Regal cinemas, the times we went for a trip to Shimla.

In such letters, I also write about books and related thoughts

SPIRITUAL MATTERS- Have been reading the book on the Quest for Historical Jesus, which go through the debates between spiritual, mystical, supernatural, rational, mythological , esthalogical aspects of the life of Jesus. Did Jesus know that he was the Messiah- the Son of God, or did he think he was a prophet. Different writers, ranging from Strauss in 17^th century to Schweitzer in 20^th century have written about these issues from different perspectives. For me, going through these debates and issues makes me closer to different spiritual trends- and I think about our own Hindu-Indian mythological tales- the Ramayana and Mahabharata, their association with real geographical places like Ayodhya and Indraprastha – and how these shape the consciousness of living humans.

Walks– Previous year-Walks..through parks, museums. Here are some photographs and walks of the year gone by and some yesteryears.

July-saw Blue Moon over Niagara, and tried to capture it in night.

Walks in Kalemgdon Park-Belgrade,-the historic place where first world war started. (Are we living through World War III?)

And some friends and family, from different places.

2002-LODHI GARDENS-DELHI…Remembering Walks of yester years

FRIENDS WHO SHAPED PERSPECTIVE..DR.SAAD MAKHLUF, -Malta Sweiqi..with Sahil. A former Libyan National level football player, Chief of Libyan Olympic Committee, and dear friend…many interesting discussions over the years

FRIENDS WHO SHAPED MY PERSPECTIVE..With Tiwari-ji..India Gate lawns-2011-October…He taught me to see life at a “Slow Shutter speed” See Blog https://prashantbhatt.com/2012/10/26/seeing-life-at-the-slow-shutter-speed/