Friends,Serenites, Countrymen,Lend me your ears, I come to praise CPC, not to rebuke CPC is honorable, they will keep their word I come to praise Serene, not to revoke Serene staff is honorable, they will do their duty.   One question arises in my mind To be in Serene or not to be That is the question. Far from the maddening crowd, Far from the COVID pandemic I sought refuge in Serene.   At nights, the roaring of the planes Drive away my  doubts and fears And lull me to deep sleep! The chirping of birds awaken me I look out of the window The red streak of sun rise, I watch The green foliage, the myriad blossoms, The trimmed bamboo bushes The placid  pool of water The meditating Buddha, as I behold My heart fills with peace.   I await a new day with renewed hopes My creative urge finds  expressions In dance and music, in art and poetry, .A valuable lesson I did learn at Serene, Some one is more intelligent, more beautiful More talented, more proficient than you are, So I buried my ego, fought the green eyed monster of jealousy, Extended my hand in friendship and love.   As the evening falls, the glorious sun set Beckons me to stroll along, The tree lined avenues Holding the hands of my beloved. As the night creeps in and the stars sparkle And the silvery moon shines I return to my sweet home I retreat to safe Serene, I take refuge in my SHANGRILA.   K.NALINI Serene Urbana by Columbia Pacific Communities

It was a fine Sunday morning Twilight announcing the Rising of beautiful orange sun In the eastern horizon.   A group of seniors from Serene Pelican waking up Taking their cars with some Senior friends proceeding to Zest beach 5 kms away   A grand sight await to receive the Oldies with extended arms A big orange ball sprouting from Watery east, trumpeting the Arrival of beautiful sun   A happy meeting of a few Seniors having friendly chat While walking along the Unending stretch of sea shore Watching the graceful sight of sun rise   After thirty minutes of brisk walking Up and down, body full of perspiration Sitting around in the shore sand Analyzing thread bare the day to day Happenings of A to z of world around   As soon as they start feeling The heat of morning sun, Stand up withering away The sticking sand from the body Happily returning to Serene Pelican.   Bad clutters in the brain Peeling off to calm the mind Rejuvenating the life force To joyfully accept the day to day Happenings of good and bad alike   28-04-21. villa 166,Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities Anna.Mohan-A.Ramasami

A Ramasami, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Community, describes the immense pleasure he once derived from glancing upon dancing sunflowers during a long drive.   As I was gazing through the speeding car, A flash crossed across my eyes, A beautiful mind-mending delight, A colourful heart-filling display, A never-ending brain activator, A sight, lovely sight always to enjoy.   A sea of sunflowers fluttering and dancing, Twisting, twinkling and thrilling sunflowers, Gleaming, glowing and glittering sunflowers, A miracle blooming on either side of the road, A blissful vision for the gazing eyes, A gleeful spectacle ever to remember, never to forget.   At the precarious hour of melancholy, At the time, when spirits are at an ebb, A ray of happiness flashed out of memory, A gay of gaiety blossomed in the heart.   A recall, a sudden recall of gazing through a speeding car, An immense pleasure of seeing the sunflowers along the drive, A sprouting recollection from the slumbering subconscious, Assuage a way out of depression leading to elated high spirits.   This blog post is by Serene Pelican (Puducherry) resident A. Ramasami.

A Ramasami, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Community, dedicates a poem to the nation that India used to be and salutes the forgotten heroes of India’s freedom struggle.   Kings of many, many kingdoms Know not how many kingdoms Kindling hatred among one another Ruled large and small parts of India   Came as businessmen Conquered Indian rulers Came into existence One British India   Installed by an emperor, English Governors of various provinces Instigating enmity between kings Grabbed their kingdoms   One hundred and fifty years One soul named Gandhi born Oneness with patriotism resounded Leading to a free India In 1947 and secular Republic in 1950   Missing common thread of unity Much against the wish of Mahatma Mighty India vivisected into two As India and Pakistan   Uncanny English rulers left Ungracefully leaving Kashmir in between Ugly wars between India and Pakistan Unending loss of precious lives   No border dispute in British India Nonstop dispute after Independence None to find an amicable solution Nothing to stop border killings   Military spending abnormally inflated Money for the poor not there Men in uniform shedding lives Making more widows for mourning   God, god, end the war Give us peace, peace Gracefully pray, let us pray for Grandchildren to live happily.   This blog post is by Serene Pelican (Puducherry) resident A. Ramasami.

Dedicated to my heavenly wife R. Mala.   I’m not myself, when you are here As you fill my heart with happiness I feel as if I’m sitting on an ivory tower I wish, I wish joyfully to reach heaven   I’m not myself, when you are away As I miss you, miss you so much I feel as if I’m a forsaken lamb I hate, I hate sadly to reach hell   I’m always myself, when things happen As I make them, make them happen I feel happy, happy to be with my loved one I wish to have my loved one always near me   I’m never myself when things fail to happen As I let them, let them fail miserably I feel bad, bad for letting them fail I regret, I regret just to be an onlooker   I’m neither myself nor myself as I look at myself I’m either myself or myself when you look at me I’m yours, yours, as I see an angel in you I’m barren without you, as you are my queen.       This blog post is by resident A Ramasami, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities.  

We can neither see smiling faces Nor recognise grieving faces We can neither see happy faces Nor recognise angry faces We can neither see excited faces Nor recognise depressed faces We can neither see daylight Nor recognize the dark night.   We can neither see amorous eyes Nor recognise wicked eyes We can neither see questioning eyes Nor recognise demanding eyes We can neither see expressive eyes Nor recognise mesmerising eyes We can neither see happy eyes Nor recognise wet eyes.   We cannot see the sun Can feel its heat We cannot see the moon Can feel its coolness We cannot see a droplet of rain Can feel the moisture of the droplet We cannot see waves at the shore Can hear them crash.   We cannot see delicacies Can taste the deliciousness We cannot see flowers Can smell flowers We cannot see animals Can hear them bark and roar We cannot see cold ice Can feel the coldness of ice.   We are god’s special children We are differently talented We are visionless people We are the eyes of the world.   This blog post is by resident A Ramasami, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities.

Born, educated, employed, married Had children, educated them, They got employed, married Begot children. It is a perennial cycle.   We, the seniors of above sixty, Neither belong to the previous generation Nor merge with the present decade Fighting to live in between the devil and the deep sea.   Memories of our young age We obeyed parents, teachers and elders Meticulously followed their advice Lived a life taking everything in stride.   We lived in our youth in a joint family With grandparents along with Brothers and sisters, paternal Uncles and aunts with their children   A banyan tree of ten to twenty members The word selfishness didn’t exist. The eldest man managed the finance The eldest woman headed the kitchen.   No doubt there were many shortcomings But everyone sailed along with the current With quarrels, murmurs, and displeasure No one dared to break the family bondage.   Modern Vanaprastha as prescribed in the ancient Hindu text of Manusmriti After toiling for several years to fulfil worldly duties such as running the family, begetting children and grandchildren, one has to hand over the responsibility of running the family to the next generation and go to Vana (forest) to lead a detached and serene life. The main concern for seniors is to adjust and accommodate according to the expectations of the children. That is where the problem starts and results in a strained relationship. After their hair turns grey and their skin gets wrinkled, to live happily and allow the heirs to live happily, seniors had to go to modern vana.   Majority of us at Serene Pelican belong to the third stage of Ashram namely Vanaprastha. Neither attachment nor detachment with heirs but leading a good life not being a burden to heirs and at the same time living a dignified and independent life with quality care.   Independent villas (kudils), good food at A/C dining hall, well organised housekeeping service, 24×7 medical assistance, A/C auditorium, gymnasium, prayer hall, makes this a great place to stay in. No tension for the seniors, as well as no worry for their children. The seniors are in an enclave where their health is looked after and their children don’t need not worry about them. The inmates are mostly in the age group of 60 and 80 and a few are above 80. In modern vana there are no wild animals to fear. Seniors from various walks of life live happily with an extended warranty of life.   This blog post is by resident A Ramasami, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities.

We would be nothing without you You have shaped our minds You have guided us to a safe place You have given us wings to fly You have motivated and inspired us You have made our lives better You taught us basic skills and knowledge You have instilled the love for learning You have taught us the value of life You have fostered creativity and dedication You have shaped us into a responsible global citizen We would be nothing without you We salute you for your support in all our activities   HAPPY TEACHER’S DAY This blog post is by R. Vasantha, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities.

Birthday is a day of joy and celebration Not just with feast but in kind and frolic Not because it is a day one is born It is a proof one has lived another year with nothing but the grace of god   It is a day to look back and see What we did; good or evil How we lived, rightly or wrongly Rejoice for right and repent for wrong Resolve to do good in place of evil.   Commit to a life of virtues and values Recharging sagging spirit and Rededicate to living right Forsake vanity and snobbishness Grow humble and humane.   Make every moment worth gold Making oneself immortal When the soul departs body, so dear to it In its sojourn to an unknown place Never to come back again For dear and near ones to see Leaving everything hoarded over a lifetime.   This blog post is by Dr A. Sreekumar Menon, resident of Serene Urbana by Columbia Pacific Communities.

I look light and clean in my place I live in what you call as sky or space I am admired by all as I am beautiful I am adored by all as I am dutiful.   It has been a long time since I visited My only love whom from far I gazed Wearing blue and green canopy encased In splendid colors making all stand dazed.   Let me visit my lovely mountain spread All white and pristine makes me glad But what horror is this, it looks bad Littered with rubbish and looks so sad   Let me move to see my serene flowing river Nourishing and cherishing people all over Oh! Why she looks so dirty and dried up ever Polluted with sewage and plastic covers.   I am thankful that I am clean and white But what is this! my body has changed in a trite To black and ugly with soot and looks a sight Giving a blow to my beauty, pride and might.   When will I become beautiful and clean Regain my pristine form as I bemoan People of Earth, I plead with you anon Nurture all of us nature as we have been.   Avoid throwing rubbish on my mountains Stop sending sewage in my gentle rivers Please stop cutting down trees of my forests Kindly keep my sky and space livable always.   This blog post is by Uma Maheshwari, resident of Serene Pelican by Columbia Pacific Communities.