I've Learned...........

I’ve stopped thinking about what to blog and now, just blog in whenever inspiration strikes…….and this time, its struck in a big way…….when I was done with writing this piece, I thought I’ve reached my philosophical zenith!!!!!!!! Read on my friends, and feel free to add your own learnings……My learnings will keep trickling into the blog in very many ways and in sizeable instalments!!!!!!!!!!! So…..fasten your seatbelts and……….whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh!

I’ve learned that you don’t realize the joy of success unless you’ve failed, the power of light till you’ve seen darkness and the value of the best till you’ve seen the worst!

I’ve learned that time always passes at snail’s pace when you want it to whizz past and always hurries ahead when you’re in the mood to relish every moment.

I’ve learned that the best things in life DO last forever – joy and love – and the things that don’t last forever – wealth for instance – are those that we can easily do without!

I’ve learned that if you can’t change something, accept it because there are some things in life that you don’t want to change and some that you can’t change. The former are usually the best memories and the latter, always the worst! But they are all an integral part of our life and there’s something for us to remember from every experience that life gives us.

I’ve learned that if you aim for the moon, you atleast reach the stars; if you aim for the sky, you fall on the treetop! So always set your sights higher than the impossible and then, make it possible.

I’ve learned that everything happens for a cause – the good, the bad and the ugly. Sometimes the reason is evident, sometimes implied and sometimes hidden. Sometimes it shows itself much later. All it takes is patience and faith. Eventually, out of the darkest clouds come the heaviest rains and after the heaviest showers emerges the most brilliant rainbow!

I’ve learned that the most radiant diamonds undergo the most painful cuttings and sharpenings, the hottest fires demand the maximum coal and the softest teddy bear has the most stuffing – in other words, what comes out is directly proportional to what goes in!

I’ve learned that regret of the past and worry of the future are two great thieves that rob us of our precious today. They bind us in shackles of uncertainty and doubt and prevent us from taking even those risks that might actually be of benefit to us!
I’ve learned that you can disagree without being disagreeable. Politeness always wins hearts and the most hurtful things can be softened by prudent choice of words. So, if you can’t oblige, at least speak obligingly!

I’ve learned that sometimes you can do all the right things and do all things the right way, but still go terribly wrong. Sometimes situations land you in the biggest mess but with the right attitude and by continuing to do the right things and doing things right ( and mind you, the two are quite different from one another!), you can still get the better of situations!

I’ve learned that somethings in life take extremely long and others happen too soon for you to believe, But the former are worth the wait and the latter are to be lapped up and enjoyed!

I’ve learned that even if you go unpardonably wrong, you can still take a detour and start afresh. If you have truly realized your mistake, then its highly improbable that you’ll repeat it even in the face of the mightiest temptations and the stickiest situations!

I’ve learned that people may understand all that you’re saying and still fail to understand you. It could take a lifetime to truly understand a person, his thoughts and his values. Sometimes, its because people get so caught up in their own life that they forget others exist and when realization dawns, the are so tuned to themselves that the other person’s point of view seems downright outlandish!!!

I’ve learned that somethings can be forgiven, some forgotten and some both…but some things can neither be forgiven nor forgotten……. But they can be accepted for the simple reason that “if you can’t change it, accept it”!!!!!! It’s best to realize that with time the wound will heal. Yes, when the wound heals, it leaves behind the scars but the best part is that most of the time, you don’t think of the wound till you SEE the scars…….so I’ll repeat, if you can’t change it, accept it!

I’ve learned that there are some people who will always try to hamper your progress and plant obstacles in your path, people who will be jealous of you for reasons best known to themselves. But the real heroes overcome and overpower the intruders and display their true spirit!

I’ve learned that our elders didn’t become 40 without becoming 20!!!!!! So the experience they have, though slightly behind time, is a classic example for us – we might as well learn from their mistakes rather than our own…..it saves us the remorse if nothing else! Besides, if we must make mistakes, we’d do better to make new mistakes rather than repeat the ones that our elders have made…..so in every way, it does us good to hear our elders out!!!

I’ve learned that there’s something to be learnt from every living creature and everything in nature, irrespective of how big or small it may be. From the tortoise, we learn patience; from the rainbow, we learn unity (remember the song yeh taara from Swades!!!); from the ant, we learn perseverance, from the stars, we learn that we can brighten someone up with just a twinkle; from the elephant, we learn gentleness, that size is not always a determinant of behaviour; from the trees, we learn to stand strong in the fiercest of storms; from the seas, we learn that what we see on top is often quite different from what’s at the base; from the flowers, we learn to give fragrance to the very hand that crushes us; from the rains, we learn that somethings in life are for all to share irrespective of distinctions….just like the rains fall alike on the mountains and the plains, on the flowers and the frogs, on the elephants and the lions and the rabbits and the dogs! It is just as well that there’s something for us to imbibe from every person we come across in life!

And finally, (and this is my favourite learning!!!) I’ve learned that CHOCOLATE can make you feel much better in any situation you find yourself in!!! So my pals…..TUCK IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The deadly fangs of Terrorism!

Terrorism......the art of spreading terror......yes, I call it an art because an art is anything that is possessed only by a few people and I wonder how many people would be daring enough to nonchalantly fool around with the lives of scores of innocent people.

Terrorism......the menace of modern times.....something which makes people unconsciously wonder just as they are leaving their homes to get to work or college or school or wherever as to whether they would be fortunate enough to get back home in a single piece....whether they would ever be able to stare into the face of their loved ones again.

Terrorism......the violent and unreasonable chase of few people to achieve something even they have no clear idea about....something out of which their gain is marginal and yet, what is at stake is their life and the lives of their near and dear ones and the lives of million others.

Terrorism......a wild goose chase for an abstract goal, a gruesome establishment of one's power, a cowardly display of disgraceful nerve/guts/courage (no...not courage....I can't insult that term!), a mark of shame to a nation, a warning for darker tomorrows to the world...........

Terrorism is nothing but spreading unabated terror indiscriminately...........Terrorism is not just about waging wars and fighting fierce battles.....it is an everyday battle that is to be fought by every human being. It is the battle of the mind......against fear....which is why people think twice before stepping out of the safety of their homes....it is a battle that people win everyday and yet, a battle that they are scared of losing eventually.........

Earlier, it used to be a pleasurable experience to pick up the newspaper in one hand, flip through its pages soaking in the previous days events while sipping a steaming hot cup of tea with the other. But nowadays, each day, the newspaper is the same.....some bomb blast somewhere, thousands dead and millions injured......I doubt if people can still take in their tea while reading through reports of such gory episodes....I, for one, can't....and that has nothing to do with the fact that I don't drink tea in the morning!!!!!!!!

Jokes apart, what is our world coming to???? Why are there people out there who get immeasurable joy out of creating discord and disharmony among people and nations???? Hasn't the world learnt from its violent past???? Have the lives of people become so insignificant that they are mortgaged against the minuscule wants of an irrational section of our society???? Isn't there anyone who is answerable to the victims and their families???? Or is it that the ones who are answerable are themselves searching for answers?? Are there no answers to these questions???????

Too many questions?????? I know, but all of them have deserved answers for long enough.......and each time they've been carelessly pushed behind other "more important" issues and left to be tackled as and when the "time comes"! And when will the time come???? I guess everyone knows deep down, whether they accept it or not, that the time has come......not only to answer the questions but to act.........

Its time we realized that we've had two super-destructive World Wars already and the last thing we need right now is a third one. Because this time around, people seem to be more intolerant and hot-headed, the weapons are much much more destructive than what was used in the past and all in all, what is at stake is a lot more than what was at stake in the 1030s-40s. We've survived two World Wars but there are many signs pointing to the fact that should there be a third one, an amicable pact is a far cry.....a near impossibility.....

Let's all sit back, shut our eyes and think for a while......Is this what our forefathers envisaged for us when they fought wars?? Is this is the legacy we want to leave for the generations that are to follow ours???? Then let me tell you, if things go on the way they are now.....there won't be a generation to follow us. The situation is grim, the future....dark all the way.

But again, there's light at the end of the tunnel.....and our aim should be get there as soon as possible. Somehow, I feel that the trouble is in our mind. In my opinion...and mind you, this is only my opinion.......our ancestors, when they fought, fought for peace. And they fought principally for moral purposes.....of course, exceptions have always been there....where we had a Mahatma Gandhi, we also had a Hitler. Where we had a Roosevelt, we also had a Napoleon. But essentially, the ultimate goal was always peace. But today, even the goal seems to be blurred. Half the people fighting their lives at the battlefront do not know what they are fighting for. They have no clue what's going to come out of the war. They fight because they get paid for it...it feeds their family and so they fight.......What is the use of such a war????? People are fighting singularly for their own selfish wants. And if these wants are not satisfied after the war, they will not hesitate to wage another war....and another...and another and the cycle continues.

Its a pity really that we are all witnesses and victims to this modern day war....an everyday war.....each night, we can only thank our stars that we are alive and pray for a similar tomorrow. Unpredictability and uncertainty looms large over our heads at all times. At this time, a poem by Thomas Hardy comes to my mind......it was part of our syllabus in grade 11 I guess....a poem that I always liked but one that holds special meaning to me now that I’m speaking of wars and terrorism........

The Man He Killed
by Thomas Hardy

Had he and I but met
By some old ancient inn,
We should have set us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

I shot him dead because--
Because he was my foe,
Just so my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough although.


He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like--just as I-
Was out of work--
had sold his traps--
No other reason why.

Yes quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat, if met where any bar is,
Or help to half a crown.

*************

How True!!!!! And how unfortunate!!!!! I guess the poem says it all.......War....a meaningless exercise which does a lot of damage and causes a lot of loss.....damage that's irreparable and loss that's irreplaceable.

So, it's time the warring agents put on their thinking caps - and sensible ones albeit!!!! - and decided to give the world a chance to recover its lost glory....leave behind a legacy of good sense, consideration for all and eternal peace instead of miscalculated haste, unreasonable decisions, hatred and discord. In Michael Jackson's words......."Heal the World.....make it a better place...for you and for me and the entire human race. There are people dying, if you care enough for the living...MAKE A BETTER PLACE FOR YOU AND FOR ME!!!!!"

Enough has been said on this for today..probably instigated by the blasts in Mumbai yesterday.......So, signing off now.....

More Later....Till next time, from slo, this is Tally-ho!!!!

More on rains!

Well well........after having spoken so much about the chaos that rains caused in Mumbai, I felt sort of guilty about having spoken only about their disastrous side.....because, try as I might, I could never bring myself to say that I have had enough of the rains...........I didn't even feel that animosity towards the rains after 26/7. I am a total fan of the monsoons....

Probably a part of my affinity to the monsoons comes from the fact that I always spent my school summer vacations here in Mumbai and that coincides with the monsoons....so my stay in Mumbai has always been during this season and hence I've never seen any other facet of this place............

Also, Dubai is more or less devoid of rains.......if we're lucky, we'd have about 3 showers in a year.....heavy yes, but extremely infrequent, fun yes, but far too less to write home about. So, I've always been drawn to the rains......

And I'm yet to see someone who doesn't like the rains per se........there are people who may not like getting wet in the rains or who may be averse to the muddy slush that runs all over the place, but I don't think there could be anyone who would look out of the window in the rains and say, "How Gross!" or someone who doesn't enjoy a cup of piping hot "chai" with equally steaming hot pakodas. or someone who doesn't like to cosy up with family for a fun game of cards while it's pouring like crazy outside. Rains are always a delight......for everyone.....

The first rains when the skies open their heart out and soak the parched land and soil with the first drops of heavenly water............that intoxicating aroma of the earth taking it in greedily and gleefully.......the young and the old all looking up at the sky in excitement and welcoming the first shower......old people welcome it with a broad, all-knowing smile on their wrinkled faces, the young welcome it a little more boisterously, sometimes with a little clumsy jig while the little ones are already out on the roads throwing up their arms to the skies in uncontrollable glee! The whole atmosphere of the first shower of the year is one of happiness and joy!

And then, slowly, people get accustomed to carrying their umbrellas and windcheaters..........the first week, its not at all unusual to find people on the road running for cover the moment it starts raining because they forget to carry their "monsoon accessories" along with them......and then, the numbers dwindle until only those persons get wet in the rain who couldn't be bothered about their health and throw caution to the winds only to enjoy in the rain. I must say I always wish I could be one of them but............no chance! As the weather stabilises, people learn to gauge when its safe to leave home and when its time to say the byes at work and get back into the safety of the four walls of their house........they learn to identify when the heavens are going to get furious and lash out at the earth and when the skies are going to be calm and give them an all clear day!

The monsoons create the perfect aura for a romantic holiday and many couples take full advantage of it....it's the ambience it creates that really turns most people on!! Monsoons exemplify moods......it has romance on its best days, good cheer and mischief on the days it rains off and on, depression and gloom on an exceptionally dull cloudy day, exhilaration, anxiety and excitement when its cloudy one moment and sunny the next.....if you really take a close look, the monsoons have it all!!!!!!

But for me, the monsoons are God's way of reminding people of the beauty of nature. Its his way of making us notice all the wonderful artwork he's created for us. For me, on any given day, the best pastime is to stare out of the window and take in all the sights......be it the tall trees outseide, the Mumbai traffic, the distant Ghats, the tall buildings or anything.....this hobby is further indulged in the monsoons and I guess if I'm not stopped, I could spend the whole day just staring out of the same window.....looking at the same things.....but things that looks different every moment.......like the raindrops falling on the tree-leaves, taking a different shape every moment creating that mesmerising glazed effect; like the leaves falling to the ground creating a collage of sorts; like the clouds drifting aimlessly through the sky wondering where to explode next; like the sun trying its level best to peep out from between the clouds at the first opportunity it gets; like the birds huddling in the trees for shelter and taking occasional peek upwards to check if the coast is clear for them to take flight to a safer spot; like the rainwater dripping from the walls and glass exterior of the buildings and falling to the ground forming puddles in different shapes and sizes......just goes to show the top-grade artist nature is......these are common everyday things that most people don't care to notice or worse still, choose to ignore........for me, they are the little pleasures in life.....and like I had mentioned in one my earlier posts, some of the greatest joys in life come from the littlest things!

The monsoons come and go year after year but each year when they come, they are given the same excited welcome and they signal hope.....hope in all its various forms.....hope for a better crop for farmers, hope for sufficient water all through the year for civilians and hope for more fun-filled days for the youth! And soon enough, just as people have got fully accustomed to the weather conditions, the season changes and the rain-gods decide that its time to bid goodbye and find other places in the world to water!!!!! The monsoons recede leaving people craving for more and looking forward to the next monsoons with bated breath!!!!

That's the monsoon in Mumbai for you..............my favourite season, the uncertainties notwithstanding!!!!!!!!! I guess that was a fitting tribute to the best season of this bustling city!!!!!

Later now.......Till next time, Tally-ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mumbai Mayhem!

Hello friends, How are all of you doing??? All's fine at my end.....except the weather, that is! I'd be a total nut if I were to not write about the chaos here in the past week.......What better topic to blog about?!!!!!! So as you all know, its been pouring cats and dogs here for the past 5 days and we've had the constant pitter patter of raindrops falling incessantly on the same roads that were starved and parched for the rains just a few days ago! That's life for you..............when it’s hot, you want it to rain and when there's a downpour, you wish it away! Well, so, its been a wet week here so far and from the looks of it, things are not going to end very soon.......of course there has been some welcome respite from the rains since today evening but I have no idea how long the "dry" spell is going to continue! The rains started on Saturday evening and everyone welcomed it with glee but when it continued well into Sunday evening, everyone started getting anxious about the forthcoming week...and as feared, the rains poured nonstop on Monday too with mighty winds lashing out and umbrellas being rendered useless. Me being the ever-adventurous, over-ambitious creature and the "extremely sincere student” that I am, braved the rains to pay a visit to my esteemed college early in the morning on both Monday and Tuesday expecting the rains to be just a part of the regular Mumbai monsoon but seeing sense soon after, returned home immediately on both days......College was obviously closed on both days!!!!!! And today being declared holiday well in advance, I didn't have to prove my "smartness" yet again!!!!!

So, roads were water-logged and water had accumulated at many places in the city and news channels were, rather still are, continuously showcasing the mess that they claim Mumbai is in.........Seasoned Mumbaikars however seem pretty unperturbed and say that these are the sort of showers that they are used to and the regular showers that paralyse Mumbai for a couple of days every year! All the focus and tension is mainly because of the "Terrible Tuesday" 26/7 that totally crippled Mumbai last year and yesterday, also being a Tuesday was for many people an omen for a repeat of the same.......However, while last year, Mumbai recorded over 900mm of rainfall in just a day, this year, its "just" over 250 mm......a meek contrast!

I'm not trying to be brave or superwoman or anything but I do think that last year's havoc has made people paranoid about the rains and the slightest increase in rainfall seems to make them believe we are going to have chaos all over again.....even news channels are proving themselves to exaggeration kings and queens.....Let me quote a few instances.....

We had this reporter standing in the middle of a road somewhere in Kurla.....supposedly one of the worst hit areas....screaming her lungs out that the place was in utter chaos.....I do hope she knows what the word chaos means because all we could see was her and miles and miles of water all around....there was not even an insect to be seen anywhere in the vicinity....where's the chaos, madam?? She was upto her thighs in water but just a few metres away, we saw the water level just reaching the bottom of the wheel of an autorickshaw.....

And in an attempt to show how cars were stopping midway, we were shown a car moving slowly, navigating its way through the "sea" of water (why in God's name do people take their vehicles out in such forbearing weather, I have no clue......particularly when they can expect trouble and even see it right in front of their eyes??) And then all of a sudden, the car stopped and all the people got out of the car pretty gleefully to flash their Colgate smiles at the camera!!!!!!

And then there was this lady who was screeching on the mike about wading in knee-deep water and I think she must have mistaken her ankles for her knees!!! Of what they were showing us, all we could see was water submerging the toes at most! I mean, excuse me.... but people watching TV are not exactly blind or brainless!!!!!!!

And I found it sadly unfair that people were lashing out at the BMC and complaining that in spite of last year's mishap, the BMC has not learnt from its mistake and has not done anything to improve the situation.......but this is not true.....It seems from various reports and interviews, that a lot has been done to improve the situation this year. And I definitely feel that what is called for is not a minor change but a serious alteration in the infrastructure of the city.....I don't think it is humanly possible to achieve a change of such great magnitude in such a short span of time........Things have improved as compared to last year but it is too much by any standard to expect a total makeover so soon.......from the looks of it, the change is going to take nothing less than 3 years.......considering the size of the city and the work at hand, 3 years seems to be a reasonable amount of time to ask for....and its not as if they've been sleeping over the job......things have been better......

I was on the roads myself last night and saw that water had receded astonishingly in the very places that news channels had reported to be flooded barely a couple of hours ago.....the most susceptible regions were minimally flooded and as Mumbaikars say, that is something they've lived with since time immemorial. There were constables and rescue persons stationed at various spots to guide motorists on the roads......Railway lines were very well managed and the Harbour line railway which is the first to be hit and the last to recover was closed only for half a day.....so was the Central line and amazingly, the Western railway line was not closed and was continuously plying all through the day, albeit with major delays and at snail's pace but plying nevertheless........

Why is it that we are always first to complain and we always fail to see the beauty in every situation......probably because the persons who were really stuck had no choice. But I definitely say that the BMC has done a commendable job of averting a possible disaster this time, unlike last year........on the other hand, as I said earlier, maybe we never had a disaster in the first place and we were just anxious and paranoid after last year's fearful episode!!!!!!!

So I'd just say that while we're cursing the weather, let's not curse the people who've truly made an attempt to bring about a visible change in the disaster management systems here..........true, the change is far from satisfactory, but its there, only if you look hard enough! And I truly believe that fear is in the mind.....of course, prevention is better than cure and we've better off within the safe walls of our home rather than the roads, but the rains are no reason to panic beyond reason!!!!

If life in Mumbai halts as a result of these rains, it would be an insult to the indomitable and undying spirit of this ever-bustling city and its daring people!!!!! And mind you, true Mumbaikars would never let that happen! Come rain, come storm.......NEVER SAY DIE!!!!! What say my mumbaikar pals?????

So that was a detailed account of the mayhem here in Mumbai.....let's hope the weather and people's attitudes stabilise soon so life comes back on the fast gear and the superfast pace of life here is not disrupted!!!!!!!

That's from me for now............Till next time, from slo, this is...........TALLY-HO!!!!!!

I wish to be immortal......

This was one of my first poems...and one of my all-time favorites! What I wish to convey by this poem is not just my wish........I think consciously or unconsciously, everyone wishes to be famous and known, to be remembered by the world for their great deeds and achievements.....as a famous piece of advice goes, "When you come into this world, you are crying and everyone around is smiling; Make sure you live your life in such a way that when you die, you are the one smiling and everyone around you is crying!"

In other words, you should lead by example......Live in a manner that people after you wish to replicate..........leave behind a legacy that people from different generations relate.......it should be the ultimate aim of everyone to be known by their deeds, rather than simply by their name. What I mean by name is an identity that is given to us by our parents and our family. But our deeds are our very own and it is the deeds which comprise the elements that actually design our identity.......

So all I wish to say that this poem is my ULTIMATE aim in life.......a goal above all other goals, a desire superior to all other desires, an ambition far beyond the achievable but what is life if not making possible the impossible!!! As the ADIDAS tag-line goes.........."Impossible is Nothing"!! As I always say, Aim for the moon....even if you miss, you'll land among the stars........immortality through my deeds is my "aim for the moon"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this poem, which is one of my personal favorites among my literary works, rings a chord with all of you and reinforces your faith in the notion of Immortality, which is not really a perception, but a ground reality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish to be Immortal…

In a world of mortals,
I wish to be immortal;
Not in physical form or structure,
But in the heart and soul of the future.

In the wave of the development in the world,
I wish to play a significant role;
To be remembered for my deeds,
When I’m no more.

In the midst of all the unrest in the world,
I wish to console the disturbed millions;
So that I’m remembered for my words,
Which folks may quote after years.

In my heart,
I wish not to be a nobody;
Where I stand today,
I’m in transition – To Somebody.

I know the day is not far,
When my motive shall be acomplished;
When I shall be known not by my name,
But by the deeds that will have gotten me fame!!!

Later now....from slo, this is tally-ho!

Maggie's Recollections............look hard, they may be yours too!!!!!!!!!!

It was a sultry summer afternoon and Maggie sat in her porch, reclined on her easy chair. She never realized when her eyelids fell and she went spiraling into a little enchanting world of her own.

She remembered the first time her dad had taught to skate. She was an over-enthusiastic seven-year-old raring to learn something new. She was so excited she picked up skating on the very day her dad gifted her the pair of skates. Her dad beamed with justified pride when he saw his beloved daughter wheeling around!

She recalled how she had once wished for a giant teddy bear she’d seen in a shop window and longed to have one like it. And her dad had bought it for her birthday. How thrilled she was!!!!

And then there was the time when she was first leaving home to attend a boarding school. Her father had told her, “Always remember three things. First, Think before you act and do the right. Second, Compromise always, but never to the point of losing your self-respect. And lastly, always give others more or at least equal of what you expect of them, be it respect, love, freedom or support.” Maggie had never forgotten those golden words of advice and they had helped her make the most important decisions of her life with astonishing ease.

She joined university soon after high school and her dad never forced her to live his dreams. Instead, he urged her to go all out and fulfill her own. He was always the silent supporter and a source of immense strength to Maggie.

When Maggie got married, her dad wished her and her husband well and was still there to lend his ever-strong shoulder to his daughter each time she needed it – whether it was stress at home, tension at work, inability to make the right decision or anything else…….he was always there. He had held her index finger and taught her to walk but he never really left it even when she learnt to sprint and skate!

Her kids always enjoyed their holidays with dear ol’ grand-daddy as he always had something intriguing to show them, something valuable to teach them and something so invaluable they cherished it – his time! He never tired of answering their endless questions. He was a giver – he had given his all to the most important people in his life. He was a gentleman, a family man, a perfect man! Maggie suddenly realized that knowingly or unknowingly, she had always looked for characteristics of her dad in her life-partner!

She also recalled the innumerable times he had reprimanded her for things that seemed largely insignificant. But he had always been quick to forgive her – of course after making her feel thoroughly guilty for what she had done!!!!! He had always accepted her with all her faults – her tantrums, her temper, her adamancy and her ego. But he had also taught her to remain absolutely grounded – ALWAYS!

Yes, Maggie was an out-and-out Papa’s girl!!!!!!

A strong breeze blew Maggie’s hair onto her face and she was forced out of her reverie. As soon as she opened her eyes, she knew what she had to do. She ran to the telephone to tell the first MAN in her life what he meant to her!!!! A gruff voice at the other end of the line told her he’d been asleep but she didn’t care! “Happy Fathers’ Day, Dad!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!” she managed! Her dad was a bit taken aback but thrilled all the same…..thrilled beyond words!!!

Yes friends, I’m a day late…..Fathers’ Day was yesterday…….18th June. But what the heck??? I mean do we really need a day to tell him how much he means to us? Do we really need an excuse?????? Tell you what……………do as I say? Get up from where you’re seated, go engulf your dad in a mega hug, plant a kiss on his cheek and tell him what Maggie told her dad…..and do this irrespective of whether you’re a “son” or a “daughter”!!!!! And don’t forget to tell me how it felt!!! I bet nothing felt better…….not even hot chocolate on a chilly winter’s day!!!!

Don’t wait for occasions to tell people what they mean to you. Tell it to them and make it an occasion! Not just your dad….anybody…….mom, granddad, grandma, uncle, aunty, cousins, friends, anybody….tell them what they mean to you if its really true!!!!!!! Don’t wait for the “right” time…..it may never come....and if and when it does, it may be too late! Tell people and watch their face glow with pride and happiness!!! Go do to your mom what you just did to your dad (I’m assuming you did it!!!) and watch her wanting to dance in joy! What better gift to give to your parents – the two most genuine and important souls in your life who care for you all through their life and yours????!!!!!!!!! They deserve that and much more!!!!

So here’s to my dad………who’s miles away from me…………sending you a hug and a kiss to tell you that you’re simply the BEST!!!! I love you, dad…….Happy Fathers’ Day…..today, everyday!!!! And to my mom……….the epitome of unconditional love……..here’s to you, too........all my love, always!!!!!!!!

Hope my article threw light on the value of our “janm daataas” and inspired you to celebrate their existence day after day!!!!!!

Disclaimer: All characters (there are very few anyway!) and events in this story are entirely figments of my restless imagination and any resemblance to any person living or dead is not coincidental, its natural, because its based on events that hold special importance in all our lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So till next time, from slo, this is Tally-Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adding life to your years!

Hello, Hi, Namaste, Aadaab n whatever other "hello" greetings exist!!!!!!

So people, how are all of you doing?????? All's rocking with me!!!! College begins tomorrow and I can't wait!!!! Yea yea I know I'd said 12th...but it got postponed!!!! What the heck??!!!!!!

K so considering I'd written about reservations, I'd surely expected a better response....where are all of u??? Thanks Avrosh..prompt as ever!!!

The other day, I was reading an old, tattered issue of Readers' Digest and chanced upon a quote by Abraham Lincoln......Pretty commonly used one it is but all the same, I thought it really inspired me! It goes like this:

"It's not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years........so add more life to your years and make your life that much more worthwhile!!!!"

How true, how profound!!!!! Somehow, we are all so caught up in the trials and tribulations of modern-day living and our hectic lives that somewhere down the line, we've forgotten what we are really here for. All we care for is work (never mind whether its office or school or home....work is work irrespective of the prefix!). We've engrossed ourselves so completely in the mindless hassles of everyday living that we don't have the time.....or rather we are unable to make the time to take in the little pleasures of life.

The complaint is always the same......."Who has the time???" Well, time is a lame excuse.........after all every person has exactly the same number of hours each day........no person is blessed with a day of 30 hours, neither is anybody compelled to live a day of 20 hours.....24 hours is what each one of us gets........not a second less and not a second more....so what's this about not having the time??!!!!!!!! Ok, so let's interpret it this way........what we mean by don't-have-time is that we are just so freaked and worn out that all we want to do is sleep!!!!!!

But then what is a life where each day is the same?? Wake up, shower, eat, leave home (work/school/college or wherever), eat, work again, leave for home, shower, watch TV, eat and sleep..............imagine a day like this.....horrible! Now imagine everyday like this........Gosh!! That's terrific! And now think of your life........does it ring a bell??? Strike a Chord?? OMIGOSH!!!!!!!! That;s my life you say........

Exactly........so back to square one....where's the time to add life to years??!!!!!! Well, believe me, its not really so tough! You all must have surely received those emails that list the 50 most enjoyable yet under-rated things in the world....like stopping to smell the flowers, taking in the aroma of freshly baked bread, playing with a kid, helping an elderly person, spending a few light moments with your loved one, getting crazy with friends.........if you thought these were just mails......think again!!!!!! And if you still think they are just mails, try doing them and you'll realize they're much more........they're true.......

Adding life to your years can have many more dimensions.........you don't just have to grow in age every birthday.........you can develop your faculties year after year, age no bar! So, its never too late to start. If there's something you've wanted to do all your life, go all out and do it........at least, it'll save you the regret of having never tried....at most, it'll give you a lifetime of joy....you choose!

If you feel you're overworked and stressed, take a break, go on a holiday, spend a few moments with yourself and explore your life.....what you've done, where you're headed, what you want to accomplish and how distant or near is the goal????? And then when you get back all rejuvenated, you'll find the journey a lot less cumbersome.....and a lot more fun!!!! If you can't do what you like, teach yourself to like what you do!!!!!!! An oft-repeated advice, yet seldom followed..........

If you find yourself lonely and with no one to talk to.......find out what's wrong........you'll probably realize that somewhere along your journey in life, in your mad chase for the baser pleasures of life, you've let behind the more valuable ones......you've probably left your friends far behind......you've probably not given your family their due.......you've probably never told people how much they meant to you and so now, suddenly, you find yourself all lost and alone.......Revive old friendships, reach out to your family and show your concern, tell them how much you love them and tell them you still consider them an integral part of you..........watch the change........and revel in it!!!!!!

These little things go a long way in bringing about great joys, immense happiness and untold satisfaction.........After all, it is less important to make a living, more important to make a life!!!! And always remember that while you're blindly part of the mad rat race.....even if you win, you're still a rat!!!!!!!!

So, let's follow Abe Lincoln's valuable advice and add life to our years......it'll probably help us accept the years in our life better and with increased grace.....coz if you're a satisfied octagenerian or, to be more optimistic, a happy centenerian, then you've made a life......a stressed middle-ager has only made a living....not a life!!!!!!

Later now......Till next time............Tally-ho!

Back to pavilion!!!

Hello people!

Umm......Once a defaulter, always a defaulter....is what you all must be thinking!!! But then let me not make apologising for my absence a standard statement in all my blogs......if the past month is anything to go by.......I've totally transformed into the typical irregular blogger!!!! But what the heck.....I'd rather give you guys food for thought than irate nonsense!!!! So now on, I'll only blog when I have something meaningful to blog in!!!!! Let's see how often that is, shall we??!!!

So, as the prominent heading pronounces......I'm back to pavilion, to dear old Mumbai, home sweet home!!! Feels great to be back and can't wait for college to reopen, to meet friends, to freak out and in the little time that all the fun leaves out, to study!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, its back to routine from Monday!!

Meanwhile, a topic that's been plaguing India at large since the past few months is the reservation issue..........enough has been said and discussed about it and, obviously, I'm against it, too.......its a pity really that true merit and intelligence is now going to be of lesser value or importance in comparison to one's caste. Its a shame that in a country which is taking gigantic strides towards development and modernisation, such orthodox practices still exist.....and to quote a line that came to me through email..........has to be one of the most profound quotes in this regard, "We must be the only country in the world where people fight to be called backward!!!!!!!!!!!"

How ironic that on one hand we speak of collaborating with the whole world on ambitious projects, on the other, we are unable to give due respect to the deserving in our own country. How ironic that on the one hand we speak of employment problems and mass unemployment, on the other we reserve seats for people who are either not interested in serving the nation or not bothered or simply not capable. How ironic that in a country that boasts of Unity in Diversity (I could personally never digest this one!!), there are such wide disparities being made on the basis of caste. Unbelievable!!!!!

No doubt, there might be capable individuals in all categories, all castes......but when it comes to educational institutions, all people who strive to get in put in so much of effort and yet, the most deserving people may get left out for the simple reason that they do not belong to SC/ST/OBC......how unfair!!!!!!

What inspired me to write about the reservation problem in my blog was not only the problem in itself, which is of course one of the inspirations but there's this sms that I got from a friend that asked to check up a particular blog dedicated to the cause and I did just that.......and what did I find??? A blog that's truly inspiring, in-your-face and utterly sincere.....truly living up to their name YFE or Youth for Equality...........I hope to be able to be part of their efforts.....not yet joined their signature campaign or any such thing but thought that the least I could do was to dedicate a bit of my blog to their cause......which in reality is my cause, too....and probably yours too.....and by large, the cause of majority of the nation!!!

So friends, check out the blog http://www.yfemumbai.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think of it....And please do try to do your bit....send mails, smses, post it on your blog or simply forward the link of the YFE blog to all your pals........it's the least contribution we can make for a cause that's of as much consequence to us as it is for the people who are dying for it....Let's just hope for the best!!!!

Umm......well, this is it for today!!!! Later now!

Till next time..............Tally-ho!!!

Live from Dubai!!!!

Hello friends, Sorry for the extremely exteeeeeeeeeeeended silence..........And thanks for remembering me during my self-imposed exile Pallavi and Avrosh!!!! Well the fact of the matter is that I was held up with my exams till the 6th of May and then, freaked out with friends for a couple of days and then, I've been here in Dubai for the past one week..........Gosh, its a week already.....unbelievable......been so busy catching up with long-lost friends and taking in quite gleefully the innumerable changes that have clouded this city in a seemingly short span of time (one month short of a year!)..........it feels, to put it subtly, nice, very nice to be back! Having said that.....what better topic to blog about than the changes that I see here, my reminiscences here and some things that have lingered in my mind!!!!!!

It's hot here..........an absolute furnace and I'm getting cooked in it........want me for lunch anybody??? Or dinner maybe?!!!!!! Well, let me be over with the wisecracks and tell you something more meaningful!

Yea, so the changes here...........too many to be listed out.......here are a few of them! Some of the roads have given way to mounds and mounds of construction material to give momentum to the ambitious project of a railway in UAE. New, suave and strong buildings have come up where dilapidated concrete structures once stood. New malls have come up.........there seems to be no end to the number of malls coming up here.....I mean "shop till you drop" is fast becoming an understatement!

The city seems to be stretching into the desert and in a few years from now, there won't be a desert here, going by the developments! Yet, overall, the feel of the place remains the same......the same warmth (heat let's say!!!!!!), the same cosmopolitan crowd, the same resplendent evenings marked by multi-hued lights along the streets.......yes, this is where I've spent 14 precious and memorable years of my life! Let me share something with all of you........Dubai has hosted 10 Shopping Festivals...each having a unique theme. Three of them that have truly touched me have been "Dubai.......the city that cares", "Mothers" and "One World...one Family". The former has almost become a motto of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the second has lingered as a sub-theme at best for all subsequent festivals while the last has stayed on as the very essence and spirit of the festival year after year.

Dubai......the city that cares......yes, how else would you define the welcome that tourists get at the hotels when they arrive, the services offered to them and the efforts that go into making their stay a pleasant one?? Apart from tourists, life for residents here is very well taken care of.....services and amenities-the very best, hospitality unlimited, shopping - need I say anything????? So, Dubai cares for its people........

Mothers..........how can a theme such as this one not touch your heart......Only recently- 3 days back on 14th May - we celebrated Mothers' Day........So much has been said about the role of mothers in the development of the child, about their contribution to society, about their trials and tribulations that we hardly need to look further for role models........Mothers are the epitome of unconditional love, sacrifice, understanding and tolerance. What better way to honour them than to have an entire festival to celebrate their being!!!!

Coming to "One World....One Family", this is undoubtedly the theme that reflects the true spirit of the DSF and brings to fore the cosmopolitan atmosphere prevailing here......the camaraderie that people share irrespective of lineage, religion, place of origin and language. All barriers are cut across to bring about an environment that is tolerant, respectful and affectionate towards only one race - the Human race; only one family - the World! Yes, this is the ultimate theme in terms of suitability to the place and the cause!

So that brings us back to where I started..........nothing's changed......not the familial atmosphere, not the respect.......just the facade.....the screen-saver as you may call it....its the cover that's changed, but the glory of the book remains blissfully intact!! Dubai......the city of glory!!!!!

Well, well......that was almost an ode to this place.................I guess I just got carried away in my memories and they've translated into this post on my blog for all of you to read and take in!!!!!!!!!! Gosh sometimes, I wish I had Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve which could hold my memories for safekeeping and have me return to them and take a sneak peak into them as and when I wish! (Gee.....I'm a total Harry-Potter-aholic!!!) But on second thoughts.........I guess this blog IS my pensieve and you guys can take a sneak peak into it too.....anytime you want!!!!!! I'd love you to do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, that's for today......I hope I'm a tad more regular with blogging.....having broken the ice today!!!!!!!

Till next time................it's Tally-ho from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Courage is more than being willing to fight!!

When a soldier displays his patriotic fervour at the border, we say he is valiant.

When someone lives stoically through a mental trauma or tragedy, we say he is brave.

What do we say when a person is bullied and mocked at by someone and he does nothing about it? Do we call this person a coward? Definitely not. This person has just put on display his strong prudent sense and his extraordinary COURAGE!

Don’t believe me?! Fine. Let me explain. We spoke of valour, bravery and courage. What is the difference between the three? Valour is a show of physical strength and superiority, generally on the battlefront. Bravery is the mental strength to withstand torture – mental or otherwise – and to resist succumbing to one’s fears. If valour is physical and bravery is mental, then what is courage? Courage is an optimum blend of the two forms of strength.

Let us revisit the example of being bullied. Suppose X, a nasty fellow, bullies Y for no apparent reason, what would onlookers expect Y to do? Retort back, you might say. And why not?? If X punched Y in his middle, then why shouldn’t Y slap him back? That’s the difference…you say, “why shouldn’t he?” while Y thinks, “why should I?”. If Y is a person of strong will, then he will not strike back because he knows that his tolerance of their torture will tire his rivals sooner or later. It is also important that Y’s tolerance is not misunderstood as cowardice. He remains quiet not because he can’t fight but because he doesn’t want to. The same Y will stand up for his rights and even fight for them if the need arises. He is a person who believes in fighting only where it is absolutely inevitable.

This is Courage. Courage is the strength to fight and the strength to tolerate and the sense to know which should be put to use when. A person who fights simply to prove he is courageous fails dismally and ends up proving exactly the opposite! The person who knows when to fight and how to fight and does it only then and in that way is the one who is truly courageous. Courage is more than being willing to fight. It is being willing to avoid a fight and to actually avoid it!!

****************

So those are my views on courage...........another one of my published articles!

Well, life's going on....exams coming up, just a week to go! Now that its so near, the nervousness is slowly seeping in! Oh God!!! Please, please let them go well!

And after the exams.....I'll be in Dubai........Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Dubai....I'm coming!

Anyways guyz, (and galz, for the feminist in me!!), no more for now.......more at leisure post my exams.....so slo's gonna blog only after 6th of May now.......

Take care and keep those comments coming in....as they say at McD.......I'M LOVIN IT !!!!!!!!!!!

Till next time........Tally-ho!!!!!

What next????!!!!!!!

Well well....my eyes almost dropped out of their sockets when I read about it in the newspaper....I mean how can they take such a life-changing decision so nonchalantly......without a care in the world......

Hmm...sorry for the ambiguous intro...just shell-shocked! Well, the University of Mumbai was planning to make mathematics optional after grade 8! I mean how silly can that get! As time passes, they'll slowly make other subjects optional too.....like now its maths, then science, then social studies and then STUDIES itself and a day will come when we'll have the paanwala on the roadside selling HSC pass certificates at Rs.2/- per person!!!! What an idea!!!!

Jokes apart, how can someone make mathematics optional.....and the subjects offered in place of it are environmental studies, handicrafts and some other such stupid vocational course......Those things that can be learnt by anyone, anytime and with minimal effort. I'm not undermining those courses but surely they can't be replacements for maths......

I'm not a fan of mathematics and I've had my trysts with the subject.....it's not easy and math after eighth grade does spiral up to a higher level but its practical utility is far superior than many other subjects to simply scrap it without giving it a second thought. People argue, asking whose going to go about town measuring the heights of trees using trigonometry (that's the greatest example of the utility of trigo as was given in my math textbook of grade 9!!) but then geometry and trigo claim to enhance a person's imagination and abstract thinking power. Algebra is meant to improve a person's ability to comprehend things and apply common knowledge in unommon territories. Arithmetic is of course the basis of mathematics and has practical utility in every sphere of human existence.

Given that maths has such an important to role to discharge in our life, the idea of making it optional seems almost indigestible.......and the arguments to support the move....even more far-fetched! Parents claim their kids fail in high school because mathematics....what nonsense! Students fail either because they don't study or because they are not taught properly. People say half the things we learn are never applied in life........well, they may not be directly applied anywhere (as in the trigo example) but they definitely add to a person's knowledge and indirectly affect all areas of studies....mathematics has immense application in sciences like physics, chemistry, commercial fields like accountancy and even humanities and economics.....how then can people allege that it has no practical utility??

And above all, basic mathematical skills are required by any ordinary man in the course of ordinary life.......planning a family budget is the most common example of the use of maths. Other uses are in cooking (quantity of the ingredients and proportions), operations in the share market, decorating our home (as in interior designing...not indepth knowledge but a basic idea of size, shape, suitability and mensuration), etc.

That maths has no practical utility is complete trash!!!!!! I assert that mathematics is not one of my strong points either and I need to put in a lot of effort in the subject to do well in it but then I would never, in the name of God, advocate making the subject optional!!!!!! I hope that in the face of the strong opposition that is coming in from parents and teachers alike......this move would be scrapped or it can seriously affect the future of scores of deserving students who only consider the subject tough due to some misconception or simply because they've never tried hard enough!

Another stunning (rather stupid, by my standards!) move that has been initiated in the interest of kids is by ICICI bank......that of issuing savings accounst with the facility of debit cards for kids aged between 8 and 18......hmm.....very soon we'll have people who go to work in huggies and drive cars when they are a day old!!! I am dead against robbing kids of their childhood......their innate innocence and their carefree life. Well, debit cards robs them of none of these.....I just feel it is a meaningless move because most of the transactions are to be manned by the parents anyway so the only advantage it confers on the unassuming kid is that he has a debit card in his name! A savings account is acceptable and even appreciated but a debit card for a kid who barely knows his numbers right is dumb! All bloody publicity stunts targetting people who don't know what to do with the money they have....

Thank god I'm from a middle class family.............I know the value of money and don't fall prey to such atrocities!!!!!!! And I'm 18+ anyways so, what the heck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, whatever....been long since I blogged but I didn't consider it prudent to blog just for the sake of blogging so I thought I might as well blog only when I have something meaningful blog about!!!! Too much blogging is bad even for the compulsive blogger....what say!!! So thought I'll just keep my trap shut and go about my own business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing much otherwise.....waiting for your comments on this one friends....wanna know your views!

Till next time, from Slo, this is..........Tally-ho!!

The Orphanage...

This is a poem I wrote because I truly feel strongly for the plight of orphans. They are deprived of parental love and affection and subsequently of many opportunities but, they are still very much in the running in today's mad rat race! I find them to be our true heroes from whom we stand to learn a lot, especially the lesson that, "Where there's a will, there's always a way!"

The Orphanage

The baby weeps and weeps, longing to be in its mother's loving arms

Until the matron picks it up and wipes its tears with her dutiful palms

The young Boy stares out of the window, hoping against all perceptible hope

That his life of loneliness and sorrow is just a bad dream or joke

The teenager toils all day and in her respiteful evening hours

Ponders with tearful eyes as to why fate's been so harsh

The orphanage fulfils all their needs and gives them shelter and warmth

But it lacks the familial milieu and is but a raw substitute for home

It lacks the presence of mom to wipe away their tears

To give silent support and to warrant off their fears

It boasts of no dad to give them sound advice

To scold them when they're wrong and to pat them when they're right

Its inmates have a hard life, unlike yours and mine

They study, cook and work and are busy from nine to nine

They only derive comfort from the fact that they're not alone

They live as brothers and sisters, taking pride in calling them their own

They learn to wear permanently, the disguise of happiness on their face

By smiling while their heart pines for true solace

They smile all day only to weep into their pillows at night

But they steel themselves enough to face each challenge with might

They are the unsung heroes who live each day

With renewed hope and fervour in their war against fate

They are the phoenixes, who rise from destiny's ashen chars

To refuse to succumb to fate and to rise to reach the stars!!!!

So that's about the orphans - our real-life heroes! There's just one thing that I'd like to mention here, which is that we should always remember that the last thing these people want is pity. They need out support and love, not out sympathy and pity. Let's learn to treat them just like one amongst us because that is truly the status they deserve!!!!

Otherwise, life goes on......the same old humdrum of eating, sleeping and studying.......gosh, my exams are just 15 days away......please, Please, PLEASE let them go well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday was my grandparents' wedding anniversary and we had all my relatives from Mumbai over.....I've had a blast with my uncles/aunts and little "chintia-pintia" cousins!!!!!! It's been a great weekend.....looking forward to rocking week.........have fun pals!!!!

More later....Tally-ho!

It's Vishu today!

To all my dear South Indian friends reading this blog......Happy Vishu...that is the Tamil/Malayali new year!

Well, Vishu is celebrated every year on the 14th of April. The celebrations are rather sober.....The previous night, a big plate is placed in the puja arena and filled with an assortment of fruits and a couple of vegetables, rice, pulses, money, gold/jewellery and all of these are arranged in such a way that they are reflected in a mirror. Among the things adorning the plate are usually apples,oranges, mangoes (raw and ripe), tomatoes, a snake-gourd, jackfruit, grapes and bananas plus a bowl of rice, dals, some gold/silver and money in the form of coins and notes. The morning of Vishu, we walk blindfolded (as in, with eyes closed) and the first thing that we look into is the plate. The idea is to usher in the new year by first looking at things that please the eyes........it's like this!

You look at all those pulses/rice grains and ask god to give you enough of them to last the year. The fruits/vegetables are a luxury you further seek. And the money and gold are pleasures and richness, fortune and luck that we wish befall us in the year to come! Looking at oneself in the mirror renews the faith that one has in oneself and signals the fact that "Each person is special in this world in their own special way" and that "Everyone of us is one of the beautiful creations of God"!!!! It's all about pleasing the senses in the light of a new dawn that is expected to bring with it new hopes, dreams and opportunities! On this day, people usually wear new clothes as the day is auspicious, new beginnings are made and people visit the temple! (I did, too!) On this day, the elder members of the household give some money to all the younger members as a token gift......

The rest of the celebrations associated with Vishu are in the feast.....there is nothing particular that is to be made or consumed.....just anything that one considers special for the occasion! A sweet dish is a given item on the menu!

So that's about Vishu.....it's celebration time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For me, more than anything, its the spirit of the festival that is exciting...the prospect of actually spending a few moments early in the morning looking at some of the things that we ordinarily wouldn't so much as glance at, to appreciate the goodness of the little things in life and to thank God for each new day!!!! So, Happy New Year once again friends!!!

While at beauty, let me have the honour of presenting my thoughts on true beauty embodied in this poem of mine!!! Hope you like it!!

TRUE BEAUTY

We speak of beauty

As though it's a commodity;

We see beauty in the seas and skies

We also speak of beauty in the face and eyes!

But when we use the term beauty,

With so much variety and diversity;

I doubt whether we really realize

What beauty truly signifies!

When we speak of beautiful faces

We may be pointing at those

Who have striking features

Like hazel eyes and a chiselled nose!

Beauty is often equated with good looks

Like a svelte frame and silky locks

Sadly, the term fails to permeate

That treasure which is innate!

When we speak of the seas and skies

And rains and rainbows

Or thrushes, robins and magpies

And pigeons and crows,

We say that they are replete

With beauty of a kind

That appeals to all the senses

And brings joy to the mind!

What does this imply?

What am I trying to say?

I'm convinced that true beauty

Lasts for longer than a day!

Beauty is not that

Which catches the eye

It is that which penetrates the mind

And gives you a high!

Beauty is not just looks

That would be just pretty

But beauty is more than that

It's a heart of gold and a glimmer in the eye!

It is free-flowing love and compassion

Towards everybody

That makes a person appear beautiful

To all and sundry!

Beauty is that which gives joy

Beauty induces the mind's eye

Beauty satiates all the senses

Beauty is a part of life

Beauty exists in everybody, waiting to show

Beauty is self-evident, in the facial glow

Beauty revels and happiness brings

In all of life's littlest things!!!!

Hope we are all able to spot the beauty in all we see and appreciate it as a means to eternal happiness!!!!!

Tally-ho!!

My nondescript today!!!!

Well, today was a pretty nondescript day.....nothing special....same old humdrum.....wake up, read the newspaper, eat, sleep, study, eat again and sleep again!!!!!! Gosh, when will the exams get over.....why can't tomorrow be the 2nd of May??!! Why can't the damn tension just end??!!!!!!

Sigh! I guess some questions have answers that only time will tell...or worse still, no answers at all!!! So maybe I should just stop grumbling and fretting about things that I can't change!!!

Anyway, tomorrow is another day!!!! A new sunrise brings new hopes and new dreams. Well, Dhiraj, please forgive me for quoting you in this post but I really liked what you wrote in the mail so just thought of incorporating it here. Well my friends, Dhiraj says, "Live your dreams....coz if you dream for the stars, you will surely get the Sun (which happens to be our star!!) and once you reach the sun, the farther stars are just a stone's throw away!" So let me revel in my tomorrow and not worry about my "nondescript" today!!!!!!! And maybe all of you should do the same, too - JUST a suggestion ;-)!!!!

Hmmm......not feeling very philosophical today and neither am I in one of my literary moods!! So maybe I should relieve all of you the painful experience of reading a post with no feelings and depth and just get going......

Tally-ho!

The 5 elements of Life!

Hello friends....

Hey Shruti, thanx for that cool comment but somehow, I still feel that friends should be few and good. My argument is that when you have fewer friends, you are able to give each of them individual attention and let them know what they mean to you. And like I said, I'm not against being friendly with everyone but I somehow feel that to be able to connect on a warm and personal level, you can do better with fewer people. And you know I'm a very private person.....i don't open up to everybody...for me, I prefer having a couple of friends who know me inside out than a whole army people who claim to know me better than myself!!!!! And also, I feel lost in a huge group.....for me, a few good friends make life worth living! But like you said, its all a matter of perspective!!! So, its your opinion and I respect that!!! Thanx!

Now, all my friends, put your seatbelts on for another philosophical rundown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here we go!

The 5 Elements of Life

Traditionally, the 5 essential elements of life are Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Space. But when I gave it a thought, I came to believe that these are not elements in themselves, but are symbolic of the qualities and essentials of a successful human being. The equivalent of these elements as I have seen them are not necessarily qualities that are existent in all individuals; they are traits that SHOULD be imbibed and inculcated by one and all. Let me explain.

For convenience purposes, I ask to begin from the last one, i.e. Space. Having said that let me assert that the order is only for convenience and not even one of the elements is any less important than any of the others. They are all incomplete singularly and each one of the 5 elements has its own irreplaceable role to discharge.

Space is often mistaken for emptiness. On the contrary, it refers to completeness and purity. My equivalent of Space is the human character. Character is common to all, yet each one gives their own individualistic definition and touch to it. Human character should be strong and assertive. Nothing that anyone says or does should be capable of staining one’s character, as it is the most valuable of all human possessions. It is something that cannot be alienated from the person and is a barometer of his or her goodness as well as greatness.

Earth is the basest of the elements because if it was not for our dear Mother Earth, it’s hard to fathom where I’d be typing this from or where you’ll be reading it!! Jokes apart, Earth, in my opinion, represents Education and Common Sense which sustains humans in today’s world of cut-throat competition. Education builds a strong foundation on which we base our entire life. Our values, thoughts, actions and generally the way in which we conduct ourselves in society, are all indicative of the kind and level of education that we’ve undergone in our formative years.

Fire, the double-edged sword that can cook our food and also burn our skin, that force which can keep the fireflies away and keep you safe at night, but also that which can bring down your house! Yes, Fire can be a good slave, but a very bad master. So also, our mind. The Human Mind is what I perceive as fire. If you don’t control it, it will control you – the number of criminals and psychopaths in jails and mental hospitals is sufficient proof of what your mind can make of you if you don’t use it judiciously! So the mind should warm hearts and not burn hands!!

Water is what keeps you alive. What better equivalent than Health? Health is highly invaluable and without being healthy, it’s almost impossible to be happily alive for long. Bad health is the biggest worry of all humans as it makes one dependent on others. On the other hand, a healthy person is a happy person. Just as water relieves us on a swelteringly hot day, good health relieves our worries all through our life. Just like water is clear and transparent, our Health should be clear and free from illness.

Air, it’s all around you. You can’t see it and sometimes, you can’t even feel it. But you know it’s there. The parallel emotion or quality is nothing but Love and compassion towards all and sundry. Not just that, but also the radiance that one is able to emit. What I mean to say by radiance is the impact you have on those and that around you. It is the ability to make a positive impact in the world. Just as it is not possible to breathe in the absence of air, it is impossible to live in the absence of love and positive energy in the cosmos.

Thus, each of the 5 elements that have ruled the world from time immemorial signifies a human trait which ought to find its way into the life of each one of us. To sum up, Our Character should be as pure as Space. Our Education should build a foundation as strong as the Earth. Our Mind should be the Fire which warms everyone’s hearts. Our Health should be in sound enough condition for us to live the life that we do happily and be clear of illness just like Water is clear of parasites! Lastly, we should spread Love and Joy in the world and our radiance should be strong enough to encompass the world, just like Air, of which there is sufficient and more for everyone and still enough left! If these traits become a part of you, then there is no stopping you on the path of success, because, if you are a good human, you will find success at your feet!!!!! Good Luck!

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Disclaimer: This is one of my earlier articles which even got published in a magazine......I'm damn proud of it and hence, decided to publish it on my blog! Hope you like it.......I'd love to have your views on this one as I want to know what you people consider the 5 most essential elements of life!!! Lemme know!!!!!!!!

That's for today........more food for thought...but tomorrow!!!!

Have fun buddies and keep freaking out!

Tally-ho!

Friendship!

Hello everybody.....a day's break and I'm back into the attack!

Well, what's friendship?? Who's a friend?? We've seen loads and loads of email forwards about who's a friend and the A-Z of friendship and the difference between a friend and a true friend and a best friend and so on and so forth! But I doubt whether any of us really stop to think what a friend means to us, what difference do they make in our life and how they affect us mentally, emotionally and socially!

As far as my understanding goes, a friend is a person who has a measurble impact on our life, someone whom we care for, someone whom we want to see happy - Always! A friend is that individual with whom we can just shed our inhibitions and be ourselves. As the adage goes, "A friend is one who reaches for the hand and touches the heart!" Yes, truly, a friend is one who makes a place for himself in our heart.

Let me go a step further and highlight the qualities of a friend. In my opinion, they are not the conventional ones that people have been quoting over the years. With time and the changes that have come into effect in the world, society and our gullible minds, the concept of friendship has to undergo a change...which unfortunately, it has not - there are many misconceptions about friendship and these are what I'm out to highlight and clear through my post!

Misconception Number 1:
A friend is someone who stands by us in times of need.........WRONG......a friend is someone who stands by us at all times.....He is the person who is with us in times of joy to see that the happiness doesn't go to our head and he's by our side in times of distress to lend a helping hand. He's the one who multiplies our joys and divides our sorrows.

Misconception Number 2:
A friend is someone whom you meet often, either lives close-by or studies/works with you.....WRONG again...grossly wrong! A friend can be miles away and still be as close to you as he would be if he were sitting right beside you! Distance is hardly a matter of concern between friends. Sometimes, it does feel like distance matters, but between friends, if they know that each one cares for the other and is always able to lend an ear to one another, distance can easily be bridged! I should know.....a lot of my real good pals are miles and miles away from me - Shravan, Shruti, Aarti akka, Shweta, Manisha, Sami, Shriram, Vips are you all reading this??!!!! So, in today's e-world, our friend is always just a click of a button away! Distance in no way diminishes the feeling of friendship - it SHOULDN'T!!! Because after all - Distance makes the heart grow fonder!

Misconception Number 3:
A friend is someone who shares the same interests as you......how misinformed can people be!!!!!!! If your friend is a carbon copy of yourself - or let' s move with the times - a xerox copy of yourself (!!!!), then where's the scope for a mental rebuttal of ideas?? And if there's no clash of ideas, no war of opinions and no arguments, then what's the good of that friendship?? I'm not saying that there should be fights, but a friend should be the person who can make you look at that side of a problem or situation or whatever which you would have otherwise overlooked! A friend is someone who can counter your views on a topic and make you see a whole new spectrum of ideas flowing out of you.....He's the one who can make you see light where all you see is darkness!!!!!!!!!!

Misconception Number 4:
A friend with whom you can talk to forever! Well.....this is surely not entirely wrong....but there is another side to it. A friend is someone with whom silence is as comfortable as babble!!!!! A friend is that person with whom you can spend an entire evening without saying a word and walk away feeling it was the best evening you've ever had!!! That's because a friend is someone who understands your silence as much as he understands your words.

Misconception Number 5:
Well, everyone expects that their friend should understand them to the 'T'......I don't agree. This is inspite of the fact that I mentioned in the previous para that a friend should understand our silence....What I mean is that a friend cannot be expected to understand us completely because, at the end of the day, he is a different individual in a different skin. The understanding that a friend should have is the ability to empathise, to be able to see things from your point of view. To understand silence doesn't mean to understand what you want to say....it means to understand that you want to be quiet and to acknowledge it.....A friend cannot be expected to be the proverbial "antaryaami" and know your mind and thoughts and feelings!

Misconception Number 6:
"My friend doesn't care for me the way I do for them".........Well, that's too much to ask for......If a person doesn't care for you the way you want, it doesn't mean that he doesn't care for you with all he has. As mentioned earlier, it is wise to acknowledge the fact that you are the best of friends, but that doesn't make you one person. You are still two different people. It is quite probable that one is more expressive than the other, that one shows that he cares and the other doesn't......that in no way means that the care is not there. It is up to you to identify it.....and even if you can't identify it, you should know its there!

Now with the airs cleared, I can say who is a friend!!! Ahem ahem!

A friend is one with whom we can be ourselves with absolutely no inhibitions. A friend is one we can trust with all our heart, a person who is honest to the point of bluntness and with whom we can be the same! A person who doesn't take everything to heart and with whom we can just have unadulterated fun! A person who we believe in and a person who can relate to us and vice versa. A person who can stand by us at all times. That is a friend!

I believe in the age-old saying, "Books and friends must be few and good!" Don't know about books but friends - they must surely be few and good......That is not to say that we mustn't be friendly. There's a vast difference between being friendly with people and being friends with them. It is important to know whom we are friendly with and who are our friends. Being friendly is about having an amicable relation with people, keeping in touch and helping each other out. Beingfriends is about just being there for one another, being each other's secret-keeper, being the companion in times of sorrow and the pal in times of joy - Always!!

So....there's what I feel about friendship and friends!! I assert that these are just my views but I feel that somewhere, everyone will be in a position to relate to them!
My post on friendship would be sadly incomplete if I don't thank my stars here for having a lovely bunch of friends who care for me and who I feel completely at ease with!!!!

Thanks a tonne to all my friends!!!!!!!!! Out there in Dubai as well as here in Aamchi Mumbai.

For now.....this is it....an overdose already I guess.....so, Tally-ho!

Success!!!

Hi Pallavi......thanx for ur amazing comment....and the compliment about being PERFECT...well, that was unexpected from a writer of ur calibre!!!! But thanx loadz anyways!

After all the intros and title justifications.....its time for me to start putting in my own veiws and ideas on this page which is my very own haven! The subject I've chosen for today is Success.......that which is everybody's ambition and penultimate dream! That which most people would go to any lengths to attain and also that which is a measure of a person's standing in society.

Gone are the days when a person's worth was measured just on the basis of the jingle in his pocket....today, it's success which floors people.....which grabs the attention of the media...which has a person splashed all over the place. A person may be rich but if he's a perfect ZERO in everything, he's not going to be spoken about and he's definitely not going to be remembered!!!!!

My views on the ingredients of a success story are embodied in my poem printed below! Check it out!

A SUCCESS STORY

With stars in her eyes and head held high

She forges her way through the journey of life

Slow and steady, upward is her flight

Step by step, her goal in sight!

She plans her moves and charts her route

Anticipates trouble, provides for it, too

Readies a Plan B to boot

Should Plan A fail, B should shoot!

She stumbles on her glorious path

But picks herself up and restarts

Never does a failure impede

Her dreams and ambitions to succeed!

Many enemies she may make

Of those envious of her stake

She lets not rivalries to shake

Her stance and makes no mistake!

Many friendships she may forge

With those in a league as her own

She wins people with her charm

Is a true friend, warm and calm!

She views not obstacles as a pain

But from them, volunteers to gain

Accepts challenges, grips the reins

Of her life again and again!

She fears not of doing the right

Takes on the world with all her might

Stars in her eyes and head held high

She strides towards success, goal in sight!

(I'd like to believe that poem was me.....well, well......the fantasies people have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

So, that's what I feel about Success......No pains, no gains. There's a saying......"Life is like a bank, you can't take out what you haven't put in!!" That's something I so totally believe in........Success is achievable. You just have to go all out and achieve it!

So, good luck to all of my pals (and in a reasonable measure to myself, too.....really need that now...especially for the exams!!). Never be afraid......all you need to have is immense faith in yourself and your abilities and the prudence of distinguishng the right from the wrong! So, forge ahead and ascend on the stairway to success....not stopping till you reach the very summit!!!!!!!

That's for today.....tally-ho!!

The Title!!!!

Hello......

Hmm....was wondering what to input into the blog today.......thought and thought and thought!!!! And then i saw the title of my blog staring at me and decided instantly......Sugar Spice and Everything Nice.....why not?! I could explain the title of my blog!!!

Why did I choose this as a title.....well, the reasons are many but they are pretty simple.

For one thing, I'd like to believe it describes me!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

Secondly, I have always believed that if you look hard enough, you can find something good about every situation, every occurence.....if only you look behind the dark cloud and spot the silver lining! I'd like to emphasize on the siver lining aspect of our life in my blog by way of my posts.....I happen to be a compulsive thinker and you'll find a lot of my so-called "philosophies" coming to the fore in this blog in the days to come....and they are all about enjoying life on your own terms, identifying happiness in everything and loving yourself!

Thirdly, Sugar is sweet and Spice is...well...spicy! And that is just the point that I want to drive home.....that life is a perfect blend of the sweet and the spicy, the good and the bad, the successes and the failures, the love and the hate!!!! We need to accept the whole package and separate the wheat from the chaff.......the good from the bad....and at the same time, it is wise to remember that perspectives differ.....just like what is spicy for one may not be so for the other...same with sweet.....what is wheat for one, may be chaff for the other. What is desirable for one may be absolutely undesirable for another. But it's the bad that highlights the value of the good, the spice that makes the sweet sweet! It's the whole comprehensive package of life that makes it worth living.

Lastly, "Sugar, spice and everything nice" is what I'd want all of my pals to expect when they open my blog....so when they see the title staring them in the face, I'd want them to smile to themselves and revel in the title!!!!

So you see.....that's how much thought that has gone into just the title.....don't be surprised if you find honey and mead oozing all over the place on my blog in the days to come!!!! That's for the sweet...as for the spice element.....wait and watch!!!!!

Hmm.....that's enough philosophy for the day!! Signing off! Tally-ho!!!!!!!!!!!