Some Precious Wisdom Pearls

The Pearls of Wisdom are cast by my grand mother 's sister.

Her pearls of wisdom fits all ages. 

 Enjoy and follow.( thanks to Mrs. Suguna Swamy- my aunt )  

Welcome every visitor to your home. Never act so busy that you don’t have time to chat. This person has taken the trouble to come to you. Chores can wait.

Harsh words are remembered more than good deeds. Be careful what you say when you are angry. Never shout.

Never compare children. Each child is unique and special. Love unconditionally.

Be well groomed at all times. Freshen up every evening. Comb your hair and dress it up twice a day. Be neat and fresh when your husband gets home.

If you have had a bad day, don’t spring it on your husband the moment he returns from work. Give him a cup of coffee, let him relax, then tell him about your problems. (This was all long before women went out to work, but you get the drift…the grace, the tact and the famous Tirupatthur diplomacy!

Don’t laugh loudly. Women should smile, not guffaw.

Cover yourself with at least a sheet when you sleep. Few things are as unsightly as a woman sleeping with her legs splayed out.

Avoid gossip. Listen to it by all means (!) but try not to repeat it.

Learn every household skill. Cooking, making pickles, sewing, embroidery, drawing kolams, stringing flowers. A woman should never say “I don’t know how”.

Keep your word. You should never have to say “I promise.” Your word should be enough.

Don’t wear revealing clothes. It’s far more attractive to leave something to the imagination.As a corollary, seeing photos of women wearing bikinis, she would be genuinely perplexed. “Why wear even that…?

A home with a perfect kolam on the threshold at the end of the day is a sad home. It means there are no children in the house.

Keep your valuables safe and locked up. Most people are honest but you can never tell when they can get tempted (“Oru velai pol irukkadhu”)

Eat lots of vegetables, fast once or twice a week, enjoy all foods but never over indulge. You will live healthy and happy and long.

Sure, I don’t eat foods made outside the home. But I love Cadbury’s and Kit Kat. They are ‘untouched by hand’, right? (She adored chocolate).

I want to be in touch with all my children and grandchildren, none of you write in Tamil so I have decided to learn English. (At age 77!).

Prayer is very healing. Pray for yourself and your family but also remember others who don’t pray and may need your prayers.

The four of you, never ever let each other down, no matter what your differences. Stay close, be there for one another.

In my next life I want to wear six yard sarees (‘telungu pudavai’). What beautiful designs, what lovely fabrics, what choices you young girls have!