The Rains' Law...

The monsoons have finally made their entry and HOW!!!! And no monsoon is complete without a poem toasted to it! So here goes!!!!

THE RAINS' LAW

A gray morning, chill breeze,

Chirping birds and quivering trees;

Pregnant clouds, a warning thunder,

An explosion in the sky, a torrential shower!

A splash here, a puddle there;

On the mud here, on a flower there;

The rain lashes on without a care;

Before you know, it's everywhere!

Man or woman, dark or fair;

Bird or beast, of the ground or the air;

The scurrying mouse or the prancing hare;

The docile pet or the wild bear!

The young or old, cowardly or bold;

Are all encompassed in its fold;

The rains make no distinction, told or untold;

On the backs of all, their pleasures unfold!

On lush fields and parched land;

Mercies are extolled, by the skies benign!

A multi-hued rainbow after the rain;

A treat, a reward, for pulling through the pain!

A little more here or a little less there;

A reversal next time, so the balance is always there!

A boon for one, a curse for the other;

AS ONE SEES IT -

A Blessing from Above, or a Banal Shower!

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

Till next time, from slo, it's Tally-ho!!

"Souring" away.......

Hi friends!! I've been reading a lot of debatable stuff of late (Dr.Preeti, are you reading?!) and one very basic question that keeps knocking on the gates of my domain of thought is - why do some friendships wither away?? Of course, it's much the same in the case of romantic relationships too but at least that's something people warn you umpteen times about! So what really happens to a friendship that starts off so promisingly, a sure winner; but somewhere down the line, the road forks and things are never the same again? Haven't we all experienced this at SOME point in life??

Over the years, I have got to hear several insights on this. People change. Life changes. Circumstances change. "Things" change! You JUST drift apart. And by far, the worst - it was never there.

So effectively, change is the only constant! Or is it?? I can actually prepare a list of friendships having "changed" for myriad reasons.

Asha and Mihir were inseparable.....and then they separated. Priya and Ritu were childhood pals......the pally-ness (for want of a better word!) disappeared with the childhood! Arun and Pravin claimed to be buddies since donkey's years......until the burden of responsibility on their backs did them apart. Navin and Ajay met accidentally, became friends, hung around for a year - one in which both swore that they'd had fun to last a lifetime, that they'd ultimately found lifelong friendship.....it was not long and it soon became...well...lifeless!

Asha says she doesn't know what went wrong. They'd been a pair for 12 years, ever since high school, studying together, playing together, talking for hours on end, fighting and making up......something like Raj and Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. But then once she started working, she could never devote as much time to the relationship as she used to or as she would have liked to. The fights were no longer candid. Meanwhile, Mihir was working too and he was making new friends also. The distances grew and the feelings rusted. They still meet, both married, with their own separate lives........the friendship, a formality; the memories, a treasure; the feelings, just different. "Circumstances changed"

Priya and Ritu were childhood buddies who stayed across the road and practically grew up together. As kids, they were a sight to behold - arms around each other, animated talks, their own little girlie secrets hushed into each other's ears - they were "stuck" to each other and a stranger would actually be amazed, when he saw them at the end of the day going back to their own houses, to find that they are not Siamese twins! But they chose different subjects after high school. Priya took up arts while Ritu moved to science. Their schedules never matched, their colleges were different, and they had no common topics to discuss (except the usual girlie stuff which they'd rather keep secret now). Priya also shifted home and that was the end of their friendship. They lost touch inspite of still being in the same city and one doesn't get to know about the other now! "People changed"

Arun and Pravin faced much the same scene as Asha and Mihir. Busy professionals, no time to meet up and out-of-sight-out-of-mind! They now meet at a common friend's place whenever he throws a bash and grope for topics to get them talking - that, for a twosome who could jabber non-stop on any topic (or lack of it!), whether it made sense or not. "Life changed"

Navin and Ajay met at the birthday party of a common friend, struck a conversation on cricket and simultaneously struck a friendship. But, before long they realized that they were from as different backgrounds as two people who called themselves friends could possibly be! Navin was stinking rich; Ajay was middle-class at best. Navin was the partying kinds; Ajay was into more sober stuff like reading! Navin was loud and flamboyant, Ajay was gentle and cautious. Navin was an atheist and Ajay was extremely God-fearing. In every way, they were a mismatch. But just to make it work, Ajay would accompany Navin to discos and Navin would go with Ajay to the temple. They couldn't keep doing it forever. They realized it wasn't worth it. And when they had clashes subsequently on moral issues, they called it off. Ajay says "There was nothing left in it anyway. And I wonder, if there ever was."

And then there's the case of Madhu and Diya - one was always trying to change the other. It was always "You shouldn't be doing this" or "How can you wear something like that?? It's hideous!" or "You should really change your attitude, man!" This went on until they realized that if they can't accept each other as they are and are trying to engineer each other into someone totally different, they were really doing each other a grave injustice. So they stopped trying so hard to make it work, and just moved on. "Things changed"

And then there's Aditi and Maya who both fell for the same guy.....their friendship soured for obvious reasons!

Vinod and Deepa fell for each other, and realized the friend is not the same as the partner. Misunderstanding, efforts at salvage, hope and finally, defeat!

Ranjit fell for his buddy Manju's sister and became her "jija" - the relationship changed :)!

As for me, I have myself seen a whole lot of friends drifting apart and friendships disintegrating. Though the ground reason is change, I believe it's got a lot to do with the importance you give the relationship - as in, it's significance and value in your life. The more it means to you, the more you can make it work. The more casual the approach, the more the chances of a soured relation. Plus, the chance of a misunderstanding occuring always looms large. (That is by far the worst way for a friendship to end) And you can't always make it work.

At the basest level, friendship is about accepting each other as they are, not about changing the person to become like us or the way we want him/her to be. Friendship is about being close enough to understand, but not close enough to interfere. It's about giving your opinion and advice but not imposing it upon the other. It's about giving each other space. Friendship is about expecting and anticipating that circumstances will come up that will alter your life in unpredictable ways.......but having the resolve to see it through and make it work.

Having said that, in most cases, the disintegration of a friendship is a natural process which happens with time. But friendship is about realizing this fact, understanding when things don't work and letting go if it means the best for both (like Asha and Mihir); best to part amicably if you can't remain so. Accord your friendship a priority and it becomes one.

A closing note: Friendship is like the story of a fist of sand, that we have heard so many times before. You hold it too loose and it flows, you try to close your fingers around it and it pours out through the gaps. But you hold it just loose enough to stand and just tight enough to seal the gaps and see how it settles into your cupped hands.

Disclaimer: Names in this article have been changed to protect the identity of friends who'd reach for my throat if they see their "real" names on this blog...and so to prevent my friendship from "souring away"!!!!

Waiting for your take! Till next time, from slo, it's Tally-ho!

A Piece of my Puzzle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello again! Having apologised for my absence and kickstarted the second season of my tryst with blogging, I couldn't rest my fingers with just an "I am back". So here's a more fitting way of saying I'm back!

So what have I been doing this past one year????? Been in my final year at college and like all good things, that too has met its end. Its been a whirlwind year with so many things happening so soon, all one after the other…...youth festivals, college activities, CA exams in between and when time permits, a little bit of studies, and finally the TY exams, the grand finale that ended it all in a single blow!!!!

I have good reason to believe that more people have entered my life in the last year of college than the first two years put together, each in a unique way and for a unique purpose! And being the incurable thinker that I am, I can dig up philosophies where there are none! So "PEOPLE" it is…..my subject of choice to mark my return to the infinite world of blogging!

They say that there is a reason for everything and I believe it too. More so when it comes to people. Each time a person enters your life, it is always for a reason, a definite purpose........The only difference being that some people stay on long after their purpose has been served, to share a lifetime's worth of joys, trials and tribulations! Call them friends, call them angels, brothers/sisters, or whatever else you may fancy, but at the end of the day, it’s a relationship you forge with each person who enters your life, for, even in calling a stranger so, you have only served to give a name, a definition to the relationship you share with someone you don’t know! Like you say “he’s my brother” or “she’s my friend”, so you say “he’s, to me, a stranger”! Where there are people, there is always an interconnected network of relationships whereby each is related to every other!

Going back to people who “enter” your life……….People have been "sent" to you at a time when you may have, unknown to yourself, asked for a companion. They come to fill that void you feel in times of solitude. Sometimes you throw up your hands in despair when in the thick of trouble and pray for divine intervention.....it comes, almost always, in the most humane form, unrecognisable but in response to that silent prayer, to bail you out or to make you see the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel".

Sometimes, people are in your life "JUST BECAUSE"!!!! You can never find out why they came, how they came and when they came for it doesn’t really matter……you feel as if they’ve always been around like the sun and the stars, like you've known them even before you were born. But truth is, there is a reason. They came because of either of two reasons – either you needed them or they needed you! More often than not, it is a combination of the two. A sort of ‘amalgamation’ (Yeah…..I’m proving that I’m on my way to becoming a BCOM graduate once the results are declared)……..between people who come together because they need each other. It’s not the kind of need that says “I can’t live without you”….rather the sort that believes “life is so much more pleasant with you being a part of it”!!!!!!

So why is it that you click with some people and not with others???? Why do you find it so easy to pour yourself out to some people but are completely walled up when it comes to some others??? How is it that it takes but a few moments to “know” some people and a lifetime in the case of certain others???? Surely these are all questions that arise when you talk of people and more importantly, relationships.

Time, as commonly believed, is really not a factor that determines closeness or attachment or any sort of understanding in a relationship in my opinion. It’s the “connection”, as I call it. That man is a social animal is a fact that has been hammered into our head since kindergarten, and that we need people around us who can partake our pie of life is obviously undisputable! Why then, do we have this connection with only SOME people???

Bless the Lord that the mechanism is so, I say! Imagine having a unique connection with every other soul on the planet or, on a more practical ground, with every other person you interact, you’d find your head swirling with entangled cobwebs of the umpteen number of connections…..leading in end to cross-connections and misconnections and network breakdowns!!

Jokes apart, the connection is not related to any scientific theory like “opposites attract”, nor is it by any logical deduction that you “decide” to connect with someone. It’s a more unconscious process. Something that happens by itself when you first meet/get to know someone.

Picture this, you have this sack of puzzle pieces in front of you with no picture to guide you as to its final look. All you have is a single piece to start your puzzle with. How would you go about putting it together (assuming you have ample time and no better job to do of course ;-)!!!!!!!!!) The way is only one….you take out puzzle pieces from the sack, one at a time and see if it fits. If it does, it stays and you can now look for pieces that fit compositely. If it doesn’t, you fling it back into the sack for you know it is one of the pieces that completes the puzzle, only where it fits is the question!

No, I’m not meandering. This is very much part of what I was earlier describing. Our life is the puzzle and each of us is the single piece in our own puzzle, with which we begin putting the whole picture together. All the other people who are, at some point of time or the other, destined to be a part of our life, are the puzzle pieces in the sack. As each one comes into view, the connection is either established instantly as the puzzle piece fits, or cast aside for a time when it will eventually fit in somewhere. I guess you will agree that in a puzzle, some pieces are almost always more important than others initially as they serve to give a clearer picture and help in identifying more connected pieces. For example, if the starting piece has three protruding nodes, then three puzzle pieces are required to fit directly with the original piece making the whole connection appear as a single piece. So also with people…….some connect faster and become one with the original piece, and then the interconnections become easier and quicker. Ultimately the picture is completed and each piece is in its rightful place , as close to the first piece as its position allows.

So our life is a puzzle that keeps nearing completion with every additional piece that fits in! Which brings us back to the very first point of each person coming into our life for a reason……the reason is, in totality, just ONE – people enter our life to complete our puzzle for us! A BIG thanks to ALLLLLLLLLLLL the people who’ve till date entered my life and become an inseparable piece of my very own puzzle…..my life!

That’s all for now but rest assured that the articles will come in think and fast now that the starting problem is solved and the oiling and greasing done with!!!!!!!!

Take care folks……till next time, from slo it’s Tally-ho!

A Question Answered!

Hi Friends,

Hope you'll are all doing well. I am having a blast and just can't seem to get enough of my vacation........its hard to believe that the days have zoomed past and this is my last week of the break, for the time being at least!

It's always gratifying to read comments from friends and to know that they appreciate your work! SO, this is an acknowledgement t0 all those people who bother to regularly look up my blog and go over my writings and let me know what they think of them!

Now, my dear friend Dhiraj, went through the piece "When it's hard to hold on, it's best to let go!" He found a couple of loose ends in the article and wrote to me seeking a clarification! This is what he wrote:

"Well I just wanted to know what do u do once you let go and memories keep coming or sometimes haunting back ??? "

Hmm......thought-provoking! Now this is what I really like....when people dig up loopholes in an article and give me an opportunity to explore the more subtle nuances therein. What follows now is my reply to him!

Now, to begin with, the article that this question relates to is not entirely about memories. It’s more about situations. What was actually intended in the article was to elaborate on a simple age-old blatant truth, which is that - SOME THINGS ARE JUST BEYOND OUR CONTROL. It is more a manifestation of another age-old adage, "What will be, will be!" "When it is hard to hold on, it is best to let go" applies to these circumstances which are supposedly destined and nothing in an average human's power can stop them from occurring. In such cases, you need to relinquish your position, your stand and let nature take its own course, destiny have the upper hand because that IS the best you can do.

Coming to memories, they are an important part of one's existence. They are, more often than not, the driving force behind a person's choices, decisions and prerogatives. It is surely not easy, rather impossible, to let go of them, particularly the bad ones. However, in this case, let go means to refrain from allowing those memories to become a permanent obstacle in one's daily life. To let go means to push them far back into one's sub-conscious mind so that one is not clinging on to them for dear life! Yes, they do sometimes keep coming back, haunting. Even then, you need to let yourself be in control and not get overwhelmed by them. You need to keep letting go each time they come back. Over a period of time, you will find that they don't haunt anymore - even if they DO keep coming back!

And as Dhiraj rightly pointed out, "in course of time, you start looking at the brighter side of all those memories and just move on. And then one day you just look back and say or croon like Bryan Adams "Those were the best days of my life". I couldn't have summed it up better!

Well, that's all for now and I hope this answers any questions any of you may have had regarding the article in question and that I have done due justice to those!

Till next time, from Slo, this is Tally-Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is full of challenges.........

Hi Friends......How's life??? All's well at my end.......Have my exams coming up.....first Bcom and then CA.......had a little time on my hands so thought I'll blog in before I get too busy with studies (ahem ahem....I actually got the spelling right!!)

Hmm....so what should I blog about, what should I blog about.......think......think.......think.....and yes.....some more thinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, with exams coming up, what could be a better topic!!!

Examinations.............according to the traditional explanation, are meant to test our knowledge on topics and subjects that has been imparted over a period of time, usually a year or a term........But today, its more a measure of who has the emptiest brains........I mean whose brains are empty enough to cram and rote learn the subject matter!!!!!! Atleast at school level, I find this trend to be quite overpowering.................Competition is good.....infact I believe in competition....I believe its what inspires one to work harder and perform better but not to the point of making it the basis on which a child's intellect is judged........not to the extent that the focus is on securing a rank and not on gaining the knowledge.........

It may be argued that if a child does get the marks, it means that he has gained the knowledge.....but I beg to differ on that view and I'll shamelessly admit to the fact that I am testimony to the fact that getting a rank doesn't always mean having the knowledge..........I have seen for myself the difference when I study with all my heart and when I study to secure a rank......When I study with all my heart, sincerity and focus undeterred, I find that I can have a sensible discussion on any topic even remotely related to the subject but then, when the focus is on getting a rank, on being the best, that thought clouds my mind.....in a way, it overwhelms and I find myself cramming up my brain (ahem.....incidentally, I'd like to believe its not empty!!!) and then just studying for examination sake. And then, the very next week, its evaporated........where's the knowledge......gone with the answer sheet!

I am not challenging the institution of examination.....just saying that the system should provide for a fruitful, knowledge-building exercise and not merely picking the one with the highest marks!!!!!!! I understand that designing a perfect curriculum is a challenge and preparing question papers and conducting examinations, an even bigger challenge but here, the onus is on the students to ensure they make best use and take maximum advantage of the examination system.....take it upon themselves to learn, to know and not JUST to achieve a rank.....

Talking of challenges, life is full of them isn't it???? Examinations are one of them....but then, isn't every single day, in some way, an examination?????? The uncertainty of each day, the choices we are always faced with, our dealings with different people, the ever-existent dilemma of to-do-or-not-to-do and to-say-or-not-to-say; aren't all of these decisions that can change the course of our life???? So, by that definition, aren't they all challenges???? Its all about facing these challenges, being strong, coming out victorious, eager to face the next one!!!!! After all, if we had everything so easy, then what would be their value??? Just as without darkness, we'd never know the value of light, without sorrow, we'd never know how priceless happiness is, without disease, we'd never know the importance of good health and without effort, we'd never know what our success is worth!!!!!

Here's a poem on that note!!!!

LIFE'S CHALLENGES

Life's all about challenges, some little, some large;

Some a little easy, some a little hard!!

It's all about being smart and playing well your cards;

All about not giving up, all about being a star!

It's surely not impossible, that is known by far;

Just a little patience with a little will-power!

If everything was so simple, without a hint of harm;

What value would it have, wouldn't it lose its charm?!

Nobody would so much as stretch their arm;

They'd just be satisfied with the lines in their palm!

Everything would be a perfect picture of calm;

There'd be no surprises, no shocks and no alarms!

If we never had to work, strive or serve;

What exactly would we deserve?

If we never displayed a little bit of nerve;

How would we ever know, what lies beyond the curve?

Try as we may, we can ever swerve

Away from the challenges that we're destined to endure!

So we might as well, put on a brave face;

Take on the challenges and put them to disgrace!

Life's all about taking the plunge into the tumultous waves;

Ripping them apart with vigour as well as grace!

Let us, then, with open arms, learn to embrace

Life's mighty challenges, wash them away to leave no trace!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, that's it for now..............Till next time, from slo...this is Tally-ho!!!!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!

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!

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!