Mind speak

ज़िन्दगी मुझको सताना छोड़ दे रूठी हुई है, बताना छोड़ दे मनाने के लिए सब्र है किस्मे? हसाने के लिए चाह है किस्मे? बदल गया है सब कुछ यहाँ पे  रेहे गया पीछे सब कुछ, तू छोड़ आई जहाँ पे बीत गयी जो, छूट गयी जो, बेहता पानी, ना हाथ आने वाला. पछतावे में उम्र सारा ना गुज़रे बदल जाए ना मंज्हर, बदले ना चेहरे तू चली जाए, दो दिनका रोना है जो गया सो गया, जो है ना उसको खोना है सास रही जब तक, तुझे है आगे चलना  थक के, हारके ही सही, तुझे फिर भी है संभलना

I read this beautiful thought this morning- A person tired and fed up of Life asked God: Why so many mountains and hills to climb in life? God replied: To have a better view of life! Aren't we all so busy complaining about minor things that we miss out on enjoying the good things that come our way. We crib about the traffic and fail to appreciate the health benefits of a walk. We sulk about the weather when it's too hot and when it's too cold. What would be good weather for us then? We complain that it's difficult to handle a toddler and complain again when they grow up because then it's the burden of school and home work. In the process we miss out on their childhood. We are unhappy when there is too much work and unhappy again when there is hardly any work to do. We get tired of home food and get bored when we eat out too often. We crib about the high cost of living and yet will only buy branded and the best of things! We feel neglected when our loved ...

The road ahead is not always clear and free. Obstacles make the path interesting. They make a dull journey look exciting, they spice up the quest. The mountain that looks like it's blocking the way ahead, is just another stone. You realize this when you go past it and look back. The good things about stones are that they become milestones when you cross them!

Everything in life is such a balancing act. There is a thin line differentiating many things. So much so we all tread the path with care, trying to maintain our balance and avoiding that nasty fall. The rope may hurt our legs, the stick may make our hands pain. But that will not deter us from moving ahead. Caution and concentration are the key words. Knowing how to move and when to stop, knowing when you are being too fast and when you can take the risk of surging ahead. Another main thing is eliminating the distractions and being a horse with it's blinkers on. What that does is make the path ahead so much more clearer. But the main thing which edges you on is courage. Observe how the little girl in the picture is so confident and calm. Practice and conviction have helped her perfect her job so much so that it seems like sleep walking to her. We must look to be like her- doing our job, earning our living and not losing out in the face of adversity.

A little knowledge never harmed anyone. But what effect does too much learning have? First of all, is there any such thing as too much learning?   I agree that knowledge is a vast ocean and there is no limit. You can go on swimming in it and never reach the shores. But what happens if you are too young and inexperienced to swim? You may drown, you may develop a fear of swimming, you may never even attempt to swim! Sadly, our education system today has become like this. Tender minds all of 3-4 years are burdened with the expectation to know how to write in 2 languages, frame sentences, count upto 100 or more and spell words with 5 or more letters in them! All this when most of us were probably just beginning to speak slightly coherent words or learning to walk a little normally, when at that age.   Are we aiming to churn out little geniuses who will grow up to be brilliant? If yes, what happens when everyone is brilliant? How do you differentiate and how do you follow an ...

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...

Life is a circus and I am a trapeze artist. I swing from one bar to another- trying to play it safe. So I swing from work to family, from duty to indulgence, from responsibility to blithe. All the while I think that I will not slip, I will not miss. I should not slip, I should not miss. I know the net is there below me, in case I trip. A net with many names - family, friends, financial security, hope, confidence. There will be clowns in colourful dresses, crowds gawking with bated breath, ring masters with watchful eyes. All waiting to see - if I will fall, if I can make it. When I eventually do finish my act - Some will applaud, some will cheer, Some will frown, some will say it was a stroke of luck. For my part, I would just be glad that the act is done, I managed without injuries, I entertained and I did what was expected of me. The circus will repeat with the same act, But new audience, new place, new clowns, new ring master et al. Life is a circus and I am a trapez...

So many decisions, so little those are correct So many dreams, so little realized So many ideas, so little those are executed So many moments, so little that are relived So many people, so little those are valued So many questions, so little those are answered So many challenges, so little that are faced So many obstacles, so little those are overcome So many unfulfilled tasks, so little time So many fears, so little those are valid So many companions, so little those stick on So many desires, so little that are curbed So many breaths, so little life we add to them!!

I often wonder how life just goes on. One day ends and another begins. Before you know it a whole month has passed and soon it's one more year added to your life. But then it also makes me sad. What have I done to show that this time has passed? Is there anything worth mentioning or worth speaking about? Sadly none. No feather in any hat, no new milestone, nothing that deserves a notice. Isn't that what life is all about? You live, you breathe, you go about everything to just abruptly perish one day. How many of us can proudly say we have lived "THE" life? How many of us can breathe our last with a sense of satisfaction, with a sense of achievement? I look at people who are famous, who are celebrities and who are achievers and think they must be so happy in life. But who knows what their worries, their miseries, their concerns are. A perfect life is such an imperfection! The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. As long as we have lived without harming, acted ...

I have been sweating it out at the gym for the past 7-8 months now and all I have to show for it is that I am 7 kgs lighter. You may say that 7 kgs is a big deal. I know, it is. But it's not enough. I don't want to look 'plump' all my life. I long to be fit and fine too, I long to wear those lovely dresses that only come in 'S' and 'M' sizes. I hate it when I like a dress and the salesman says "Sorry we don't have that in your size". Nobody is fat by choice. I agree that factors like over-eating, laziness are well within one's control and can be avoided. But isn't there an underlying helplessness in not being able to do that? Most of the people who are obese know that it is nothing less than an illness. They need help and given a choice they would love to be half the size of what they are. I know what it takes from me to get up early in the morning (when the entire house is cosily sleeping) and drag myself to the gym. Sometimes I li...

I was at the bank the other day. It got me thinking. My experience at this bank, which advertises itself as the Global Local Bank, was actually quiet pleasant. Now, I am one of those people who believe that net banking is better than traditional banking. So if I do happen to go to a bank, I tend to get lost and get all nervous. Especially if you go to one of the more established national banks, the person across the counter will look at you from over his/her spectacles, the kind of "I know what you are" look! Then they will answer you in one word only, will not repeat what they say, will answer you loudly if you still go ahead and repeat your question. Makes you feel that you annoyed them or that you are the only novice there (read nincompoop). I remember that we had an English lesson back in school, where the author was a kindred of mine, who dreaded going to the bank. It was called "At the bank" or something like that. One day he musters his courage to actually...