Place attachment

I know some of you may rightly guess what this post would be about..title says it all..

Emotional attachment. Some get so attached to what they have and some, to what they do. Ideas, things, way of doing things, people present in their lives. In my case, it is a place attachment. An emotional bond that exists between me and this special place. Internet says it is highly influenced by the individual’s personal experiences including positive thoughts, fond memories, and the happiest feelings that the place evokes in an individual. I couldn’t agree more for that is exactly how I always feel whenever I visit there. I have had only happy experiences throughout my stay here. Mere mention of the place evokes strong emotional waves in me and I begin wading through those waves of memories!

Last week’s visit to my alma mater, PSG College of Technology, located at Coimbatore, and its hostel premises is the reason why I am penning down this emotional (!!!) note.

This road leads to hostel premises. A stroll, brisk walk, hurried walk – this road has withstood all of these. As I began walking, gushing memories of the past made me stop at several spots recalling whatever I did and smile at the spot where friends and I used to take selfie, identify the tree which we always used as a background to pose for photos, the spot where we used to discuss points before exams and greet friends and have a quick chat.. the list goes on.. and tears, as well. My friend, who was waiting for me, was surprised since she had to welcome a weeping friend!! She was even more surprised when I told what made me cry..she couldn’t relate to my feelings as she lives there, walks on that road, every single day!! (The luckiest!!)

Azar Nafasi’s words rightly sums up my feelings!!

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People have told me, emotional attachments only bring anguish and suffering. Love everything, get attached to nothing..etc.. but, when it comes to this place, nothing matters. Whenever I recall the days I lived there, one can not only see me emotional and teary-eyed, but also, smiling, simultaneously!!

And, I don’t see any scope of improvement in developing this – get attached to nothing – way of living, when it comes to place attachment ! Never tried to change since this place holds the skies in which I wish to rise and set, like the sun, forever!

 

Everyday Struggle…

First things first. Yes. This blog still exists. Phew!!

 

Update: This post has been featured in the home page of Indiblogger site!! flaunting it here 😀

I have always preferred using public transport for travelling. You get to observe people, their moods and actions and learn a lot. Some speak to you directly or through gestures or you could be a spectator of someone else’s conversation. Whatever be the way, there is always something you could learn. Some might change the way you see the world. Some, they way you approach people. And, some, your understanding of life! If only you are mindful and notice.

I usually catch the bus at 8.15 AM. Most of the time, this old lady takes the same bus carrying a bag full of fresh greens and vegetables ready to be sold in the market. It takes more than an hour to reach her destination, City Market. Every day is a struggle for her to get into the crowded bus. And, she doesn’t demand a seat!! Trust me, not even once have I seen her asking for a seat! She adjusts herself within whatever space is left to keep her legs firmly down. Never have I sensed a ray of helplessness or irritation or fatigue in her face. She seemed to take her life as it comes. One day at a time. Today both of us alighted at the same bus stop and I offered help to carry one of the bags. She accepted and on we walked.

She shared how happy she felt to earn her own living selling the fruits of her hard work.. vegetables and flowers that she sells, I mean. Also, how all the struggles vanish the moment she sees her bag almost empty or empty. When it was time to part, she said, “I have had many ups and downs in my life. During hard times, I recall the best days I have had and hope I will have much more meaningful up, again. During the best days, I always remind myself that, nothing is permanent. I take life one day at a time. So, I never worry about carrying the same bag and boarding the crowded bus. Tomorrow. And the day after. Every day”. Smiled and off she went.

I feel life is at its best, when it teaches some very important lessons. We all know everyone’s life has some issues or problems, yet some are well at looking at the bright side of it. If there is one thing that I learnt from these instances is to show gratitude towards God for making my life much better when compared to them and be grateful for whatever life has to offer. Life could be compared to a flute.. has holes. Emptiness. But, when you take time to work on it, sincerely, one day, you will hear magical melodies.

Care to read other such instances?? Here it is

What I learnt from what I saw – Part 2

On the roads, often we see a traffic police signalling two-wheeler riders to pull up for riding without helmet. The next thought that flashes across our minds is, “Oh, month-end finance crises..they need money. This is one of the ways they use to get money”. Something along those lines. And, heave a sigh of relief for not being one to go through that.  I agree. Even I have thought it was for money. Many times. It may be true in some cases but not all. For, today I saw something different. Same scenario but it wasn’t about money!

A traffic police stopped a guy who didn’t wear helmet. He asked him if he had siblings. Who would inform his parents if something were to happen to him. Also, said that safety isn’t our personal choice and his ignorance (of not wearing helmet) could cost others dearly. Of course, he charged him the penalty. That’s his duty. If it was all about money, it wasn’t necessary for the police to go an extra mile and advice the guy about safety and his importance to his family. Right? Right.

Here comes the best part.. when the guy was about to leave, police called him back and said, ” The most dangerous place is not Iraq, not Iran, not Syria but Indian roads! Always remember this and wear helmet each time you ride!”

Both were conversing in Kannada, BTW.

So, to you, the readers,  please wear the helmet, even as you may ride pillion. And, it isn’t always about money! It is for a better cause!

Read Part-1 here

Allow yourself some leisure..

Our lives are busy..we are always on the run that we fail to award ourselves with leisure. Mommying a 1.5 years old kid leaves me craving for leisure. But when I do get it, I pack it in with TV, Mobile or Internet…anything and everything. Few days back, on a day when kid was sleeping and it was raining cats and dogs, I pulled myself to the balcony that has a great view and stood there watching those black clouds and the rain that comes out of it.. It was a spectacular sight. Had I taken my mobile or decided to watch TV, I might not have had such an experience. So, to you, reading this, please don’t mistake leisure for free time. Leisure is free-time minus all the distractions, all the noise. Don’t pack it too much that you become leisure-deprived. You don’t really need an expensive holiday, fancy location to relax and enjoy.

Just allow yourself some leisure right where you are!!

Back to blogging

Hello. Back to this space after what feels like eons. More than 1 year of MIA owing to birthing and parenting now one year old daughter. Life has changed, indeed, as many say.  Worry not, I am not here to say how, when and the why-s of it. Wanted to share a small piece of conversation that I happened to overhear during a bus travel. Felt it was worth sharing to larger audience. Here it is, gist of their conversation in my words.

It was a conversation between two elderly people about serving the society/ giving back to the society having taken and continue to consume so much from it. One is constantly taking, just by being alive. Be it poor or rich, consumption is constant. Only the degree varies. We all give and take in so many ways every single day. It’s what we do with what is given to us that matters. When consumption is more, it is natural to expect more in return. They concluded saying he who has more mustn’t shy away from giving it back to the society in ways more than one.

Giving back to the society/serving the society- though this topic has been beaten to death, it still felt like a big lesson. After all, of whom much is given, much is expected.

On speaking well in English

This post is written based on the prompt

Does speaking well in English add a sparkle to the personality of a person? If ‘yes’, then do you feel it is right? Share your views.

Let me analyze this question part by part. Starting with, speaking in English. English is an optional language; not mandatory. Depending on the scenario and its demands, communicating in English becomes an added advantage. Especially, given India’s multi-lingual population, when you’re addressing people in a common platform, then English comes in handy. So, yes, being able to effectively communicate in English does add sparkle to one’s resume, may be, but not necessarily one’s personality.

Next, speaking well in English. what does that word ‘well’ mean? To use flowery words and make it sound polished? Or to use simple language and get the meaning straight? My choice is the latter. ‘Keep it simple and to the point’ is what, according to me, determines how effective English communication is. Again, take the example of addressing a gathering. Only when the audience understands what is being spoken and be one with the flow, will the purpose of addressing be served. Else it will fall into deaf ears. Words will go in vain. To help them understand, speaker must be able to gather their attention through various means such as making it an interactive session or by quoting real-life examples through audio-video medium. Options galore. To achieve all these, speaker must be an expert in explaining and relating them in words with the audience. Here comes ‘speaking well’ in handy. And that speaker is appreciated for his ability to keep the audience’s attention intact and achieving the agenda. That speaker could be I, you or anybody and the situation could be anything.. ranging from school/college/work presentations, a political party’s meeting, an oratory competition or even a family gathering. In all these situations, depending on its demands, speaking well in English does add value and sparkle to one’s personality for that person is hailed as a very good orator.

To conclude, yes, speaking well in English does add a sparkle to one’s personality when it helps serve the purpose of conveying what is intended to be conveyed to the intended audience.

[Children’s Day] To the child in all and sundry!

Children’s day – pulls you back to those good old days where you had joys a ton and worries none. To walk through my childhood memories, has been one of my favorites to do during my leisure. Memories of different shades – happy and sad. But I choose to reminisce the happy times. Let me share one. A peculiar one at that. As a child, every one of us had a habit that gave immense happiness and pleasure doing it. Lying down/ sleeping peacefully 0n a swing, being carried on the shoulders, being given a piggy-back ride, or being taken for a walk around the house by placing your feet on someone else’s feet – to recall a few. I found my happiness in emptying the talcum powder tin on to the floors! Weird right? Ha! Children do weird stuffs!!

My initial years of infancy and then childhood were spent in BSNL quarters – 4 flats. We lived in the ground floor and my favorite place next to my home was our adjacent flat. If not sleeping, I would be in their home entertaining them and getting entertained as well. First thing I do after entering their home is to seek that old white color Gokul Sandal talcum powder tin. I have always found it placed within my reach. Wondering how, despite knowing what I would do to it, they never changed its place!! Such good people they were! Too good to deprive me off my fun, I guess!! I remember how I held the tin- upside down, both of my tiny hands holding it firmly, giving it a firm shake as fast as those delicate hands of a child could and at that moment, I was the happiest person! An unrestrained excitement I derived out of that action –an action that makes no sense now but at one time, my source of joy! I was a peace-loving kid, you see, no harm caused to anyone in any manner!   😀

Years passed. I grew up. Life changed and with it, my likes and dislikes too. In the process of growing up, that inner child was wounded and put to rest, never to return. Sadly. That fun might have long gone and I don’t get kicked up seeing powder tins anymore, but memories of me doing it continues to live, in my mind and in the minds of those lovely people who were generous enough to purchase a new tin every single time I emptied one!! During every single meeting, even after years, they recollect how gleefully I used to do it and how my face glowed in happiness! That’s the power of smiling from within, making it all a play! We have grown up, for good, discontinued childhood habits, for better. But, the best is yet to come and come it will, when you re-discover that inner child within you – the source of happiness and playfulness. It is never too late to smile from within, to see a place/ person through the eyes of a child and make it all a play!! It is high time we let the wild child in us loose, every now and then!! Here is to those good old days of the past and its reincarnation in the future!! Happy Children’s Day to the child in you!!

[Poem] A fairy and her gifts!!

A conversation between a mother and her kid. A poem or a rhyme (if I may say so!) emphasizing the habit of eating properly and sleeping early! Lines in Blue are of mother’s and that are in Black are of the kid’s. Enjoy!!  🙂

Hey dear! Come near!

It’s time to have food!!

No mother, I’m very busy!

Nah! Nah! It’s not that easy!

Come dear, the moon is here!

No mother, it is dark, I fear!

No fear when I’m near!

Come, come, there is someone over there!

On the moon? Where? Where?

A black figure on the moon…See there! *points out at moon*

Who is she, mother, so scary!!!

Not scary, she is a fairy!

Toys and chocolates she gifts daily!

But only to good kids, truly! *smirks*

*frowns* who is a good kid, tell me?

One who completes his food and goes to sleep early!

*rolls eyes* I’m hungry and feeling sleepy, mother!

*smiles* I know dear, come, let’s eat together!

This is inline with the prompt “For this children’s day, write something for kids (0-8 years). Anything- a story, a poem, a rhyme, or a new fairytale”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not everyone is a smartphone addict

Back to blogging after 2 days break. Weekend gave me little leisure to have a WhatsApp chat with my cousin (lives abroad) that lasted more than an hour. At the end, I felt so good. I must disagree the saying that chatting can never be as good as speaking over call (face-to-face is out of the question here). I felt no such difference. My Father-in-law, having noticed me being glued to mobile for a long time, commented, “You’ve become addicted to it!!” The usual, yes. I tried reasoning him that I was doing something good. Of course, chatting with cousins/friends is good.. I’m staying in touch with them! After all you’re having good time and your relationships continue to survive.

Hearing such comments isn’t new to me as I have heard others comment the same to youngsters of their acquaintance and have seen many who are of strong opinion that the more the time you spend with smart mobiles the more aloof you become with people at home. That physical connection is lost. I do agree but with few conditions applied on it. Watching movies, youtube videos and playing games CONTINUOUSLY, checking social media at an interval of 5 minutes – if someone does all or more than one of these, then he/she falls under the category of “Smartphone addict”. But someone who OCCASIONALLY spends more time chatting with someone who is close to him/her, trying to connect/ reconnect, build/rebuild relationships, doesn’t come under that category. Actually, you can’t categorize them at all. They do understand the meaning of smartphones: that watching videos or playing games are for relaxation and that relaxation shouldn’t prolong to an extent that it victimizes the physical connection. There are people who exactly know how it would feel if someone were desperately in need to talk to someone who is too engrossed in mobile to even lift face, look at the face and listen. So, my request to people whose impression is so, is not to generalize everyone under “Smartphones addict” category. If you belong to the group of people who get miffed at the sight of prolonged mobile usage, then, before uttering any comments, make sure to know what one is up to. He/she might actually be trying to stay connected with the loved ones. Also, among those that are at receiving end for constant mobile usage, there are a few who have really understood one of the objectives of smartphones – stay connected in addition to being physically connected and they also know it is not to replace that physical connection!!

A fascinating love story

She longed for his return.

To feel his soothing touch.

To quench her thirst.

To revive their magic.

To be together.

To dance together.

To sing the tunes of love.

To relive their happy memories.

He arrived, at last.

Engulfed her.

She, a paper. He, a pen.

Together they wrote an ever fascinating love story.

Oh yes!! Rain met the Earth!!