Sunday, September 1, 2013

Meraki

"Meraki [may-rah-kee] (adjective) This is a word that modern Greeks often use to describe doing something with soul, creativity, or love — when you put “something of yourself” into what you’re doing, whatever it may be. Meraki is often used to describe cooking or preparing a meal, but it can also mean arranging a room, choosing decorations, or setting an elegant table. 

There is no English equivalent for this word. Meraki is, unsurprisingly, untranslatable."

May-rah-kee! Did I pronounce it right? I love it how my head swings left and right while I sing-song the Greek word may-rah-kee.

One fine day, I found this beautiful word on Facebook and it took me no second thought to share it on my Timeline. As fast I shared it, I moved ahead with other things on Facebook. In my daily life I easily get bored and then head towards all those thoughts that suggest me how I am wasting my life by living a pretty mundane and monotonous life. I am a big time procrastinator and the after-effects of it kill me bit by bit every day. Past couple of months were difficult. What made it worst is the fact that I was insecure and I even lost my sleep in the hands of regular nightmares.

A mail from him was waiting in my inbox. It was just a line or two and written in response to one of the posts I have shared on my Timeline. Initially I was upset to find such a smallish mail as he was writing to me after a gap of two days.

You might have shared it just like that but subconsciously you must be aware that this is how you are. But let me reiterate it to you in loud and bold letters....this is how you are...this is how you love to do things for those whom you love... this is how you do things that are close to your heart... you put all your heart, soul, creativity, and love. In a nutshell you put ‘something of yourself’ in the things you do... and this is exactly how you love me too. Yes I am talking about the word MERAKI and for me the symbol of Meraki is no one but you... yes you, my Greek Goddess. :D
Rest all is fine and the ship ain't rolling no more. :) 

It would be an understatement to say that the mail made me happy. It was much beyond the thing called happiness. I wondered is it really true? I happen to be a person who highly underestimates herself and thus is harsh on herself most of the time. With a mug of hot lemon tea spiced with cinnamon, I realized that may be he has exaggerated the whole thing but whatever he has written holds ample amount of truth too.

I am just an ordinary girl with some above average talents but yes, I realized that I do them exactly the way he has mentioned. I am by nature an introvert and my social circle is very limited. But those I love, I love with all my heart and soul. Yes, it is true. And it made me feel at the top of the world.

I have tried to list few things that I do with Meraki. There are many more but the top few are here in the list below:

Well can you guess them by looking at the pictures???




1. Writing: I am sure the day I and my writings are no longer together, I would be as good as a dead body, may be worse than that. I know, I can’t churn write-ups after write-up yet and that I frequently take long breaks, and yes truth be told that I procrastinate a lot too; but writing makes me what I am, even though my writing abilities are very mediocre and it is seldom that I am happy/satisfied with them. I don’t know who and how I will be if I were never this close to weaving words. I don’t even want to imagine a life like that. Along with the way I love my people, if there is something else where I am true to myself and pour my heart and soul in to it, it has to be Writing. My words reflect the real me. The things that even I am not aware about myself are weaved through my words. I am thankful to God for blessing me with the ability to write, to write with Meraki.

 2. If you are my person, I will love you and be there for you in every thick and thin. I would cook for you, weave words for you, and yes my gifts to you will always contain something handmade. I know there are few people who can vouch for it. And from them only I have learnt that, I do take time to come close, but once you are my person, love and compassion come easy to me. Meraki it is. Isn’t it?

3. Cooking: I seldom cook. But when I do, I put my heart into it. It is pure ‘meraki’ when I cook for my dad. And it would be so when I would occasionally cook for him in future.

4. Paper and paper works and of course colours: I am a passionate Quiller. I love the fact that just by rolling a strip of paper, how wonderfully I can let my creativity loose. If I am found quilling, it is sure that I must have lost track of time and place and nothing could make me come out of my reverie till I finish doing it. Just like me he is totally into origami and I too would pick it up soon.

5. Peepal leaf paintings: I got hooked to it when I was in high school and since then I am mad about it. I learnt it on my own. The extremely pungent procedure can never drive me away, even when my whole family is ready to kill me. 

These handmade things then form a formidable part of my gift packages to the people I love. If you are my person, sooner or later you would receive something hand made from me along with few written words.

6. Losing myself in the lap of hill-station: I do that with elan and with complete meraki. I wish that one fine day I will have my very own wooden cottage in the solitude of misty nature, green valleys, lines of pine tress, cascading waterfalls, sky full of twinkling stars, color splashed sunrise and sunset, piping hot soups, and majestic snow-capped mountains. 

7. The way I love my Soulmate: No amount of words, exquisite or plain, can never to justice to this and hence I surrender.

Meraki! This is how I share myself with myself and to those whom I love and to my readers via my blog. I leave a piece of myself behind with the hope that its presence will be forever there for you to feel. I want to linger in your good memories and wish to be your smile in your dry and rainy days. This is how I want to live on.

~*~

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013.

My Theme: To write on seven words that
  • We don't hear generally
  • Non-English words
  • Words that are untranslatable in English 
  • Let's see, how can I include more varieties.

Let me know what to you think about my choice of theme for this Seven days of Writing Festival.



Write Tribe



43 comments:

  1. Wow... loved your theme :)

    And this post is so so so beautiful Preetilata... just like all your posts, loved it <3

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  2. Excellent post. I learnt a new word today and in the process learnt something about you too.

    I loved the theme you have chosen. I am looking forward to learning more words, this way.

    About the list of 7 Meraki things you have mentioned here. For me, as well, just like you my people get the best of me. I may not give them handmade gifts but those special ones get a relative gift from me nevertheless.

    The post is apt for the festival. Kudos!

    Thanks !

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  3. I love your choice of theme, Pree. And this post resonated with me so much. What you said of yourself is also true of me - what I love, I really put my soul into. You're a blessed girl to have someone who realizes your worth. Hold on to him. ♥

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  4. Such a superb theme!! And I can see the way you write...you do put your soul into it!! Loved this post and can't wait for the next one!

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  5. Love your theme Pree. You certainly put Meraki into your writing. But what caught my eye was quilling - something I've wanted to learn and do. Thank you for reminding me and thanks for teaching me a new word. Look forward to your posts.

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  6. Wow theme and learnt something new too. It is so very true that when we are passionate about something, we put all our heart and soul into it, whether it is our work or some creative pursuit or even the love of our life. Stay that way always!
    Cheers :)

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  7. Lovely theme indeed. I am something like this too. When I love to do something, I give it my heart and soul. But at times, this very act of mine leads to a heartbreak. But then I move on to the next one. :) Looking forward to learning more such words from you. :)

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  8. To do something with such dedication that, at least for that time, there is nothing else in the Universe for you but what you are doing - rare for people to find even one thing that they can submerge themselves in like that. You are lucky that you have so many.

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  9. Gave me goosebumps when I read the excerpts of the mail :-))
    For a thing or twenty I learned in this blog, Thank you. And Meraki is my new buzz word to live by!

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  10. Nice theme :) Good to know new things. Always.

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  11. that was new to me..and i love the sound of it...meraki! i once did a workshop on passion at work, and i guess it can be extended to every part of our lives..passion in everything we do!

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  12. Hi...excellent theme and the post obviously shows the meraki! Eagerly waiting to learn more.

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  13. Hi,I really enjoyed reading your post.I have learnt a new word 'meraki' today.

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  14. Merakhi
    what a delicious sweet work. It tastes like my fav sweet malpua to me (rajasthani sweet)
    anyway comng to post
    these 7 things make u EXTRA special lady and ur writings are not mediocre, Yes dont underestimate urself and dont let others estimate u :) !
    U r jst merakhi at wat eva u do
    Keep them comng
    luv

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  15. Sorry its Meraki and word * not work ! sorry for the typos :)
    and lookng fwd to learn all NEW WORDS

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  16. Creative theme.
    Uplifting and educative post.
    Thanks for adding a lovely word to my vocabulary!
    Looking forward to 6 more!!

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  17. Meraki!!! Sexy word!! And I think we all do things we love with a pinch of Meraki-ness..!!!

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  18. Gosh! I just loved your post. I am definitely be waiting for your take on theme 7.

    These days I am working on my vocabulary, which unfortunately, isn't very boasting and you taught me a new word today. Thanks for that.

    I have a question though, when you paint that leaf, do you paint is when it's still green or let it dry first? And how do you take care of it? I am just curious.

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    1. Thanks Shilpa. There could be nothing great if my theme helps you to improve your vocabulary. Even i am working towards it. More power to blogging.

      Shilpa i basically first extract the insides of the leaf... it is like a netted leaf... and then paint on it. As per as taking care of it i either frame it or keep in between light cardboard and a cellophane and them keep in between the pages of books. To be very honest i do not know the proper ways to take care of them.

      Hope this helps. :)

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    2. Oh, it looks very nice though. Worth a try! :)

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  19. I learnt a new word ' Meraki ' today. I'm really happy to know that you put your heart and soul into whatever you do. You are blessed with so many talents and I'm sure you'll go a long way. The talents you have are amazing :)

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  20. Hi ,
    A Wonderful way to describe a wonderful word ! :)
    And a nice theme for the week, too !

    All the best !

    I'm sure, hereafter we all will remember 'Meraki' when we do something we love :)

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  21. A lovely post dear..got to know few more things about you
    Sweet and sexy Meraki you are:D

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  22. What an interesting theme! I am definitely coming back here to check out the new word every day!

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  23. What a fascinating word! And, we do have a lot in common, Pree!

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  24. Wonderful theme, Pree! Its going to be a learning for all of us. Good luck!!

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  25. OMG.....Creative writing lessons..everytime I read from you is like building a new house.... all starts with some photos of your mind...Keep building my dear.

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  26. today i learned a new words .. thanks for teaching it :) nice post .. along with list !

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  27. Love the choice of theme, Pree! :) Beautiful~ Look forward to the next six!

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  28. Beautiful Meraki and I enjoyed reading about you:)
    Cheerz
    Vishal

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  29. This is amazing! It's good to know about you. Honestly, I didn't know about the word 'MERAKI'. I'd love to read more posts from you :)

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  30. Amazingly well written dear..hats off..can't imagine to write something on such rare random words..really this shows you've put in your heart n soul into it..great! wish you good luck :)

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  31. Amazingly well written dear..hats off..can't imagine to write something on such rare random words..really this shows you've put in your heart n soul into it..great! wish you good luck :)

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  32. Meraki! I love the word. And also a lot of the things you mentioned that excite you or are your meraki. I like the idea that there is a word which is not translatable... each language has some of them and they somehow always find space in all forms of speaking... like for french I love touche :-)

    Richa

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  33. I read your post nearly 3 times.It is so akin to oneself. The openness of the soul and the passion to write.You have touched so many facets of life with your analogous words :)Chin up! Waiting for more.

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  34. Brilliant!! WE learned a new word “ Meraki “ & thank you for writing the meaning as well.Its beautiful how you woven the word into your scribbling.:)


    http://sailorswiferamblings.blogspot.com/2013/09/seven-faces-of-me.html

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  35. Great expressions ! so motivating to read your post, thanks for sharing !

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  36. Perhaps the only thing I do with Meraki is writing. and sometimes reading. They are the two things I'm most passionate about.

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  37. What a lovely post! I absolutely love your take on the theme. Meraki is such a lovely word, it even sounds lovely! Waiting for the next 6 words!

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  38. Read your post a bit late. but happy to learn a new word. and loved your post. I too do paper quilling and its very therapeutic.

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  39. Excellent post....very nice theme....there is "Meraki" in your writing also....because you put your soul into it

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  40. Looking forward to receive one (peepal leaf painting) from you. Lol
    Really love the last few lines from you :)
    It is also my dream to have a home on mountains! Let hope our dreams come true some day.
    Have a great week ahead

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  41. What a beautiful thing to say! I identify so much with this word. Meraki. Now I know what describes me :) Thank you :)

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plz.. open d white window :)