The Balancing Act

If balancing is a law of nature, then we need to work harder towards it. At every step, on this tight rope walk there seems to be a threat of falling. Yet, at every step there lies another chance to balance your act. The steps we will measure in this article, are after you have covered 1/4th of your journey, have put on new shoes and have a new partner in the game. Lets discover the success of your journey as you walk with your partner and your your laces just opened.

'Marriage is an institution that brings along great responsibility' for sure, it redefines the meaning of most of the things in your life and sooner or later you update your dictionary to write a new page and then new chapters. Yet, many people fail to give it its due and do not live up to the most important test of life.

We all have heard stories, where ambition, career and money overtake you in your journey, or spill oil on the rope and you have a bad fall. There are so many cases where men and women, who are working towards their career paths forget that the person walking with them is equally important to balance the rope and even though they take their steps quicker, they don't reach far, because either the string tying them to their better half pulls them back and they tumble over or they stop to cut it off where they waste their time and energy. At one point, filling up their treasure chest, climbing up the corporate ladder blinds us of our responsibility, but is that the right thing to do? Doesn't that mean that we have failed in the most crucial test? how does any other success count after that. Recently at work, our team was having a conversation over lunch about some of the top entrepreneurs in Australia (would refrain from taking names), their bank accounts, success and commitment towards work. For more than our designated eating time, each of us could not stop us from praising their efficiency, business acumen and luck. Suddenly, I popped a question at the group. If these people were spending 18- 20 hours in a day working, they must be doing a good job juggling between family and office. There came a prompt and insensitive reply, as if I had asked one of the silliest questions.' They are divorced'. 3-4 people left their partners as they got into the second year of their business. That left me disappointed. Indeed they would have had their side of the story, but success and lack of time did bind these cases together.

One of my mentors once said, having a companion is the best thing that can happen to you, and there is so much you can do with this relationship. It can be your comfort cushion or your punching bag in times when you need it most. Being together is not just about a social tag, about cooking together, cleaning, lovemaking or having babies. It is an inspiration that brings the best in you and makes you take that next step and achieve whatever you want to.

When parents match horoscopes before 2 people get married, they talk about happiness and being compatible.. but what does compatibility mean? liking the same actor? cuisine? having common friends or sense of humour? its none, its about making the other person feel beautiful feel inspired, happy and lucky to have the other person. Its about inspiring your partner to lose that extra kilo, send one more job application, spend hours writing your business goals and celebrate success together.Together both of you should make the best team to achieve everything you have ever wanted to.

I don't write this as a reference from an article,movie or observation, I say this from experience. I got married last year and my husband and I came together leaving differences such as language, cultures, interests and continents. I come from a marketing background, trying to creatively find beauty in everything and my husband is a hotelier, who loves the grandeur of things, numbers and his financial express. My perception of marriage was very similar to what most people have, but after living it for almost a year now, I can see 2 reinvented people, two people who have had their dreams but did not have a direction and as they came together, they became a team who can take on the world and realise both their personal and professional aspirations. In spite of our differences we found a common ground and enjoy what each of us brings to the table, to complement each other as tea and cookies.

Leaving India and shifting to Melbourne was a challenge, plus dealing with a new lifestyle and the fact that we were married now, it brought new experiences and discoveries. At many times I found it difficult to settle into work and personal life, but as soon as I took one step backward, my husband would go out of his way to bring back my passion and encourage me to do things I love, things that define me. That is why I am back to writing actively and have made it a part of my routine. It was never about , you 'have' to adjust because you are the wife and that's the rule, it has always been about finding each others passion and making it our strength.

The worldly truth is that each of us has dreams and no one but we have to work for them, so why not dream together and achieve more by putting in the energy, personality and commitment of two people? Another truth is also that to realise dreams it is important to quantify them, we need to know the destination and then pave a path to follow. Weekends are the best time to do this. In the beginning of the year, Me and Manav , sit down on a Saturday afternoon, enjoying some beer and cold cuts. We decided to chalk out our 5 and 10 year goals individually and then discuss them. After an hour of thought and getting personal space to introspect, we started to talk. Surprisingly, we not just got to know much more about each other but also saw similarities in out personal aspirations and decided to work together on our professional desires.

A typical notion is, that a wife desires and a man fulfils, which i disagree, we both should equally contribute towards the future and be ready to take on the responsibility of taking care of the other emotionally, financially and otherwise. I know that Manav wants to own a certain car one day, So, I will put in my best to help him get it, that's how we create a balance.

So, its time to let go of stereotype notions, hypocritical mindset and work towards bringing the best out of your partner because when you reach the end of the rope, your success would not be complete with only the money you have or the designation you hold, what would make you truly successful is how well you balance your personal and professional attributes and make a beautiful life and strong team. Because when you celebrate the smallest success with your partner, it would be an overwhelming experience, which is hard to describe and harder to replicate. It is called "love'.

How deep is your end of the pool?

Life pushes everyone into the 'deep end' of the pool, but the chances of survival are determined either by the acquired skill ( swimming) or the hereditary attribute (height) you possess. Use one of them to your advantage quickly or you are bound

to drown, evaluating

the 'depth', other people are struggling through.

No ones life is perfect, wish it would be. Each of us are consumed by issues, big or small that comfortably take most of our life. At no point in time would our life be free of problems or drams because if that happens, then either there are not enough things you have to keep you involved or not enough people who matter to you, not enough decisions awaiting your verdict or not enough ambitions to push you through. In a normal world,whatever the case be, we are always faced with things that keep our minds occupied, that give us sleepless nights and eventually make us happy.

We live our life thinking, why me? why did this have to happen to me... but what we forget is that the person sitting next to you in the tram, or a movie theatre or in office has exactly the same cloud of thoughts. We compare our lives with others, creating a few more 'issues' for ourselves, intentionally oblivious of the fact, that each person has a set of people and goals which he or she has to achieve and to do that they have to struggle. What differentiates people at this stage is how wisely they use this opportunity to their advantage.

When life throws a question at you, then you have two ways to answer it. One is to use your skills that God packaged you with, be it physical, mental or emotional characteristics. fully exploit them because you cant possibly donate them after you die. Or acquire skills which will give you the wisdom to answer these questions correctly. Read, talk, interact, observe, practice and do everything it takes to polish them and emerge out successful. This theory is applicable in the simplest or toughest of situations, to the youngest or the eldest and to the richest or the poorest.

We have choices and then we have opportunities disguised as choices. We have the skill and we have ambition, what runs out is the time. So before you drown looking at someone else, who is maybe taller or a better swimmer than you are, hone your skills and reach the other end safely,because you are bound to be pushed... and unfortunately life does not push you in with a warning or a swimming tube.

Lets challenge the challenge!

Taking up a new challenge is like tasting a new cocktail.. either you would love it and know a new drink..or you wont like it, yet, become a drink wiser :)... take a risk today, before someone else does... who knows you might become an ace bartender one day...

Someone once told me that out of a 100, there are only 5% leaders and 95% workers. What distinguishes them is not the experience or the dedication, but the ability to take risk. In a situation, where both the 'kinds' of people are faced with a challenge to take up, or make a decision, the most likely event would be that the worker would either ignore it as not being a part of his routine, or not be game enough to give it a thought,as it would drag him out of his comfort zone. On the contrary, a leader will jump at such an opportunity as he loves doing things which are out of the square, not regular.. that no one has done, or has done differently and there exists an opportunity to give it a new dimension... and that courage to try the 'unknown' will make him one point more successful, richer and wiser than the worker.

In the span of time, as the leader keeps accumulating these points, he rises so high up in the ladder, that the distance and designation between him and the worker becomes evident and enviable. But what the worker and the onlookers forget, it that this has been created not because the leader kept stepping up the ladder dubiously, but because the worker did not take up any opportunity to fill in this distance and take a step forward.

In life, you stand on this threshold a lot of times, and personally, I consider myself lucky to be in such a situation, where I have to take a decision, involving risk, because that implies that the gain will be more as well, its no different from a game at your favourite casino. Each of us gets this chance to take the plunge.Either we take it, not 'unknowingly' but after careful consideration or crib about it and the upcoming 'change' life is about to bring. I am not implying that the decision will be 'easy' in any way, it would bring along insecurity, loss, impatience,discomfort. and stepping into the 'unknown'.. but what you have to look at it is the long term benefit, the success it will bring. It will get you an accolade of being man enough to try something different in life and the worst that can happen is that you find yourself in the same spot where you started from.But, that will never be the case, because like I said, you will surely be more wiser, stronger, knowledgeable and one point up on the success ladder.

To sum it up, just like a new cocktail, where you don't know how it will taste, yet you know the ingredients individually ,In life, you don't know what will happen tomorrow, yet you know that ingredients like hard work, patience, skill, knowledge and common sense will earn you the brownie points you want... all you need to have is an appetite for 'success'.

Do Wishes Come True?

Do wishes come true? Lets stop for a moment and think about this...

Well, they do! is what I would say and maybe you would too.. Sometimes, God surprises you and gives you everything you want at the blink of any eyelid and people would say.. OMG how lucky are you! Sometimes, God grants you what you want.. but maybe not the way you wanted it.. and sometimes.. he takes his time.. and people still say.. OMG! How lucky are you! oblivious of the million times you must have closed your eyes and prayed to him, of the several evenings.. you must have sat by your windowsill. looking at God's creation outside.. wondering how lucky the people on the other side of the glass are.. and asking yourself the same question I asked you before.. Do wishes come true? .. This seems to be a vicious circle of questions.. but the beauty of it lies in the fact is that you have the answer within them!

As I write.. I wonder too.. When was the last time I wished for something and promised GOD. that this will be the last time I wish for anything.. well, at least this thought brings a smile to your face...if you come to think of it.. If you don't wish.. then the excitement and thrill of life would fade away.. from wishing for a thing as petty as your pimple going away the next morning to meeting the Mr. Right at the prom the next evening.. these wishes are like clues in a Treasure Hunt Game.. You keep wishing, you keep finding clues to fulfil them and the future keeps unfolding.. making your life no less than a magical experience.. and guiding you to that Biggest Treasure..

Talking about biggest treasure.. Have you ever wondered what that treasure is? What is that one thing that you would wish for.. and then stop wishing as you would get it? What is that one thing you want before you end this maze of life? You would surely have more than one answer.. because even if today.. a dying man wishes for his life.. Tomorrow when his wish will be granted he will wish for a better life.. and if someone wishes for death.. tomorrow he will wish for salvation..

As you walk through the game of life.. and keep solving every hurdle.. you collect these treasures.. small ones, big ones, not so significant ones and then walk with them.. with a bright smile.. The truth is.. that when you reach the end of this maze..it will be time to quit the game..you will see this big chest.. the Big Treasure.. and when you will open it.. you will be surprised to find all these small wishes and memories you collected over your journey sitting in there.. your childhood toys, christmas stockings,loving parents, friends, grade ten certificates, prom night pictures, first job letter, marriage pictures, kids, success appreciation letters, holiday souvenirs, grand kids pictures and bank account statements..:) that would be your big treasure.. because at that moment, when you sit down to browse through all of them.. you would answer my question and say! OMG.. thats what Iv always wished for...Wishes surely come true!!!

tRAnSItIOn

Change is the only constant in your life... It is as constant as the snow on the higest mountain peak, negativity in the mind of a pessimist, food in the hand of a binge and faith in the soul of a believer..

Yet.. Transition is something we rarely welcome.. it is one aspect we avoid, refrain from talking about and run away from indulging in.. because transistion brings with itself flexibility, a new outlook, discomfort and a lot of self relalisation.. and none of us would want to abandon our comfort blanket and go all out in the cold..

I have been experiencing transition lately.. in both my personal and professional life.. and the discomfort has brought me here.. because I have been looking for a platform to express it for a while.. but havnt really got the time for it.. So here I am.. In a phase of transition just scribbing a few things down...

Professionally.. Well I Do love My joB..and thats one of the reasons I always have a big smile on my face no matter How hard the day has been and how messy the next one is expected to be.. Panic and Frustration have given me company throughout but never in the propotion of me disliking my work.. So I continue to be hardworking employee.. for whom work takes priority.. over everything else.. and Today, as I come close to completing one whole year in the organisation, I do realise the importance of putting in every iota of the effort, because it has definately made me learn things.. but as things begin to change in an organisation.. with the rule of perpetual succession applies here.. people come and go.. pursuing personal goals and objectives.. Yet.. you remain limited to your own struggle.. although everyone says this.. including one of my collegues who has decided to move on that its the work that matters and not the people.. but for me it will always be the people who affect me as they fall in the ambit of my immediate external environment and control my work routine, perception , how my day begins, how it ends and everything in between.. You surely tel people that you are still as passionate about your work .. but then.. deep down .. you feel the passion dying down.. which bothers me a lot.. because I want to mantain what I have to do.. effectively and efficiently at all times.. Thats supposed to be my golden rule.. which I am deviating from now..

Sigh..

Talking about the personal transition.. yes.. there is some.. although its just the beginning.. and there is a long way to go as I tranform from just a girl lost in her own world.. to being a wife, a daughter in law.. and a family person.. The thought of it sounds bewildering at times, taken the commitment and responisbility it takes,. but then just like every other phase in my life and the justice I have done to it.. it is but imperitive for me to devote myself to this transition as well. A lot of times, have I thought.. of the need to make sacrifices, to cook, take care of family, be responsible.. yes.. the question did pop up .. why? I dont know all this.. But then.. now.. as I draw closer to reality, I ask myself! would I want to just let this phase go and not do what is asked for me just because I have never done it before? and I get a promot reply! No ways.. it is important for my to excel in this test as well, because it not just reflects on the person I am but also what my upbringing has been.. Bringing in values to the family, keeping in well knit with all the love and care and bring a smile on everyones face with the love and warmth would be a few exmples I have promised myself I will live By..

Yes, transition is difficult.. It is tough to leave behind 24 years of your life for something you have never experienced.. but taking risks and gambling is always fun as it brings spice to your life.. and you will never regret not doing something!!! So I close my eyes.. take a deep breath and tell myelf.. Go Shrink Go!! its going to be a journey of a lifetime!

Let Me Hold your Hand

Let me hold your hand as we go downhill,
We’ve shared our strength and we share it still.
It hasn’t been easy to make the climb,
But the way was eased by your hand in mine.
Like the lake, our life has had ripples too,
Ill-health, and worries, and payments due,
With happy pauses along the way.
At the foot of the slope, we will stop and rest,
Look back, if you wish; we’ve been truly blessed,
We’ve been spared the grief of being torn apart
By death, or divorce, or a broken heart.
The view ahead is one of the best,
Just a little bit farther, and then we can rest.
We move more slowly, but together still,
Let me hold your hand as
We go
downhill.....................

:) this was the first piece of writing that inspired me.. to pen down something interesting.. and today as i write my old verses.. its only fair that i make a mention of this beautifully written poem.. Quite true to what I feel:)

There is Something New!

Its not too often that I am in a mood like this.. a bit contemplative and somewhat reactive.. very calm, yet terpid with the introspection within.. Its like one of those expensive cocktails on the menu that sounds like a fancy concoction of various spirits and flavours.. but is just a plan mix of some aspirations, happiness, deception and loads of hope for sure.. to have a better 'next moment' thats because we think short time a lot of times!

Well, why I am here is a diffrent reason though.. i SUDDENLY remembered my long lost blog.. who used to be my friend at times.. with whom i used to talk with and spill out secrets to my hearts content! but just like any other selfish individual I forgot about it as my life picked up pace and started to tread a new path! But here I am.. resting for a while.. as I have been walking too fast for the past few months! Stopped to think, to absorb ..to smile... and then maybe take the next step.. :)

So.. well, Iv noticed that iv started using this word too much (so).. thanks to a person who has taught me a lot . its funny how you learn so much from everyone around you without even realising the worth of the lesson! Sometimes you are grateful for it when you get rewarded for the consequence of the implementation , yet sometimes you are disgusted by the unwanted learning! for me it has been positive so far.. and I am HAPPY.. I state that in Capitals because that is the most important thing at the end of the day.. no matter how gruesome, tough, easy, bewildering or smooth your journey has been, what you remember is the feeling you had when you took the last step.. Its not the last step for me though. So ya ( look the 'so' comes again!)

I was elaborating on what I have learnt from this person. One.. you realise your true commitment, like we say.. till you push the limits you never know how far can you go.. similarly.. sometimes.. you do not realise how giving and caring.. how emotional. There is not much I can explain on this,, but then.. all I would want to say is.. have you ever closed your eyes and seen an unending ocean, with a beautiful vibgyor arising from the horizon! If not.. then you are just short of pushing the 'limit' try once again.. :)

One instant can change your life.. sometimes when you dont want to do something as badly as a kid not wanting to sit for his mathematics paper, or going to the dentist the next morning and innocently praying to God for him to fall sick .. yet its that very thing which brings sureal happiness to your life,, and you think and then think again as to how close were you to losing this smile on your face and losing this dream of the vast blue expanse! and then you sit back and smile again.. being happy on the decision you took!
Back to where I was.. What has this 'new' person taught me? besides giving me a little more motivation, some magical moments, loads of memories and a handful of tears! he has given me the ability to 'push the limit' and see myself in a different light.. a new confident and more secure person.. but then i wonder! was I that weak and that i needed sumone to come and show me who I really am! Lets not go there.. lets just settle for the simple reason that just like every diamond needs to be carefully chisled to make it a masterpiece ;P.. i needed this new 'entry' and encouragement!:D to bring out my true self!
When life changes, it wipes out your past, cleans your expectations for the future.. It just takes you, holding you strongly by the hand and helps you walk confidently along the new road he has carved out for you ... it gives you opportunites, guides you patiently and at the same time tests you religiously! so.. we just need to believe in what we have and what we want from our present and future.. We need to realise that at times, the countless names written on wet sand, and the innocent dreams drawn on the beach are not going to stay there always, there is surely a wave which will come along the way and wipe away everything .. but at the same time.. it will also sweep you off your feet and take you to the middle of the ocean.. bring you closer to the dream you saw when you closed your eyes and let you loose yourself in the beauty of the seamless water.. because.. like a strong perfect relationship.. this water.. is flexible and adapts itslef according to the container you put it in.. it makes you calm, peaceful and forever beautiful.. It makes you the person you really are:).. it makes you fall in love with yourself again. and more than anything else it makes you do what you love doing...It makes you smile :)

Of Friendship

So how do two strangers become friends? Is it the frequency of their interactions.. or the common links which are woven? Is it the possibity of a beautiful tomorrow.. or the content of a happy today.. whatever it is.. its more vital on how we shape it.. because a new friendship is like fresh clay ..what defines its destiny is the way we mould it today..

Like it is said.. in most of the melodramatic Hindi movies. sometimes it takes ages to get to know a person.. and sometimes. it takes a couple of converstations to make them your best friend. It is important to cherish and nurture this friendship.. so that it grows into a stronger bond.. which is linked.. without an open end..

It is not important that two people interpret a thing in the same way, or like the same cuisine.. or enjoy the same genre of music.. or watch the same movies.. whats important is that.. you cook with a lot of affection, .. dance to the most boring song together and enjoy a bucket of popcorns watchingthe lousiest of flicks.. its the way you want it to be.. thats how it will turn out..

Its not a problem if we have built castles in the air..because now its time to put a strong foundation under it.. a lot of hope, apprehension, anxiety and dreams come with every begining, but if you support this with a strong cemented ground.. the tallest of skyskapers will stand with a promise of a hundred years.

Life moves on.. you encounter a different situation every day.. but what matters and keeps you going is the hand that holds you through your journey.. the step that steps on your footprints and walks you through verdant and barren lands... someone who brings a smile to your face even when you are in the most crucial situation or who just listens to what you have to say even if it makes no sense.. maybe its about giving in unconditional love and commitment to a friendship which makes it beautiful.. because we are not perfect people.. what matters is just what it takes to make a perfect realtionship..:)

Do you have the power to Imagine?

How wild can your imagination get? I am sure this statement would have a different interpretation for every individual.. and that’s just what I want to elaborate.. our imagination can soar to a totally different tangent just by a thought or a mere mention of an unquestioned question.Thus, its potential remains unexplored most of the times.. and that is where we thwart our creativity.. who says only a few people have the power to give ideas or create magic.. I believe each of us has a thought process and perspective which if directed towards the correct destination.. will surely weave magic.. so lets all give it a shot!
This evening was quite interesting, with a series of events lined up for me.. it all started with an anti mosquitoes fumigation drive.. now.. that’s indeed a reason to be out of office before time.. A company named.. ‘All Out’ conducted this ritual in order to kill all possible traces of mosquitoes from our office.. Now that’s where imagination comes in! All Out… were they really referring to mosquitoes when they named the product? Maybe not!
Well, the so called eventful evening progressed to stage two.. My friends brother, who is a popular pop artist had his paintings lined up for an exhibition .. So I thought I might as well go and have a look and take a sneak peak into people’s psyche… This demonstrates my level of interference and concern for people J.. Well.. the exhibition was ‘creative’.. if I had to sum it up in a word.. but that is when I realized the potential of creativity and how differently each of us think… Each painting had a story to tell.. and as I looked at them intently and tried to interpret the varied depictions in the delicately blended strokes my eyes rested upon the label.. ‘ A work of art.. by mausimi Chatterjee.. Rs 1,00,000’ and that was something which struck me.. does every idea.. every artist and every piece of art come with a price tag? Who defined the worth of imagination? And who gave people the right to transfer ownership of an invention? Was it the sheer will to get some fame ? or the necessity of an artist.. or just a way of making a living.. maybe one of these.. but then.. none of these colour pallets.. or the canvas knew .. how expensive they had become with a dash of imagination thrown on them.. it was indeed mesmerizing to see.. hues of orange, black and green mix together like they originated from the same womb of an innocent mother.. it rather gave me a sense of recognition.. of belonging to a race which had the ability to create such delight.. I think..we all deserve a chance.. to let our imagination go wild.. so that we can also discover the artist within us.. and maybe that would make us a more complete individual.. who has the power to make another individual think.. or maybe just smile at the beauty of our creation.

What shape is our life?

Whats the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word 'shape'? its not a square, or a rectangle, its something which is fuller, easier and more acceptable. Its a 'Circle'. I say acceptable, because..by the law of nature ,a circle appears far more than a triangle or a hexagon for that matter. A circle is what almost everything derives its shape from, your eyes, your finger tips, your elbows.. or for that matter your heart.. and its stories as well.. which ranges from the ambitiously circular sun to the mysteriously circular moon.
But, from where this thought orginates is a pattern, which I have observed over a period of time.. a pattern, which roars up to a mighty curve, and drops down, like a blotch of dense paint over a dusty wall...where the downfall is predictable, evident.. yet upsetting and unwanted. But then again, every one knows that life comes a full circle.. if it starts up to go on .. to the mighty peak..it will have to come down.. not because it is the end of the road.. or the last paragraph of a highly engrossing novel.. but because.. it has to go back again and aim for the peak.. start again with a relevant motive and achieve a higher note.. with a higher aspiration.. Just like we want a higher bar graph line, in the next over when our country is playing against a deadly opponent in a cricket match.'
When..I started writing the post, my thought was much different from what it has turned out to be now.. I thought of putting the simple point across that when we approach a dark tunnel.. its not because we are walking towards the interior of the earth.. with a heavy baggage on our shoulder. which has nothing concrete to support our survival.. or where there is no light.. but we are just walking past a dark night which will eventually witness a bright sunrise..
SO stepping back may not always be a solution.. walking on towards a prettier coast is a better option... :) what say?

Time to reinvent myself! yet again!

Life is ironical, so it is... even when you drown in the deepest of oceans, you eventually run out of the life within you.. but you rise.. you come up to the bosom of the warm water and then stay there.. So, what should I say? I drowned so that i could embrace the darkest of my fear of losing myself? Or I drowned because its not always easy to rise.. That question will bother me for sometime now.. What is more significant.. is to understand, why is this thought coming to my mind any ways? when I am sitting on my desk in office.. with a series of pending presentations waiting to be completed and a handfull of calls to be made? Wel, maybe because this feeling is taking over mypower of functioning.

Its not always like you think it is.. its not always a bouquet of praises you get and it is surely not easy to prove yourself.. at times.. all the time.. it is intersesting to know.. that at every phase in life.. you have to relive.. recreate and reinvent yourself.. to your teachers in school.. your friends in college.. your family at home and your seniors at work.. you start from scratch.. collecting the various attributes of your personality and packaging it to become the perfect resource for your organisation.. but its easier said than done.. its not a smile or a mail that does the trick ... it is what you produce..so finally you want that you are not left to being just an ID on the payroll against whoes name a figure in marked everyday.. and that is what determines your career.! but then.. that is how it is .. for everyone.... and so it was a slight jolt! but now that I know.. I try to make myself as productive as possible.. no ways do I want to become a liability Iv grown up.. worked hard to be what I am.. so I might as well retain it well!

Reality Chek!

Like Aircel says, 'Its time to move on!' I do muster up courage and get ready to move on.. but everytime there are layers of emotions which envelope me. Starting from the thrill of taking up a new challenge to the apprehension of getting out of my comfort zone. From being a student.. to being an employee now, its a major transformation. Not just in my life pattern, Bank account but my way of life. The resposiblity factor drives my days now and the numbers hijack my sleep! The passion keeps me going.. but the initial hiccups give me a realtity check at times.. Its not as easy as I thought! But yea.. I give myslef the dose again.. Its time to pull up your socks.. your in the big bad world.. and there is no saviour here.. but U yourself!

and look Im talking brands now!:D

A few last things!

The Nostalgia has been in the air for a while now.. Like everyone else, I have been noting the last few things that we will be doing together, Like the last day in class, the last presentation, the last time we all take a lesson and maybe the last time we all come together as the batch of 2009.
But, today, when one of my batchmates came and hugged me saying ,that 'this is probably the last time I am seeing you', the thought hit me harder! It is all indeed drawing to a close. There is a hollow feeling growing by the day as you bid adieu to people you have shared your life with, for the past two years.
I dread the day I will leave. The thought of seeing an empty cupboard, packed suitcases and a 'clean' room fills up my throat. Maybe I will never come back to this city, where I have spent some memorable moments. I am just trying to recollect them all and take them back with me.
Maybe I will never see some of these people again, as each of them embarks on a solitary journey where the thought of a random classmate will not live very long. I will never walk in these corridoors again with the same authority that I do today, never take walks in the campus at 2 am and maybe I will never get back this madness. But then, life usually does not give you so many choices. At times, you just have to hug all these memories and take them with you to the next destination...
Just wish to say a good bye and good luck to all the people I came across in these 2 wonderful years! Thank you everyone..Its indeed been a pleasure sharing some of the best moments of my life with you..
Cheers!

A step or two

You think and then think again. When the world stops for a second and you are pulled back into time, like a tornado of emotions gripping you by the arm, clutching your reluctant elbow and taking you back .. down memory lane.. where you giggle past every laughter like the butterfly that smiles over the sunflowers,wipe over every tear drop like the flowing trousseau of a bride walking down the aisle, eve drop at every secret we kept in the hollow nights and forbidden days and silently walk past every moment of nothingness.
I am being swept away with this tornado. Its taking me back to the past two years of my life. As I am stepping past something which I thought would be journey that would never end.. A quest for something I would never acheive or a battle against an opponent that never existed, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. I maynot detail out what it means to me.. but there has surely been a transformation. The 104 weeks have competently changed a naive.. protected girl into a somewhat mature individual, who is set to get what she wants in life.
The past 24 months have not just given me a direction, relationships, hope, a heartbreak, sensibility, maturity ,745 photograps but countless precious memories. From the sleepy mornings, to the hungry afternoons and drunk nights.. the days have been eventful.
I can look back and close my eyes as they well up with a tear or two.. but I do know,that I need to take a few more steps ..into another lane.. silent and undiscovered.

I am a Dreamer!

I am a dreamer,
I dream all the way;
Be it the murkiest of night, or the brightest of day.
I dream like the birds, who wish to fly past the horizon,
I dream like the waves , who die against the tall dam,
I dream like the poor kid, who stands by the bakers shop.
Longing for the pie, over the oven top.
I dream, of the rainbow, I dream of the star,
I dream of everything close and all yet so far.

The winds change every hour and compel me to change my course,
The water over pours and tries to wash away the hope,
Yet, I stand so firm,
Living with a smile as strong,
With countless wishes, still unfulfilled
And a few more desires, to add to the bill.
All this ,makes up my little world,
Of sprints and tumbles ,both to stay,
Yes, I am a dreamer,
I dream all the way,
Be it the murkiest of night, or the brightest of day..

'TEMP'

Its like my name, I write on the sun kissed sand,
It’s the footprints which drown under the warm gush of water,
Its like the thousand ripples which make way from the same point, struggling to overtake each other,
Its like candy floss, melting in your mouth,
Its like the dark clouds, hiding the bright sunlight,
It’s the perfume, your love wears,
It’s like the first dew drop, on the sleepy petal,
Its like everything which is there now, but will not stay that way forever.
It’s the one thing we deny, the one thing we close our eyes to..
It’s the one thought that sometimes shakes up our soul..
It’s the one word which spells truth..
We call it‘ temporary’

Unexpectations!!!

Never Expect! This is one thing that every mother, every mentor, every lover, every guardian preaches their loved ones.. It is something that would be the ultimate ' enlightenment' for a tame soul. But when one gives it a deep thought, it is something which is the hardest to achieve, it is another name to attaining salvation. Why I say so is quite obvious, its something you get when uleave behind a lot of your materialistic persuits, when you become content.

SOmetimes, it is best to be neutral about things. They say, Be Positive all the time, but no matter how hard you try, its circumstantially and humanly impossible to do so. You are demoralised at so many instances , feel low, and at that time some one saying .. Oh! Come on! Be Positive! is surely not a welcome suggestion! So eventually , you realise that it is best to be neutral about a lot of things in life, do not have a vision of the outcome or try and fathom the happiness or despair it would bring eventually. This would make you more complacent and patient about things and sometimes, the happiness you get when you achieve that one most 'unexpected' thing would know no bounds! and that would be the concept of ' unexpectation' .. I like the word iv coined:)

Overcoming Obstacles

Don’t be a coward, fearful and weak
Be the last one to quit, and the first one to speak
Don’t hide your face from the light of day
Be courageous in life and stay that way
No need to run from your trails, troubles and problems
Have confidence in your step as you reflect how to solve them
Yet, if you happen to fall, don’t lie there and die
Getup without a thought, and hold your head up high
Be wise, courageous, bold and brave And life will be worth living, from your birth to your grave

A Thousand miles

With a thousand dreams in my eyes,
And motivation worth a diamond,
I set out in the open skies,
To change the world from my end,
But as I drew nearer to the cause,
My hopes came crashing down,
These tiny souls, I wanted to relieve
Had forgotten to tilt their frown.

Learning ABC was a distant thought,
They had left behind their will to live,
Their sun rises by the lonely pathway,
Forcing itself into a humiliating day,
It halts to relish a slice of rotten bread,
And folds into a dark evening,
It silently curls up every night, into a sombre prayer,
And dries off stealthily, with silent salty tears…

I wish I could change it all,
But all I could do was try, to help them own a life again,
And be an innocent child,
But all I could do, was learn a lesson myself,
Profound, agonising yet true,
That life is not always as beautiful…
Time is plenty, but moments are very few.

To Mumbai, With Love

I can see,
The countless lights beaming into the darkness,
I can hear,
The waters lashing on the rocky boundaries,
I can feel the winds blowing past the tresses of the charming dame,
And I observe..

I wonder,
Do the buildings not want to break out of the monotony of standing by the sea side forever?
Does the water not want to break free, when it’s been trapped forever?
Every thing here is so still and similar,
What lends dynamism to the place is the people.
People who visit the end of this city of dreams every day,
Those who sit by the muddy water, yet cherish it all the way,
Their lives are different, each ones its own..
Yet they come together at different times on the same stone.

I see so many introspective faces, gazing into nothingness..
Yet each of them has a different feeling, a loss, love or just fulfilment.
This place has shades, varied in every second of the hour.

I can sit here for a life time,
Just dreaming of life and its hues,
But ironically the city does not allow you..
The time to be the person you love. The person dats you!


I wrote dis poem cum article when I was sitting at Nariman Point , Mumbai..