Life, Among Other Things

BYBS: Seek Not, And You Shall Find

2009-09-13T08:25:00.004+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

It is, sometimes, hard to come up with ideas to write about. It is not that the mind runs out of ideas; the ideas just decide that they want to play hide and seek. As soon as you try to grab one of the them, it slips away into a dark corner. You don't mind because you are sure there are other ideas in there, but as soon as you turn around to hold on to any one of them, you find them all slipping and sliding away into the nooks and crannies of your brain.

You are left with an emptiness, which gets deeper with every attempt that you make to fill it.

What do you do now?

Well, I don't know about you. But, off late, I have developed a strategy. I have stopped trying to look for them. If they choose to hide, in stead of going after them, I let them be. Ideas, then, are not unlike mischievous children. When you scold them, or try to stop them from doing something, they will run all over the room. They will hide behind a sofa, or in an inaccessible corner of the room. They have fun teasing and taunting you. But the moment you start ignoring them, and begin doing your own work - pretending they don't even exist - the fun goes out of hiding. The children, now, will come to you, without you having to lift a finger.

Ideas, I feel, are similar. Don't try too hard, and your brain will be overflowing with them.

A good example of the above theory is today's post. As I began to write this post, I had no idea of what I was going to write. I searched my brain, and found nothing there save for an irritating emptiness. So, I just sat back and, without actually trying too hard, wrote this post. As for how good it is, I will let you be the judge.

However, to thank you for your patience with reading this post, I am going to leave you with this video, which, I guarantee, will make you smile:

BYBS : A Great Teacher

2009-09-06T06:47:00.007+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

In India, September 5 is celebrated as Teacher's day to mark the birthday of the second President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Thankfully, its not a holiday - we already have too many of them to want any more - but on this day the regular schedule of the educational institutes is replaced by celebrations and special events.

One of the things that used to happen at our school was that the students of the senior-most class volunteered to teach the junior classes, while the teachers looked on. The time-table for the day was not changed, only the students replaced the teachers. When it was the turn of our class to teach, we were very excited and nervous. I chose to teach the subject that I had always liked - English.

I really don't remember what happened that day, but I do remember that I used to like my English teacher, and the way she taught us. So, I am sure, I must have tried to copy her style while taking the class. I had a great time, and I thought, then, that when I grow up I am going to be a teacher.

Though I never became a teacher, I still wonder that if I had become one, would I be as good as some of the teachers, who have taught me over the years, have been. Teachers have great power over their students, and they can lead the students to give their best. If you are able to find one such teacher, you can count yourself lucky.

Here is an example of what a great teacher can to his students:

BYBS: Those Who Took a Stand!

2009-08-30T12:24:00.002+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

All of us, at some point of time or another, have been discriminated against by others or, like it or not, have held a prejudiced opinion about other people based on caste, colour, sex, creed, money etc. Often, these biases get so well ingrained in a person that they become like second nature.

Today, in spite of what the dooms day prophets might say, the world is a much better place than it was fifty years ago. Most countries of the world now have democratic systems which allow the principle of equality to thrive. These systems allow people to raise their voices if they perceive injustice being meted out to anyone.

It is, however, a fact - and a sad one - that a majority of us will still choose to ignore an act of discrimination, sometimes even when we ourselves are at the receiving end. We simply hope that in time this will go away too.

But, it won’t…unless someone acts.

We simply cannot imagine today what persecution people who stood up against any discrimination suffered, when society thought of the discrimination as the most natural thing. For example, when caste system was socially accepted in the Indian society, it would be suicide for any one from any caste to try and fight against the system. Similarly, I think, in the US when the discrimination based on colour was widely accepted, anyone- regardless of his colour- who raised his voice against the system, would be ruthlessly crushed.

Yet, people stood up for what they thought was right. These people did not care for what the society – their friends, relatives, peers – thought of them and their ideas. They knew that their cause was just and they were prepared to go to any length to fight for the cause. We remember many of these men and women as our heroes today, but many, I am sure, must have perished without anyone knowing of their sacrifice.

With today’s post I would like to thank everyone who has stood up for what is right, without worrying about what the others said. It is because of these people that we live in a world that has more respect for life, ideals, and values. I hope that more of us have the courage to stand up against anything wrong so that we can gift an even better world to our children.

Wishing you all a great week ahead!

BYBS : Weather!

2009-08-24T08:04:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

Somethings are all around us, and yet we miss them. In fact, the reason we miss them is that they have always been there and we can't imagine a life without them.

One such thing is the weather.

Shimla, the town where I live at, has always had great weather. Its climate, I am sure, was one of the reasons that the British chose it for their Summer Capital of India. Living here for most of my life, I never stopped to appreciate the good weather we have almost all year around. For, the last one year, however, I lived at Delhi, and suffered the extreme temperatures there.

So, naturally, coming back this year I was more appreciative of the weather. For the last four days, especially, the weather has been simply out of the world. Clear blue skies, sunlight bathing the world with it's golden rays, a chill in the air...you get the picture. The picture seems perfect, but there is something wrong with it, something dreadfully wrong.

This is not the time for the weather to be like this.

The climate changes and global warming have silently taken charge of our environment over all these years. For a long time we, being so short sighted, failed to observe what we were doing to our environment. Now, Mother Nature seems to have decided that enough is enough, and we need to be given a warning in a more palpable form. The signs are now there for all of us to see. I am sure you must have also observed the change in weather wherever you live. Haven't you?

I think it is time for each one of us, as individuals, to take actions to save our planet. Not only for our children, but for ourselves too, because at the rate we are going it won't take long before things get really bad.

Let's all join hands, and make the change that we hope to see in the world!

BYBS : Smile

2009-08-16T09:05:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

I read something interesting the other day, and I have been trying to implement it in my life ever since to test it for authenticity.

What I was reading was a book on destructive emotions, and how to deal with them. By choice, or not, all of us are affected by destructive emotions - like anger, craving, and delusion - at some point of time or another. More often than not we also regret our decisions made under the influence of any one of these destructive emotions. The answer lies in waiting before acting; we have been gifted with enough powers to ensure that we make the right choices, but for some reason we choose to act in haste, and repent in leisure.

The chapter that caught my attention, however, talked about how we feel any emotion only after the chemical reaction for it has been initiated in the brain, mostly involuntarily. We never realise what emotion we are feeling, until it has already begun. Then, the book went on to take the example of a smile.

When we sense something pleasant, we smile. That's a natural involuntary reaction. Most of the times we smile without actually making an effort to do so. This much is common knowledge. The chapter, further, went on to say that the reverse is also possible i.e. if we fake a smile, it can cause a chemical reaction in our brain that is the same as when there is something good happening around us. In short, even if we fake a smile, we will feel like smiling in a few minutes.

I thought, isn't that a good way to feel better when we are felling...not so good. Have you ever felt something like this happen to you? If not, try it, and you just might agree with what that book said. I know I do.

BYBS: Formalities

2009-08-09T10:37:00.004+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

Last week, we celebrated Raksha Bandhan, popularly known as Rakhi, in India. It is a festival that celebrates the strong ties between brothers and sisters.

Usually, it is a day where people visit their families, spend time together, eat dinner, etc. I am sure you get the picture, because this is what people do all over the world on major holidays.

We had gone to my maternal uncle's place, where a few other friends and relatives had gathered for dinner. During the course of conversation One of the guests made a remark. She said, "These days everything has become a mere formality. Relations, festivals, ties, everything. We do them because we have got used to doing them, and they must be done. They actually don't mean anything."

As you can imagine, this line of thought made everyone a little uncomfortable, and no one wanted to continue this discussion over the dinner table. However, I found it hard - and I am sure there must have been others like me - to push the thought out of my head.

Was what we did on all major festivals a mere formality without any meaning whatsoever? If one person felt that way, I am sure there must be others who feel the same way. And what if it is a mere formality? Should such practices be abandoned entirely?

These questions bothered me for a while, but, then, I think I found an answer.

Whether such occasions become a formality, or not, depends, to a great extent, on the state of mind we are in. If we are happy we look forward to such occasions where we can share our happiness with others. At such times, the question of these days being a mere formality doesn't even arise in our minds. If, however, we are under a cloud, we tend to think that these occasions don't mean a thing and we just have to suffer them as something that must be done. But, even under such circumstances, without our realising, being with friends and relatives helps lift our spirits to a great extent.

So, formality or not, these days that come in our lives at regular intervals are a great blessing and, like most blessings, we tend to underrate them, what say you?

BYBS : Friendship Day!

2009-08-02T21:51:00.005+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

Anyone who knows me, or reads this blog, knows that I am not a big fan of the trend of naming days after relationships. I believe that every day should be a day when we nurture our relationships, and remember our friend and relatives. My first reaction, therefore, on receiving the various friendship day messages and emails in the morning was one of irritation, and annoyance.

As the day progressed, I received some messages from friends who, I must admit, I had all but forgotten about. I couldn't help but wonder: How did that happen?

Sometimes, we think we believe in something, when we actually don't. We convince ourselves that we believe in it, and we have ourselves completely fooled. While going about the funny business of living our lives, we hardly get a chance to put ourselves, and our theories, to the test. Maybe a part of us doesn't want to take these tests, in case we fail. But, every once in a while, life will provide us with an opportunity to test our theories and, sometimes, the result may surprise us.

This happened to me today. I thought I was paying enough attention to all the friends in my life, but now I think I don't. In fact, I now think that our lives today have become so fast paced, that it is simply not possible to pay attention to all the aspects of our lives. We need to get our priorities straight, and try to do the best we can in the time that is given to us. The "best we can" is a relative phrase, and once again it provides us with an excuse. Wen we fail. we quickly say, " I tried to do the best I can, and yet..."

You can, perhaps, fool the whole world with that, but you can never fool yourself. When you haven't given it your best, you know it. Whatever you might tell others, you know you could have done more. However, I digress. We were talking about friendship day.

Whatever the reasons for the origin of this day might be, I am glad that today is friendship day. It made me think about all the friends in my life - from my early days to today. I am thankful to all of you for having helped me through all these years. I am sure I would not be what I am today, if it was not for you guys.

Wishing everyone a very happy friendship day.

I am posting a couple of videos from Bollywood movies that celebrate the spirit of friendship. Also, these are songs that I have always liked (especially the sad version of Yeh Dosti).

This is the sad version of the same song:

BYBS: The Darkest Hour

2009-07-28T17:22:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

Like a plant that starts up in showers and sunshine and does not know which has best helped it to grow, it is difficult to say whether the hard things or the pleasant things did me the most good. ~ Lucy Larcom

I am posting this on a Tuesday, but since this post has to do with a blessing – although in a roundabout way – I am posting this under the BYB Sunday category.

Last week was another busy week for me during which I spent time with my parents, and a few family friends. We had something going on at home, and it took up most of the week. The week ended very well. But then, on Sunday, something happened that shouldn’t have happened, and was not expected to happen.

I can’t write in detail about the incident here, but it would be sufficient to say that the incident came like a dark cloud on the horizon of life.

For a while, I was sad and devastated. But, for some reason, I can’t stay in a sad state for a long time. I think it is only natural. No one can stay in one state of mind for any length of time. If you are happy today, you will be in a different mood tomorrow. If you are sad today, that will change too.

However, there is a huge difference between being happy and being sad. In a happy mood, it is easy to live in the present, and it is easy not to worry about the past, or the future.In a sad mood, one can’t live in the present, and one is forced to think of all the bad things that have happened in the past. Also, one looks toward the future with little hope of things getting any better. At the darkest hour, it seems that life is not worth living. Whatever direction we may look in, all we are able to see is despair.

However, even the darkest hour has to yield to light. Eventually, sadness has to take a backseat. And it doesn't take a lot to make that happen. All it takes is one happy thought; one happy memory.

The one thought makes us realize that things were not always bad. Since, they were not always bad, they will not always stay bad either. We consciously begin to think of why we are in a position that we are in at the moment, and what can be done to get out of that situation. We realize our mistakes and decide that we are not going to repeat them. We make a promise to ourselves to ensure that things improve. We know that they will because we will make sure that they do.

It is at this moment then that the dawn breaks.

BYBS : The Others

2009-07-19T22:49:00.004+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves. It is all about me, myself and I. The questions we ask ourselves are: How could I do this, how could I achieve that? What makes me happy? What would make me happy? In a lecture, I once attended, the speaker said something about intrinsic motivation being more important than the extrinsic one. Even a lot of inspirational books tell us that we are the most important thing in our lives. Everywhere around us we find cues that make us believe that our world revolves around us, or, at least, it should.

I am no one to disagree. It is an undeniable fact that we have to pay utmost attention to ourselves. So many people, and so many books, can not be wrong, can they?

But, for a moment, think of a world where the only living person is you. You pay all the attention to yourself that you deserve. You do all the things that you have ever wanted to do. You become all that you have ever wanted to be. But, will that leave you satisfied? Happy, perhaps?

If I was to hazard a guess, I would say it will not.

Like it or not, our happiness is inextricably linked with the happiness of others. Be it in material terms, or spiritual ones, we need others to share our achievements, our victories, our failures, our losses with. There are times when we need others to guide us, and there are times when we need to guide others. There are times when we need to take from others, and there are times when we need to give to others. During such times if we don't have the others, we feel incomplete, and our lives cease to have a lot of meaning.

So, when others are such an important part of our lives, why do we ignore them? Because somewhere we begin to believe that if we succeed, the others will have no option but to like us. We believe that our achievements will guarantee that the others will be there when we need them - for giving or taking, as that case may be. But, it does not always happen that way.

I don't mean to undermine the importance of focusing on self in any way. To be a member of a strong society, every member needs to be strong. But, with this post, I intend to make you focus on that other, who may be needing you today - when you don't need him - so that the other can be there for someone else, or even you, when the time comes.

BYBS : Food on the Plate

2009-07-12T22:22:00.005+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

One thing I have never been any good at is cooking. Trust me, I have tried, and more than once.

The first time was when I was quite young. My parents were out of town, and I thought it would be a good idea to cook something at home instead of going out to eat. So, out came the utensils, and the cutlery, and the vegetables. I had seen people cook before, and it never seemed like a big deal. But, as they say, the devil is in the details. The tomatoes were too soft to cut with a knife. The onions brought tears to the eyes. The garlic was all but forgotten. And there were so many kinds of spices in the box, that I was not sure what to use. Eventually, I put in a little bit of each.

At the end, what was cooked looked delicious. I invited my younger brother to eat, and with great love and care I filled our plates. The food looked good, and I felt sure that he was going to love it. I waited for him to take the first morsel in, and prepared myself for a pat on the back. But, to my dismay, his face turned green and he all but threw up. I tasted the food, and I realised what the phrase "looks can deceive" meant. The food, that looked so good, tasted bad, very bad. Too little salt, too many spices. However, to a mother, no baby is ugly. Morsel after morsel, I swallowed the food, with a smile on my face. I went to the extent of telling my brother, "What's the matter with you. This is delicious."

Seeing me eating the food with such poise and grace, he ventured to taste it again. The result was the same for him. He thought I had gone crazy.

After that, I did not attempt to cook for a really long time. But, when I tried again, the results were the same. Each time I got a little better, but never good enough to cook a whole meal by myself.

So, today, when I found myself alone and hungry, I thought to myself : what now?

Lucky for me, in the kitchen, I found the two minute Maggi noodles, and bread to go with it. Not a wholesome meal, but a meal nonetheless.

I know that canned food, and ready to eat foods are not the best kind of foods. But for some, like me, they can be a real blessing.

To Err Is Human...

2009-07-10T07:52:00.004+05:30

I am not perfect. Far from it, I have more failings than your average guy. Yet - and I have said this in many of my earlier posts - I hope to get rid of these failings someday,and get as close to being perfect as I can. I think being perfect is achievable, and everyone should aim for it.

The biggest obstacle in achieving this comes from the society itself. The society wants us to be good, but when anyone starts becoming good, the society begins to get threatened by that person, and thus they begin to thwart his or her attempts in getting better. And when faced with the opposition of the society itself, most of us give up our attempts to become unique, and fall in line with what is generally accepted.

To take an example, let us consider the oft-quoted, and widely accepted, idiom: "To err is human, to forgive divine". I am sure all of us have used this phrase at one time or another.

I completely agree with the statement. But, I also think that this statement has a hidden meaning too, which stops us from improving ourselves.

When we make a mistake, we usually realise it. When we realise it, we get angry with ourselves for making the mistake. We are not happy that we made the mistake, and perhaps we would have been determined not to make that mistake ever again, but then we think, "To err is human...", and that is the end of all our troubles. For, aren't we human? If we are then making the mistake was just a normal thing, that was bound to happen. Wasn't it?

Similarly, we all know that forgiving someone is one of the hardest thing to do. I have still not forgiven a guy who I had a fight with in school, almost fifteen years ago. I am sure all of us have someone that we have not, or cannot, forgive. I am sure we try, but then we think,"To forgive is divine...". And who are we to try and claim to be divine.

What I have said above is merely an example of how the society has come to accept, and propagate, mediocrity. Instead of helping us trying to become the best we can, it makes us believe that we are good as we are, with all our weaknesses and faults. Now, I am not saying that there is an ideal, or a perfect being, that we all should try to follow or become like. All I am saying that we should be comfortable with ourselves, and our faults, but we should not get too comfortable and we should constantly strive to improve ourselves. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

What do you think?

BYBS :Coming Home

2009-07-05T08:38:00.005+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

"If you come home as happy as you leave, you have had a good vacation."

The above quote seems quite apt. Most of the time, when our vacation ends we are so weary that we are happy simply to have come back home. When we embark on any new adventure, our spirits are high and we just want to leave our homes behind. Our home is the last place we want to be at such times.

But, somewhere along the journey, we begin to miss home. There are so many memories - sweet and bitter - associated with our home, that we begin to crave for another chance to be back there. Sometimes, it is easy to come back home. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, it is not possible to do so. But, in either case, the knowledge that somewhere there is a home, that we can return to if everything goes wrong, fills us with hope and courage.

In the Lord of The Rings, Frodo and Sam thought about their homes back in the Shire whenever they felt their mission was doomed. This thought filled them with hope and lifted their spirits. This thought also gave them courage, as it made them want to fight till their end to save the Shire.

In our lives too, having a home to come back to makes life so much more easier. We can go about living our lives, taking risks, doing new things, knowing fully well that if all else fails us we have a home to come back to.

BYBS: Looking

2009-06-14T15:16:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.

-J.R.R.Tolkien

Almost an year ago I took a chance - I took a break from my job, left the life I had been living for the past five years behind me, and joined a one year management course. I was definitely looking for something. Now, an year later, I am still looking, but the time left for looking has come to an end. In a few more days, the course will be over and I, in all likelihood, will be heading back to my old life.

So, was this a wastage of time?

This is a question I often ask myself. Would I have been better off if I had chosen not to look, and continued with my old life. When I discuss this question with my friends, I find that both sides have their supporters. Some of my friends feel that coming here was a mistake, while others feel that it was worth the time and trouble that it cost. One big factor for the disappointment is the current economic downturn that the world is facing. The recession has made it difficult for most people to find a job of their liking. So, most of us have to either go back to our old jobs, or take up a job that is less satisfying than the last job.

For me that is not a big factor. However, even I can't say that I found what I was looking for.

Yet, I am not disappointed. The reason is simple: While I was looking for the thing that I was trying to find - but couldn't find - I found many other things; things that I did not know I needed.

Today, as I was thinking of what to write, I chanced upon the above quote, and I thought how appropriate it was. Looking will always help you find something. Even if we take the quote in the most literal sense, I am sure all of us have examples of finding that long lost thing, when we were looking for those misplaced car keys. Have we not?

Looking, thus, is a great blessing. Let us hope that we never stop looking, at least not till we have found everything that can be found.

BYBS : All Things Simple

2009-05-25T00:34:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

There are so many things that make our lives simple, but, because they have always been there, we take them for granted. If we sit down to think and make a list of such things, the list could very well be endless. From the shoes we wear to the hats we don, everything is a blessing. One thing protects us from the stones and the thorns that might lie in our way. The other thing protects us from the harsh sun and the dust.

Whenever we need these things, we reach out and grab them. We never pause for one moment to think that maybe these things will not be there. For us these things have always been there, and will always be there. So, why be grateful for them?

But the fact is there are so many people out there who do not have access to even the most basic amenities of life. The much talked about and Oscar winning movie, Slum Dog Millionaire, became a spectacular success because of the way it depicted the life in the slums of Mumbai.

Though I can not comment on the authenticity of the life the movie depicts, it is safe to say that even if half of the things shown in the movie were true then a majority of humanity is living in conditions that can at best be described as sub-optimal.

So, this week I am thankful for all the simple things that I have always taken for granted, and which form an integral part of my life.

What is the one thing that is important to you, but you have always taken it for granted?

The Curious Incident of a Lizard in My Bathroom

2009-05-23T00:38:00.002+05:30

I am an animal lover, and I am very sure about that fact. When I see an insect, or a reptile, on TV I marvel at, and appreciate, the beauty of mother nature. I love to see the animals going about doing their thing in their natural habitat. However, I am not so sure about my love for animals when they choose to abandon their natural habitat, and decide to enter my domain, my bathroom to be more precise. That, putting it in the most simplest terms, freaks me out.

But let me begin from the start. Yesterday, I came back to my room after a few games of Table Tennis (some might know the game as ping-pong). It is not a tiring game, but Delhi weather in May being what it is, I was sweating profusely. Uncomfortable as it was, it also made me look forward to a nice, cold shower.

I enter the bathroom, hang my towel and underwear on the rack, and then I let out, what I am pretty sure, was one of the loudest screams I have ever screamed. Of course there were some expletives thrown in, but those are best not repeated here. The reason for the scream was that just as I had hung up my towel, something had jumped out at me. For a moment I thought I was being attacked by an invisible force. I think watching too many episodes of LOST and HEROES can do that to a person.

However, I soon saw what had actually come out at me. It was the smallest lizard I had ever seen in my life; a baby lizard, I guess. Before I could think rationally, I had to ensure that the lizard was as far away from me as was possible within the confines of the small bathroom. That done, I had a good look at the lizard. Should I kill it? Should I throw it out? Should I let it be?

These were questions that sprung to my mind. Not surprisingly, I was reminded of the lines from D. H. Lawrence's poem Snake, "If you were not afraid, you would kill him!"

But unlike the hero in the poem, I am too kind, and I couldn't bear to kill the little thing. The fact that I was a bit scared of the lizard had nothing to do with my decision. If you think how anyone can be scared of a lizard, and that too a little one, I would only ask you to try and be with one in the confines of a bathroom, and that too a small one.

In the meanwhile, the lizard - as if reading my thoughts - started moving towards me. It was time for action.

I yelled, again.

It worked. The lizard quickly changed direction and tried to climb up one of the walls. I thought that it was good riddance as that wall had a window near the top. But, what is not meant to happen, does not happen. The baby lizard found it hard to cling on to the slippery wall.

I was praying for the lizard to get out, but it slipped and fell very close to my feet. I jumped, and I think some yelling was involved too. This time the lizard, instead of running in a different direction, came towards me. Maybe, it had decided to fight, rather than fly.

In some quick moves it came very close to me. I was standing there, waving my arms wildly, and making some sounds that can't be really described here for want of words. After a few seconds of arm waving, the lizard moved in the direction where lay my toothbrush, and paste, and soap, and shampoo, and conditioner and...well you get the picture.

I knew that if I saw a lizard walking over my stuff with my own eyes, I would have to throw all of that stuff out. That lizard was going to cost me quite a lot.

Now, money is a strange thing. It tends to strangle whatever slivers of kindness and ethics one has. It has the same effect on me. I decided that I had to kill that little devil.

But, when I looked around, I found that there was nothing around that I could use to kill the beast. Brave as I had suddenly become, I still could not imagine myself killing a lizard with my bare hands. Doesn't their tail fall off, or something. That thought by itself was enough to gross me out. Somehow I made my legs move in the direction of the lizard, and that had a magical effect.

The lizard scrambled away, faster than I had seen it move in all evening. It ran quickly, and fear , it seemed, helped it in climbing the wall this time. It climbed up to a safe distance. It did not go out, but it seemed to me that it had managed to reach a safe height - a height from where she could not hurt me. After observing it for some time, I decided that it had given up all intentions of attacking me. I decided to go ahead and take my shower.

All the while I was showering, my eyes were focused on the lizard. It was moving all the time, but thankfully it stayed at a safe distance. After I was done, I quietly stepped out and locked the door behind me. I had made sure that the thing did not come close to any of my stuff, before I stepped out.

I went out and had my dinner, but all the while I was thinking about the lizard in my bathroom. The food had lost its taste, and the after-dinner walk had to be cut short. I quickly came back to my room and carefully stepped into the bathroom. But the lizard was no where to be found. I checked everywhere, but the coast seemed to be clear. I was glad, but it also made me wonder where the thing had gone. Where would it turn up next?

I didn't have long to wonder for as I stepped on to the balcony, I saw it lazing on the outer wall. It made me smile as now I did not have to worry about a lizard showing up in my bed. The lizard seemed to be smiling too. I wondered if that was because it had seen me naked!

BYBS : Time Flies or What?

2009-05-17T22:58:00.003+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

They say that time flies. Indeed it does.

I can very well remember the time when I was young. I believed that anything and everything was possible. Ghosts, fairies, miracles, angels, Santa Claus, anything.

Didn't we all believe at some point of time in our lives?

Then I began to grow up and realised that everything was not possible. Yet, the level of belief was still high. I still believed that most things in the world were possible. Then I grew up some more, and the full extent of the things that were possible - and that were not - dawned upon me.

Last week marked another mile stone in my life. I turned twenty-nine.

When I was young - about 12 or 13 - 29 seemed like an really old age, but now that I have reached that age myself, 29 doesn't seem that old at all. Age, I guess, is just a number after all.

Birthdays, however, are important days in our lives. Not only do they remind us of passing time, they also help us in breaking our lives down into manageable time periods, where we can set targets for ourselves, achieve them, and move on.

But it does not always happen that we are able to achieve all the targets that we set for ourselves. We might have a tendency to keep on doing what we had set out to do, even after we have failed at doing it a few times. Birthdays remind us that we do not have all the time in the world, that we need to rethink, and re-focus, and re-figure our goals.

So, this year, I have made a few changes to my goals and targets too. Let's hope that I am able to achieve them.

What do birthdays mean to you?

BYBS : Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T12:32:00.007+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

I was on Twitter earlier and saw many Mother's Day messages posted there. I did some research, and soon found out that Mother's Day is celebrated on different days in different parts of the world. It comes as no surprise. A person as special as a mother should have a special day, every day of the year.

Out of all the people in the world that we take for granted, our mothers are the ones that always get taken for granted. Since they have been with us from the very first moment of our existence on Earth, we feel that they will always be there. This belief sometimes leads us to neglect the most important relationship that we have.

Celebrating days, like Mother's Day, is a good way to remember things which are easy to forget, especially with our lives becoming busier and tougher with every passing day. However, being busy and having a difficult life are no excuse for not doing the right thing. Therefore, if life happens and we are sidetracked from our main objective, reminders like Mother's Day are a great way to get back on track.

Here, are two songs from Hindi Movies that celebrate the spirit of Mother's Day. These songs are in Hindi, so my apologies to the non-Hindi speaking crowd. But, if you watch the videos you might just like them:

BYBS : Routine

2009-05-03T13:02:00.010+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

One of the easiest things to get fed up with is routine. So many things have been said about routine being boring, and variety being the spice of life, that most of us feel frustrated with our daily lives, because, sooner or later, our lives get caught up in routine. It does not help that our movies, TV shows, books, and stories talk about people finding themselves after they break the shackles of routine and live a life of complete abandon.

But what happens after the story has ended.

The person who has left routine behind, and found his new self, will have to settle down into another routine if he has to stay happy. Therefore, contrary to what many might say, routine is a great blessing. Variety might be the spice of life, but routine is life itself.

There are only twenty four hours in a day, and there are so many things that one wants to do in this time. However, no one man, or woman, can do all the things they want to do. But, to make the most out of the twenty four hours given to a person, he has to try and do as many things as he can do. To do that he needs a routine, or he will find himself overwhelmed by the number of things he is trying to do. The worst result of all is that the person might actually end up doing nothing.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this? What did you do to get yourself out of it?

I was like most people in believing that routine was boring, and I needed to get out of the routine. Then, circumstances changed, and so did my routine. Without a routine, I found myself LOST - I guess it did not help that I spent hours watching LOST :-) - and I realised what a blessing my routine had been. So now, I am trying to set up a new routine for myself, and I hope to get that in place soon...

...while you guys have a great week ahead!

BYBS : The Butterfly Effect

2009-04-26T11:58:00.005+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

The Butterfly Effect, which is also the essence of the chaos theory, says that small variations in initial conditions can result in large variations in the system over a longer period of time. A movie by the same name came out in 2004, which used this concept to develop its storyline.

The Butterfly Effect seems to suggest that every little thing that we might have done in the past contributes to our present and our future. However, this makes it difficult to attribute any one single cause to our success or failure. There might be little things that we did, without giving them a second thought, that contributed to our success, or failure, as the case may be.

Thus, sometimes when things don't go according to plans, we find ourselves frustrated and angry. As far as we can see, we did all the things in the best possible manner, but the end results were contrary to our expectations.

I am talking about this subject because last week things did not go as per my expectations. A lot many things went wrong, and a few other things, I could have easily controlled, went out of hand. So, the end of the week found me sitting on my laptop, the word processor open, and wondering what I could write about as my blessing for the week. I mean I am a strong believer in the idea that no one can live through a whole week without having something nice happen to them. If you think you have had that kind of week, I will that you are not paying enough attention to the good things. But that is another debate, for another time...

So, there I was, sitting at my computer, wondering what I was going to write about. For a moment I wondered if I should even write anything in the first place. But all those thoughts were dispelled as easily as they had formed.

I also found what my blessing for the week was.

It was simply the ability to focus and stay on track. I admit I was guilty of a few things I did, that I could have done without. But the very fact that I have realised my mistakes, and plan to make amends in the coming days, is a great blessing for me.

For, as per the butterfly effect theory, I realise that these small things - which really have no great impact on my present - have the capacity to greatly alter my future in a way that I may not like. So, let us all make sure that we take care of the small things today, so that the bigger things in our future take care of themselves. Have a great week ahead!

BYBS : Good Food & Simple Life

2009-04-20T17:20:00.011+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

As I had mentioned in my last post I had planned on attending two weddings during the last week. But I ended up attending three. That is why I am a day late in posting this. I had planned to get back in town on Sunday, but some things came up and I was delayed. If any of you have attended marriages, especially north Indian marriages, you would know what it means to attend a marriage here; it means food, lots of heavy, oily, tasty food.

It is advisable that one exercises extreme restraint in choosing what one eats at such weddings, but for a foodaholic like me that is not an option. I sometimes think that I belong to that category of people who live to eat, rather than the other way around. But, be it as it may be, it was a great week where I got to eat to eat great food, and for free.

Of course, there was alcohol too, but, fortunately, that was one department where I managed to exercise complete restraint.

Two of the marriages I attended were at my village. If you didn't know, marriages in Indian villages are still very elaborate affairs. They last for about three days. Since one of the marriages was that of my cousin, I got a chance to closely follow all the rituals and ceremonies associated with a north Indian marriage. One thing that needs saying here is that the bride and the groom need a lot of patience to stand the ordeal of an Indian marriage. They have to just sit there for hours - wearing many clothes and accessories - while friends, relatives, and guests in general, do all sorts of things to them. I am not sure if I could sit through something like that.

One thing I liked greatly about the village life was the lack of rush, that has become an integral part of the city life. Everyone seemed to have the time to give you directions, to explain things to that you didn't understand, or to just talk to you about things in general. In the cities we seem to be always running without getting anywhere. The running is most definitely missing from the rural life. I had planned on taking it easy myself, and therefore I had left my cell phone, and any other thing that could connect me to the city, in the city itself.

So, for me it was a weekend where I realised that simplicity is really the best policy.

But, it also made me wonder what exactly is simplicity? Do we sometimes confuse ignorance with simplicity? What do you think?

Where on Earth is Blue Panther

2009-04-17T08:07:00.008+05:30

If you have visited this blog in recent times, you might have asked yourself the question : "Where on Earth is Blue Panther?"

Well, before I go on to explain my absence, I would first like to apologise for disappearing like this. I just checked, and my last post was almost 12 days ago. That is a lot of time, even for someone like me.

But, you know how things happen - planned ones, and then some un-planned ones.

What happened this time was a friend's marriage. A very good friend's marriage. I had been looking forward to attend the marriage for the past couple of months. So, there was no way I could have missed it. Though it was a reminder that I am almost the last one of my friends who is still unmarried. But, that is off topic...

Then, another group of friends planned a rafting and a camping trip, and invited me to join . It was an offer that was too good to refuse.

However, I was hoping that in the middle of all this, somehow I would be able to find time to write something on the blog. But, could I have been more wrong?

The worst (or the best) part is that it is still not over. I have a cousin's marriage to attend today and tomorrow. So, I am going to be ignoring the blog for another couple of days.

But, I promise, I will make up to my dear blog soon. I am thinking that putting up some pictures of all the things I did could be a good way to do that. What do you think?

BYBS : Pitstops

2009-04-05T18:30:00.004+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

The Free Dictionary defines a pit stop as, " A brief stop for rest and refreshment, especially during an automobile trip."

Just like an automobile trip, we need pit stops in life too. In a car race, if we keep going without making use of the pit stops, we run the risk of a burst tire, or some mechanical failure, resulting in a loss. Similarly, we need to make sure that we have enough pit stops in our life. Without them we push ourselves towards burnout. These days it is very easy to forget to rest - there is always something that needs to be done.

This could be one of the reasons a lot of people are getting tired of their jobs and lives these days. In fact, I remember, a few years ago, the general perception was that heart attacks hardly ever happen to someone who is under 40. These days it is not uncommon to hear people in their thirties getting heart attacks. I think this is a trend that needs to be reversed.

I took a first step in that direction by taking the whole week off, and just relaxing for the whole week. That was my pit stop, and I hope that this stop has rejuvenated me enough for the days to come.

Have a great week ahead!

A Fair Deal

2009-04-03T10:20:00.004+05:30

On November 26, 2008 the city of Mumbai was attacked by a group of militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan based militant outfit. Te authorities were successful in capturing one of the attackers, Ajmal Amir Kasib, alive.

His being captured alive led to many consequences. One of them was quite unexpected.

Ajmal's capture caused a debate as to whether Ajmal deserved to be defended by a lawyer in a court of all. One side was of the belief that his involvement in the crime was beyond doubt and there was no reason for a trial; he should just be sentenced. The other side believed that the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to legal aid and representation, and it also goes on to say that every defendant, regardless of his nationality, gets a “fair, just and equitable procedure” in court.

The two sides had been at loggerheads for quite a while. Even the Mumbai Bar Association passed a resolution where it asked its members not to defend Ajmal in any court of law. While many Judges were in favor of appointing a lawyer for Ajmal.

During the course of the debate, I favored the side that was in favor of a quick sentence for Ajmal. I mean his guilt in the event is undeniable, as can be seen in the picture alongside, where he is seen brandishing an AK-47. Many innocent people were killed in the Mumbai attacks, and even the Constitution of India gives the state the right to override the Fundamental Rights, when there is a threat to national security. The attacks on Mumbai were clearly a threat to the security of India.

Moreover, it is also a fact that the judicial machinery takes its time to run its course. In that time, sometimes the defendants find a way to wriggle out of the claws of the legal system. Therefore, in such exceptional cases, we could dispense with the normal route, and punish the guilty.
However, a special Mumbai court, decided that Ajmal deserved to be defended in court, and appointed Anjali Waghmare as his lawyer. As soon as this news got out, there was strong opposition in the country against this decision. On Monday night, some people staged a protest outside her house, and even pelted her house with stones. Despite the opposition, Anjali has now agreed to defend Ajmal in court. The Mumbai police will provide her with Z category security at all times of the day.

As I said before, I was of the opinion that Ajmal should be sentenced straight away, especially because his guilt is proven and does not need any further proof. However, if the judicial system feels that it is necessary that he gets legal aid, then we, as citizens of India, should support the decision. After all, the courts are only trying to ensure that The world's largest democracy does not falter and stays on course. It is , sometimes, easy to get carried away by emotions and let the impulses get the better of you. But, I think, it is praiseworthy that the judges have tried to be true to the spirit of justice, and given Ajmal a fair chance.

Now, the only thing that remains is that the case is brought to a speedy conclusion, and is not allowed to last for any longer than is necessary.

BYBS : Good Things

2009-03-30T12:40:00.007+05:30

(To join Blog Your Blessings Sunday, and get your name on the blogroll, click on the banner above and follow the simple instructions.)

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." - Gautam Buddha

Life is not all good. Even though I would be one of the first to believe that it is, it is not. It has its good, and it has its bad. I often have discussions with people where they tell me that most of my ideas are mere whims and fancies of an impractical mind. They tell me that in life bad things happen to people who, sometimes, have done nothing to deserve it. I completely agree with them.

There is no doubt that life is not pure black and white. It comes in various shades of grey. But, the choice of what you see is yours alone.

Grey is a colour that is made when black and white colours are mixed together. So, though the colour in our lives might be grey, it is how we look at the mix that determines how our lives progress. It is said that there is great power in positive thinking. It is because positive thinking helps you separate the black and the white in the grey. By separating the black and the white, you can then focus only on the white, and push the black to the background.

Pushing black to the background is not like being the ostrich that buries its head in the sand, hoping to avoid danger by thus device. It is like looking at it, learning from it, but not dwelling on it for any longer than is necessary. On the other hand, focusing on the white is just the opposite. You look at it, learn from it, and then keep it in sight so that you are able to see all that is good in life.

By looking at what is good in life, you are able to believe that things will turn out good in the end. This belief helps you in giving your best to whatever it is that you are doing. When you put your best effort in anything, the chances of sucess in that thing improve dramatically. So, just by focusing on the white, you can greatly improve things in your life, and the grey in your life will start turning white.

Focusing on the black, will produce just the opposite results.

So, let us all try and believe that life is a beautiful thing, and live life in that spirit. And, if at all, we see any black anywhere, let us do our best to convert it to white!

With that thought I will sign off, with the hope that everyone has a great day and a great week ahead!

The Great Indian Elections

2009-03-28T12:32:00.007+05:30

It is that time in India again.

The 14th Lok Sabha will have completed its course on 1st June 2009. In terms of the constitutional provisions, a new Lok Sabha will have to be constituted before 2nd June, 2009. So, India is getting ready for the general elections.

Since, it was only recently that USA held its elections, it will not surprise many if there are comparisons between the elections held in the strongest democracy in the world and the elections now being held in the largest (this time there are approximately 714 million people who are eligible to vote in the elections) democracy in the world.

One difference that instantly springs to mind when I think about the two elections is the lack of a clear Prime Ministerial candidate in the Indian elections. Agreed that the Congress and BJP – the two major national parties in India – have come forward with the names of their Prime Ministerial candidates, but I haven’t yet seen the two parties using these names as one of the major issues around which they are going to base their campaigning. This, I feel, is in sharp contrast to the US elections, where the main focus of the campaigns were names like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain.

Another major difference in the Indian elections is that the regional parties are going to be playing a major role in the eventual outcome. The leaders of the third front parties are silently hoping that somehow the elections result in an outcome, where there is no clear majority for any one party. This will mean that any party that will be able to put together a coalition with maximum numbers will rule the day. The Prime Minister, in such a case, could be just about anyone. There is a long list of names to choose from.

But, this is just the beginning. I hope as time passes and the elections draw near, a clearer picture begins to emerge. For in the present times of economic crisis, we do need a strong government, and a re-election is the last thing we need!

(I might be away from a computer during the weekend, so the BYB post may be a little late in coming. But, come it will.)