Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Feel good factor

I was cleaning up my cupboard and stumbled on a beautiful Laughing Buddha figurine. It revived wonderful memories.
A couple of years ago I used to buy tiny statues of Laughing Buddha from a particular shop owned by a Bohri Muslim in Navi Mumbai and gift them to friends. It was supposed to bring luck to the receiver.
I was stunned by the reactions. Most friends reported they received at least one good news.
No. I do not believe in superstitions. But I was happy coz I was able to see my friends happy.
Some dub it destiny; others call it pleasant surprise. But I like what Carl Jung called “meaningful coincidences.”
Colleague Sylvi came running and said: “Your LB worked wonders. I got good news.”
“Do not tell me you are getting engaged. One or two handsome colleagues may jump out of window,” I joked.
“Shut up,” she continued, “I got a pay hike.”
Ravi echoed similar sentiments. “I got pleasant news from home town,” he told me.
When I visited the shop again, the owner asked me why I was buying so many of the same gift item. I told him the reason.
With a broad smile, he offered a bigger Laughing Buddha saying, “You are giving everyone. Now, we are giving you this gift. Tell us if you get good news.”
I swear. Within a month I got a job offer from a Sharjah newspaper, which I accepted.

40 comments:

  1. Wow. I need a good news in my life...I have been getting all bad news for months now...I need LB

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  2. I have no believe in such superstitions...well..er..from where did u purchase dat Laughing Buddha figurine?

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  3. LOVELY post!!!! wonderful!
    Same happened with me! My friend gifted me LB, believe me, it brought in happiness!!!
    Keep smiling :)

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  4. I love this story so much. Thank you for visiting my blog, Ramesh. You are a good, dear friend. Sending good vibrations to you in Sharjah. Namaste.

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  5. hmmm....wow....I am surprised....indeed....its intresting....

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  6. Now , i want my LB !I love good news !
    Thanks a lot buddy for the wishes :)

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  7. That's wonderful. I have gifted laughing Buddhas to people and never got this feedback from anyone. Like Tomz, I would also like to know the place from where you purchased your LBs :).

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  8. So good of the shop keeper to give you the Laughing Buddha. So when are you giving me one?

    And for my nephew let him settle down in Dubai, then I will give him your email. Many thanks for the email.

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  9. Awesome!! Now I will also try gifting laughing buddha to everyone around :-)

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  10. It is said that LB should be gifted, not purchased. Also it should be kept facing the entrance of the house. How I know? I have at least 6 LB's at home. I am guessing my husband gifted them to me! ;)

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  11. That is very good news Ramesh,. Congrats.Recently I attended a wedding in Chennai and I was surprised to receive LB wih the thenga vettilai pakku.An innovative idea. Loved it. But I am waiting for good news :)

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  12. That's really good news from the Laughing Buddha. I bought some small figurines recently to give away to the few men at my birthday party. For the ladies,I gave lipstick holders.

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  13. does it actually happen..i want one too..who volunteers now? :P

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  14. I'm a beliver! =) Not because I think that an object can truly and magically send us luck but because the object can remind us of the lucky things in life. That said...

    Just weeks after we got our Laughing Buddha we found that our finicial problems were solved, and as it seems, for good. =D The money was totally unexpected and far more than we had ever dared dream of getting "just like that".

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  15. I have got one in brass! But I did not notice if I got any good news immediately after it entered our house!

    A few years back, my sis-in-law was gifting LB to everyone to bring good luck, like you did!

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  16. I remember her telling me that 'luck will come only if someone else gives us LB, not when we buy it for ourselves!', haha!

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  17. You got another good news..I am your new FB friend!!

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  18. Always fun here
    Loved your post :-)

    Hugs
    Kareltje =^.^=
    Anya

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  19. i do not believe in that.
    But idea to gift LB is excellent which will sure make someone laugh in his presence.

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  20. So when am I going to get one LB Ramesh? I seriously need some good luck :)

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  21. What a lovely post and how lucky for your friends that you sent them a laughing Buddah. You do realise we'll all be wanting one now though.

    I have a similar story about a set of elephants we were sent. Superstition says they bring you bad luck unless they are facing a door or window. I didn't know this and we had a run of bad luck until someone pointed out the elephants were pointing into the room. I moved them around to face the door - no more bad luck for a while anyway.

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  22. We got one laughing Buddha from Vietnam.I was told that it must be placed in the house at the entrance.If you have any knowledge on placement issues, do let me know.

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  23. When are you presenting me one Ramesh?

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  24. Hi Ramesh, ...Just send me one !...Smiles.

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  25. I want the same LB bought from the same shop. You cannot escape so easily.

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  27. you know it might a meaningful coincidence that your gift bought happiness to your friends. But I think it was the feeling and intention you attached with the gift that brought them the good news. You are a true pal Ramesh!

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  28. I'm waiting for my LB. When are you sending it?

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  29. Something's wrong. Right after I received this clock as a gift I overslept twice ;)

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  30. Your friends are indeed lucky to have such a nice friend and you are more luckier to have known a shop-keeper who just went beyond business.

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  31. Yes yes now i want one too!! Yes i do believe that it gets good luck. :)

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  32. The irony being, the shopkeeper lost a valuable customer because of his 'free' gift. It brought luck for you and poor sales for the other :D

    Moral: Shopkeepers should never gift LB's

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  33. Wow! a good one!this brought a smile on your face :)

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  34. Now,like the big LB, I am also laughing! But pl continue to patronize the shop!

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  35. hey i need to hear a good news soon...have pity and send me one LB pleazzzzzzzzeeeeeee..or give me the address, so that i can ask my dh to buy one for me:))

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  36. Aww!! that was really such an interesting post :) Glad you got good news :) keep taking more LB's as gifts :))

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  37. thnxs for ur sincere wish..will definitely update u if something +ve happens:))

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  38. Hello Rameshji ....Thanks a lot for positive vibes u sent!!! Will you believe me, if i say i got a great news!!! Great news means none but something for which i have been waiting for 3 years....n got it now!!!!
    Thanks for wishes u gave me that the other day!!!

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