Resolutionz 2013

Time of the year when our conscience speaks louder than our voice and prods us to resolve to change for the better.  Come year end and we make countless resolutions that barely survive beyond the 1^st of January.  Lets try it one more time!!!

What if…

What if life went exactly the way you wanted?  What if there was nothing called fear, rejection, depression, sadness and sorrow? What if you never felt heavy in your heart and tears did not exist? What if you had a remote control to change your circumstances? What if words such as “heartbreak” and “betrayal” did not exist? Sigh…for a second you did enter fantasy land, and heaved a sigh of comfort and absolute relief….but is it possible? Can we really turnaround our lives from challenging situations? Can we actually live the life of our dreams? I am no therapist neither a spiritual healer definitely not a magician…just another being who faces similar trials and tribulations in life.  But as I have experienced a gamut of emotions over many years of my existence, I do know we can have the life we want.  Once you plant this thought in your mind, there is no looking back, all you have to do is program your mind to react to what happens to you differently, yes you have the remote to your life and you may not be able to control what happens to you but you can control how you react to it.  Yes ok, heard this, done that, The Secret vouches for it, every site, publication, medium that propagates spirituality talks about it, Zen, Buddhism, and Art of living preach it, but do you believe it? 

Unfortunately, the bare truth is that your belief shapes your reality, if you see darkness how can there be light, if you only see sorrow, happiness is just an illusion, if you only see pain, joy is far far away.  Sounds preachy, to me too, absolute trash at times, we always wonder so easy for someone to advice, feels good for a minute, then we are back to our mundane lives facing the same set of struggles.  But at the core lies belief, we do not believe it, we rubbish it as we have become so comfortable reacting, behaving and living in a certain manner, robotic if I am say, in our conduct, we lack basic belief that yes it can happen, things can go the way I want them to, life can shape up as I will.  The path of affirmations is not easy, reverting to preset notions and age-old beliefs is a safer option, as it offers comfort to be in known territory, the unknown comes with no guarantee. 

But till you try how would you know?  Either you face troubles the way you have been facing or try acceptance, try changing your ATTITUDE, it makes all the difference.  If there is anyone in this world who can make you do any of this it is only YOU, the strings of happiness lie only in your hands. The almighty has moulded you in a way that only YOU can heal yourself, any problems, however complex, any situation however complicated only YOU possess the power to CHANGE it. Adversities wont stop, problems wont disappear, they will always be there to keep us human, but how you deal with them will make all the difference in your life. Phew, gyaan and more gyaan, but no harm trying, the worst is you will FAIL, at least you won’t regret never trying.  Anything that betters the quality of your life is worth a try, you might just succeed and your epitaph will read “AND HE/SHE LIVED and WOW”.

The writer is simbly HUMAN J

C’mon Man….Wake Up, Rise and Shine!!!

Little did the celebrated cartoonist R.K. Laxman know that his glorified “common man” will someday transform into a “Superman”. We are not talking about the fictitious character out of DC novels but a real life hero, who deserves applause and acknowledgement for the unimaginable feats he performs in real life. So our Superhero not only juggles between his responsibilities towards work and home but is also up against corrupt Government authorities, errant rickshaw drivers, uncompromising cab unions, angry traffic cops, an unyielding education system, and a host of stress inducing trials.  His travails do not end with fending for his family but he is witness to hosts of rage emerging in a world starved of patience, right from road rage, school rage, to office rage, and every possible condition that would enrage even an ahimsa follower.

He wakes up to the sounds of incessantly blaring horns or if neighbours are in festive mode, then bhajans played at ridiculously loud decibels attempting to be heard beyond the skies.  If he belongs to the middle or lower side of the socio-economic divide, he has already mastered the art of acrobatics that come handy while travelling by local trains. Once he manages to squeeze into the train, he has to engage in deep breathing, as artificial fragrances are still a luxury in our country.  And if he resides on the upper side of the divide, he better gear himself up for a long drive, arming himself with enough distractions to kill the extra hours before he reaches his destination, and God bless his soul if he is in the driver’s seat cause shifting gears will keep him busy throughout the journey.

Our superhero pays a premium for basic necessities, bears the weight of exorbitant taxes, is regularly subject to food, fuel and every possible price hike, and is supposed to take all this with a pinch of salt, lest that gets dearer too. He keeps himself alive breathing toxic gases which are far deadlier than what he lets out and has no choice but to ignore the crumbling state of infrastructure.  He has limited access to basic hygiene amenities in the city, is constantly susceptible to bomb scares, terrorist attacks and alien viruses such as H1N1, which do not attack computer systems but choose to target the human body.  Unwillingly remits a hefty sum to school/college authorities for admitting his offspring and has to keep a running bank account to see them finish education.  The rising costs of living, with barely any increase in income, just add to his woes, thus causing numerous ailments, which only contribute to the earnings of the medical fraternity. 

Inspite of contributing to the revenues of the Exchequer he leads a chequered life abound by twists and turns caused by his immediate surrounding than fate.  Each day he leaves home to battle a fresh set of challenges without any magical prowess.  He survives and surmounts countless obstacles with the hope of a better tomorrow. Just one look in the mirror will find a superman staring back, telling us “C’mon man get up and get going today is another day”.

“I do”

Dreams and desires have found new wings,

The frost of winter has finally paved the way for spring,

Surprises and laughter in the air,

Celebrate the fanfare with the blessed pair.

Embarking upon a new beginning,

Life is filled with fresh hope and meaning,

Mixed emotions wreck havoc on the mind,

Peace eludes plays hard to find.

The heart exudes a warm glow,

With love so true for the chosen beau,

Backed by faith in the divine choice,

Every moment I humbly rejoice.

Walking towards the altar of love,

Heavens shower blessings from up above,

All geared to share the sacred vows,

Shall reap the love of the seeds we sow.

A Heart without a Life

What if we were born without a heart?

Life would be simple, and not tear us apart,

Mind would be the sole ruler of ours,

We would need no healing from countless scars.

Emotions and feelings would be history,

Winning the heart would no longer be a mystery,

No one would steal our hearts and return it on a whim,

Speak spiteful words that would make us grim.

Cupid’s arrow would lose target,

Lovelorn poets would cease to write sonnets,

A relation won’t sink b’coz of lack of romance,

Jilted love would stand no chance.

The ruler above never foreseen this twist,

Before blessing us with this precious gift,

So we have to live and learn to love our hearts,

True to ourselves but never apart!!!

Zero se Hero or Vice-versa ;)

“Pat-ti hain ladki patanewala chahiye”…whoever imagined that the line of an old forgotten melody will turn into a reality.  Here we are in an age of cloud computing, i-phone rhapsodies, Blackberry wars and yet emotionally challenged to the world of love.  A while ago read an article in the paper that there is an upcoming breed of specialists or rather evangelists who assist young men in shedding their inhibitions (eyes wide shut) in approaching their lady love.  These love gurus or dream merchants promise to address their shiccups (sorry hicupps) in professing their feelings to the fairer sex.

From singles club to speed dating and now grooming for love, the world is dense with opportunists who are willing to make you believe that you lack something only they can fix.  Their claims to turn one into a suave, groovy eye-candy does go well with youngsters who are willing to offer their left arm and right leg to be heard, seen and noticed amongst peers.  They do not only teach you the art of winking, flattery, flirtation but also mastery over what lies beyond the bedroom walls. There are specialized sessions on conversation styles, deciphering cues thrown by women, reading body language, dos and don’ts of first time dates, and a whole lot of gyaan that equips the sole ranger in his quest to win over his mate.

What next I wonder, talk with a drawl or wink like Tom Cruise, walk like Stallion or ride the bike like John Abraham.  It’s funny and surprising that the evolution of the female species is still a mystery to the opposite sex. In a country where we pay for our most basic needs, such magical courses come for a hefty fee.  The online business model is a boon to such enterprises that reach out to you at a nominal or no cost, informing you about their services that can be customized based on your need. Matching your clothes to the attitude you carry, the Guru promises to teach you everything you already know but have failed to apply in real life.  The lure of such propositions is difficult to ignore given that you have been programmed to win, at any cost.

We so complicate our lives when we try to convince ourselves that we do not possess what it takes to win hearts.  Am sure each one of us has a winner hidden within, surely such gurus may have the knack to bring that hero to light.  But they do make out women to be an alien species who require intensive research to figure what goes on in that head of ours. We aren’t akin to Da Vinci’s code that needs to be decoded, neither a tough algorithm that requires complex equations, and yes we aren’t the ones who drove Freud to insanity, we just think from our hearts.  With all your boardroom expertise & intelligentsia why does it become difficult to understand what a woman wants??? I know this is like inviting a raging debate as the battle of the sexes is an age old phenomena and will sadly continue to exist.  Trust you me that it’s a whole lot simpler than it is made out to be, these techniques, tips and tricks will surely get you there, but what will make you stay is the emotional chord you strike with a women’s heart, rest as they say is a mystery ;)

Valuing the “PRESENT”

A second, a minute, an hour is gone,

Words unspoken, deeds unperformed,

Time is a bird that can never be caged,

So live every moment regardless of age.

Chase every rainbow, follow your dream,

Life’s a gift you better redeem,

Sing your life’s song, traverse the mile,

Coz before you know it time just flies.

Hold your love close to your heart,

As the tide might turn and tear you apart,

Treasure the moments of melancholy too,

They teach you to live a life that is true.

The Time to say goodbye maybe near,

Selflessly Love every being you hold dear,

Laugh through your heart, awash your sorrows with tears,

The beginning is known, welcome the END unknown.