DESIDERATA - MAX EHRMANN

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they to...o have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

THE CITY WHICH IS STILL NOT HOME

Bangalore - A city which I looked forward to more than anything , I still remember the excitement , the expectations within me when I was looking forward to shift to this city . I remember thinking , 'How lucky am I , when everybody is sooo envious of me , I'm the lucky girl getting to go to the swinging city of Bangalore !!''What fun it'll be , my city , my culture , all my relatives being here , I sure will have a fantastic time out there'
Sadly things haven't worked out exactly to what I had expected them to , some people may argue that the grass looks greener on the other side , man must adjust to his surroundings and blah blah blah... this city has taken more than it has given , if it's given it has given disappointment , a lack lustre environment , horrendous service amongst just a few things . How wrong was I to expect things , to expect from the people out here to be warm or receiving , maybe I was so used to it out there in Pune , that I can still feel the void of that familiar warmth and courteousness ! How wrong was I to expect anything from relatives , so what if they are your blood relatives , that needn't make them family !! They are as much strangers as any person on the road , without extending as much as a millimetre of their hand during any crisis ! I take from this city , experiences which make me wiser , so in a twisted way this city has been responsible for my growth , I have seen whatever's to be seen and more during the 6 years of my life out here . Probably the only thing which I'm grateful to in this city , is that I've found some great friends whom I treasure like crazy ! I'm probably just waiting to get out of here with the first available opportunity and blur or blank out the period of my stay here . I carry only my experiences and memories of my cherished friends as I move on(which I WILL do eventually) to a newer and better life !

BARBECUED NATION !

surprised by the title? But I think it is apt , we , a nation capable of being the greatest superpower because of our tremendous potential are time and again being pulled down . Reason - recession? na we have survived that ! it's our internal issues which are our biggest weaknesses . Take for instance the 2 issues which are on everybody's minds of late . The Ayodhya verdict and the CWG scandal . I'll start with the Ayodhya issue , why are we so afraid of each other is the primary thing going on in my mind? we fear riots , we fear communal violence and yet we know that by and large all of us want peace . Are we so afraid of the few extremists who are just waiting to pounce on even a minor scandal so as to grab a few eye balls? Aren't we capable of suppressing them?? We the educated middle class supposedly the largest in the world can't quieten a few miscreants whose sole aim is to remain in the limelight by being the so called flag bearers of their religious community? why are we so fearful of each other? our muslim and our hindu brothers and sisters? We do not step out of the house because we are in a so called sensitive area afraid that at the slightest provocation a riot will break out . why isn't anybody reassuring us that it is safe to carry on with our day to day activities and they'll ensure that no communal violence breaks out . We a secular nation can't convince ourselves that we are a safe country , how in the world do we convince other countries?? Why do we feel infuriated when other countries are hesitant to send their players or important people out here due to lack of security? we deserve it , we have given them an impression that we are highly a unstable , and an unsafe nation !!!
Coming to the CWG scandal . We laugh at it , we mock it , we sigh and say that corruption is part and parcel of the Indian bureaucracy but do we realize that the CWG scandal is not just a public mockery of the bureaucracy but of us as well . We distance ourselves away from it but we cannot deny that after all it's our country's reputation which is at stake and we are all Indians . Everything about the commonwealth games and the organising committee was shady and fishy but nobody bothered until 3 months before the games were to start . 'the preparations are incomplete!' , 'the accommodations and everything are far below the world standards!!' then started the blame game , with each pointing their finger to the other and invoking ludicrous responses !! How typical and classic of the Indian mentality !!! Do you wonder now why the world sniggers at us ?? It's not the internal problems alone , we just love making a public tamasha of ourselves !!!
The Ayodhya verdict will pass , things will resume , the commonwealth games will be over and Mr Kalmadi will probably be charged for corruption which I'm so sure he'll wriggle out of , the babugiri will continue and people will move on but the ultimate loser in all this is our country . She remains tainted and ridiculed because her biggest enemies are within her !!

SUMMER !!

If monsoon signifies romance to some then summer signifies happiness to me . While others complain about the heat I happily bask in it . I mean when else will you be able to roam around in shorts and spaghetti tops and keep guzzling iced drinks throughout the day? Probably why summer uplifts my spirits so much may be because I'm reminded of the summer holidays during school . 2 months of sheer sheer joy which we would all look forward to throughout the year . Of course things have changed now , in fact my exams will be starting at the end of summer . The 2 months of school holidays we would get during school was utter bliss !! I'm reminded of the days during my 5th , 6th and 7th grade when my father would take me for swimming everyday (in the hope that I would get taller which did not happen unfortunately :P) , I wasn't very fond of the water because of the chlorine smell and I would keep wondering how hygienic it really was . I would dutifully swim around the swimming pool for an hour , my father never letting me swim in the shallow side . What I would really be looking forward to were the goodies which were available in that club which my dad on a few occasions would let me indulge in (the club being parsi gymkhana , I wonder whether it still is there !)the puffs and the sandwiches were gulped down with relish (swimming makes you hungry!!) .
Summer to me also meant hours of cycling , not that I did a great bit and not that it was the total enid blyton scenario where they would set off on their cycles with camping gear and a picnic basket . No , we lived on a highway which gave us few options , but it was still fun to set off on my cycle with my friend , go to the nearby field , cycle around it and occasionally go to the church on them , especially in the early mornings , it was a treat and fun as well , to get up early in the morning and go cycling (not that I would ever get up early in the morning for any exam) . But the best best part of summer was hours and hours of hanging out with friends , doing crazy stuff but having the time of your life , hours of playing monopoly and doing such fun things . The best part of all this was I don't remember getting pocket money at that time , so the kind of fun we would have with hours and hours of talking to each other , pulling each other's legs , playing 'truth or dare' and laughing till you had tears in your eyes is fantastic . I don't think I'm glamourising any of this because what ever I've spoken about is true to the T . So whilst everybody is complaining I'm blissfully happy without having any particular reason to be happy , I think I probably relive those days year after year every summer , maybe that is why summer is so special to me !!

20 going on 21 !!

NOW SERIOUSLY !!! What's the big deal ? I mean what's the difference when you turn from 18 to 19 and from 20 to 21?? It's a just a question of a year or so right? Then how is it that you suddenly are expected to know and do things which you haven't bothered about for all these years? I mean you're suddenly expected to behave 'responsibly' !! I ask you , what do you mean by the word responsibility?? As far as I know , you're supposed to study well , behave well with people around you and yea lay off all adulterated stuff which I AM DOING like a good girl . Suddenly you are expected to help in the kitchen 'like all girls do' , it does not matter whether you have a cook or a servant there to do 90 percent of the job , you're supposed to 'learn', why? because 'one day you'll get married and then what will you cook for your husband??' ewwwwwwwww.. I mean that is like the corniest , tackiest and a Godamn sexist comment . I mean nobody taught me what to do and how to do anything when I worked on my first patient !! Nobody taught me how to walk when I was a toddler , these things were a part of a learning process which I know I will learn because I know for a fact that by the grace of God I'm blessed with SOME intelligence if not a lot and if there ever be an opportunity where I have to live alone , trust me I'll be anything but helpless !! So don't teach me what I have to do and what I don't , I'm very much aware of my 'responsibilities' thank you very much !! I am going to 21 in this coming August , I'm in my early 20s , and I plan to experience life and enjoy my life to the full extent because I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to do so ever again , I want to experience the effects of natural drugs like adrenaline and dopamine to the full extent . I plan to take the wise saying of 'work harder and party harder' very very seriously . So don't peg me down as the sit at home , docile domesticated dumb girl because that is the last thing I ever want to be !!!!!

Mumbai , Pune and me !!

People say that there is no such thing as love at first sight , I disagree !! Of course there is love at first sight , because that's what happened to me when I first caught a glimpse of the wonderful city called Mumbai . 5 years of being used to the sleepy laid back rude Bangalore , it was a pleasant surprise to me to see a city which completely the opposite , the sheer energy of the city captivates you , the structures of the city which are like mammoths , huge wide roads , you can why it is called the 'city of dreams' or 'the maximum city' . Any person rich or poor , young or old will probably have one thing in their mind once they set their eyes on Mumbai , 'I want to be a part of it , share the vibrancy , intensity and the pulse of it' . It is indeed joyful to see it I'm sure it must be an experience to live out there . I think if you call Bangalore or Pune cosmopolitan then you must cast your eyes on this brilliant city called Mumbai . It belongs to every cast , creed culture of India and even outside . In spite of it's humongous population , the city is ever accomodating and must I start on the shopping !! phew , it's a pleasure to shop out there , rudeness out there is something like a punishable crime ! you hardly will come across rude people ! I guess it's only bangalore which houses swindlers , lazy people , the rudest population which think themselves to be extremely smart (that is a lethal combination mind you) . Honestly I didn't feel like leaving that colourful city !! next came Pune . Pune felt like home , familiar shops , familiar roads and oh so familiar ex neighbours and friends . With a few changes here and there, it's almost like Bangalore minus the rudeness and the stupidity . It tore my heart to leave it , every second I was thinking of the possibilities of coming back there , the place which truly is my home and is a part of me . Bangalore is nice but NOTHING compared to Pune , it's got a pleasant combination of the vibrancy and colour of Mumbai and the climate of Bangalore , what more can anyone want . I realized that along with the tremendous shopping I carried a part of Pune's spirit with me to Bangalore which will remain with me throughout and which I will cherish unconditionally !!