Mind speak

Like a tattoo sitting firmly on the arm, Carefully sketched, painfully borne, A joy for a moment, a scar for life. Desired, nurtured, protected, celebrated. So sit in mind a bundle of memories That cannot be erased, that cannot be ignored. Giving pleasure one moment and pain the other. Etched forever, created to last- for a lifetime.

ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ  ಅಂಗಳದಲಿ ನೂರಾರು ನೆನಪಿನ ವಾಸಾ, ನೂರಾರು ಕನಸ್ಸಿನ ಸುಗಂಧ. ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ಮಸುಕಿನಲಿ ಎದ್ದು, ಗುಡಿಸಿ, ಸಾರಿಸಿ, ನೀರೆರೆದು ರಂಗೋಲಿ ಹಾಕಿದಂತೆ, ಉಲ್ಲಾಸದ ಅನುಭವ. ನಸುಗೆಂಪು ಸೂರ್ಯ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಕತ್ತಲೆ ಓಡಿಸುವಂತೆ ಸುಯೋಚನೆಗಳು ಮನ್ನಕ್ಕೆ   ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಕಾಶ ಮೂಡಿದಂತೆ. ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದ ಅತಿಥಿಯನ್ನು ಆದರದ ಸ್ವಾಗತ ನೀಡಿ, ಸಂತಸದಿಂದ ಬರಮಾದಿಕೊಂದಂತೆ ಇರಬೇಕು ನಮ್ಮ ಮನ. ಸದಾ ತೆರೆದು, ಸದಾ ನಗುತ್ತ, ಸದಾ ಹೊಸ ವಿಚಾರಗಳನ್ನು  ಸ್ವಾಗತಿಸುವ ಮನದ ಬಯಕೆ ಇರಲಿ. ಒಳಿತು ಕೆಡಕುಗಳ ನಡುವಿನ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸ  ತಿಳಿದು ನಿರ್ಧಾರಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡುವ ತಾಳ್ಮೆ, ವಿವೇಕವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುವ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಸಾಮರತ್ಯ  ಬರಲಿ. ದಿನ ಕಳೆದು, ರಾತ್ರಿಯಾದಾಗ ಮಲಗುವ ವೇಳೆಯಲಿ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿ, ನಿದ್ದರೆ ಬಂದರೆ ನಾವು ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಹಿಡಿತದಲ್ಲಿದೇವೋ, ಮನಸ್ಸು ನಮ್ಮ ಹಿಡಿತದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆಯೋ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುವುದು.

It's right in front of our eyes and yet so elusive. It's like a mirage- you walk towards it only to find that it keeps getting further away from you. Sometimes it's camouflaged to look like something else. So much so, you tend to overlook it and move ahead until you realise it's too late to turn back. You may know it by many names-  complacency, fulfillment , gratification, peace, serenity.  We struggle our whole lives to attain it, gain and lose it every now and then, wish we could buy it with money, mistake other worldly pleasures to be it, only to realise in the end that it's been within ourselves all the while. When we introspect and rank our priorities we begin to journey towards it. When we aim towards it the path becomes clear and achievement a possibility. That's when you begin to feel it, experience it. The journey, in this case, is also the destination.  CONTENTMENT, Thy name is mystery!

There are some places which are interesting. You get to meet so many people there and for a person like me who likes to observe people, they are just perfect! One such a place is the beauty parlor. Now, I am a person who hates spending hours at the beauty parlor. I'd rather do something at home or spend that time with my daughter. But there are somethings a woman must have on her "to be done at the beauty parlor" list. It was a recent visit for one such thing that prompted this blog piece. So there I was preparing myself to spend 2-3 boring hours there but little did I know how entertaining those hour would be. No matter how much you would prefer to just stay to yourself, you cannot help overhearing others conversations, especially when they happen within earshot. Each lady who came into the parlor had a different story and each of them were interesting. I guess that's human psychology. Even trivial matters from other people's lives are very interesting. As I sa

This is one of my favorite topics and one that I have a personal attachment to. Having grown up in the city, it's close to my heart. So much so any criticism about the city, I take quiet personally and get defensive. It has a persona, a life of it's own, a personality complete with personal attributes as well. A casual ride around the city one day got me capturing pictures that I associate/connect so much with the city. Amazing weather- perfect and unparalled Drizzly afternoons like this one- a chronic part of early childhood memories Roads laced with trees that form a canopy- a sight now becoming increasingly less! Giant BMTC buses- a necessary evil Notorious auto drivers- world famous in India!! Namma Metro- a source of perennial discomfort to the average commuter Traffic woes- chocked and full

One look at him and you will want to smile. He radiates warmth and exudes happiness. I am talking about the laughing buddha. This big guy above, sitting happily on a shelf, at our office, got me thinking. Suddenly a curiosity set in, to know why he is called so. A bit of research revealed that he is wrongly associated with Gautham Buddha. He is infact the Budai not Buddha- a Zen monk believed to be a person having extraordinary happiness, patience and compassion. He is supposed to have the stomach to take in all troubles and bad luck and transform them into happiness. One gifts a laughing buddha to someone in the hope that it will bring prosperity and good luck to the receiver. So what lessons have we to learn from him? 1) To keep smiling- always! 2) To convert all misfortunes that come our way into something positive (it is atleast a lesson for future, I guess) 3) To be looked at as a person who spreads positivity and good vibes 4) Last but not the least, the fact that we c

I am a left handed person and they say lefties are more artistically and creatively inclined. In my family I am the only one who has interest in crafts, arts and things like that. I am the happiest when I am creatively occupied. I like to get my creative juices flowing. I love sending out hand made cards and gifts. I love participating in contests that involve creativity. It may be a contest to come up with a name or with a tag line or anything like that. Who cares about winning. Participation is fun! When I see something I immediately know that I have to do something about it. I mean, I see an empty chocolate box and may feel like making a jewelery box out of it. I may see a nice gift wrapper and feel like making a book mark out of it. So when I saw a simple toran/ door hanging my niece made at her summer camp, my mind started ticking. I had to make one of my own. But when? It had been so long since I had made something like that. Now I hardly ever have the time. That is one of my per

We let so many perfect moments pass by in the hope that one will come along! Sometimes we are so busy searching for happiness that we fail to see the one that is right before our eyes. There are times when I get blown away by simple, plain, otherwise insignificant things. There can be so much beauty in the simplest of things that it may give you joy for a life time. I was walking down Mount Mary Road last evening, heading towards Bandra Band Stand. This scene just blew me away. It may be a common thing for any Mumbaikar. But for me it was amazing. The sun had set, much to my relief. Not used to the humid, uncomfortable heat of Mumbai (we Bangaloreans are so blessed), this walk in the fading day light was a pleasure. The cobbled, paved, winding road was making the walk even more interesting. The road took a turn and what did I see before me? The path ahead just ending into the sea. It all looked so surreal. I suddenly envied those who lived close by. Their proximity to the sea was l