Eye of the Hurricane

To withstand a cyclone, you need to find something deep-rooted to hold on to, be it a tree or an underwater pipe system- the stronger it is, the higher your chance of surviving is. And when you do find that resilient item, don’t let go. The storm will soon pass, leaving you surrounded by strong winds, yet with only clear skies and pleasant space above- in the eye of the hurricane.

Life is filled with uncertainty, and often leaves one afloat in the sea of chaos. And so, we’re eternally looking for an anchor. But when we do find something to support us, we let go of it due to the waves of doubt that shake our beliefs, leaving us adrift yet again. Despite the transient nature of this world, we rely on the variables, rather than focusing on the constants.

We blame the other person in a relationship, or accuse fate of our life outcomes. To quote my mother, “we can only control the controllables.” Expend your energy on going with the flow instead of trying to stop the wind. Responding, instead of reacting, will help control the speed of the winds of life, and who knows, maybe even change their direction! 

You can choose your own behaviour, but the other party’s actions are out of your hands. In this world of uncertainty, there is something certain: you. So grasp it.

A Day without my Phone

Being born at the time of the advent of technology has its perks- talking to people who are thousands of miles away, seeing faces of those even further, getting books and books worth of information in a single click- the list is never ending. But growing up with this boon makes it a curse at times too. This isn't another boring article on the cons of technology; we have enough knowledge on that topic (which we choose to ignore). This is about the base of the seven deadly sins: obsession.

We are so obsessed with our phones, that it has become but an extension of our being now. Our feelings, thoughts, actions- everything resides in it, like a portrait of our experiences visible to the world. So naturally, when your lifeline is cut off, you are lost.

A few days ago, my phone 's battery got spoilt; it wouldn't come on.

Can you imagine my misery?

My bag felt heavy with the corpse of the phone weighting it down, for it really was dead weight. I went around feeling incomplete, as though a part of me had gone amiss. At night, going about my usual routine, I felt like I was forgetting something. I realized with shock that it was my ritual of checking my messages before sleeping.

It's rather funny: we used to listen to music or read a nice book at bedtime, so our dreams would be filled with fantastical creatures and adventures plausible only in our imagination. Now, however, we are too busy replying to texts and filling our heads with unnecessary clutter. And you ask why I have a dreamcatcher. 

That being said, technology has its more-than-obvious perks. I was left stranded at the market for 30 minutes, clutching my phone and hoping for a miracle, before I finally used someone else's phone to contact my mother to come and pick me up.

Yet, that seems like a small price to pay for a day of peace. Everyday, I complain about the amount of work I have, but fail to list them on my fingers, as I really have no idea what it is that I really need to do. Only after abstaining (without a choice) from whatsapping my friends did I realize, "I'm free." 

Beauty of the Night

As I sit at 3 am, typing away on my phone, I can say with complete belief: there's beauty in the night.
Indeed, there's beauty in the void between days, in the silence of the atmosphere, in the darkness before the dawn, in the stillness of the night.
Whether you're bundled up in your favorite blanket, or out swinging whilst looking at that same moon that moves the earth's oceans, you can't help but appreciate the darkness. Hearing the clock tick and matching your pulse to it, or closing your eyes and drifting off to sleep with your own breath as a lullaby- it's all nirvana. Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, it barely matters: that delicate plain between consciousness and dreams is a peaceful adobe where, for once, your own company is all you need.

Lessons of Life: Kindness

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.” –Dalai Lama

In his last lecture delivered at Carnegie Mellon, Randy Pausch shared an anecdote from his childhood: his sister and he bought a ten dollar salt shaker from Disneyland, which, in his excitement, he dropped and broke. The duo went back to the shop and told the seller about this incident. To their surprise and delight, the shop exchanged it for a new piece completely free of cost, and even said it was their fault they hadn’t packed it that well! They took the blame for the excitement of a ten-year old child.

Imagine the same scenario today. Would you get another piece? Would you give another item? I bet the answer is in negative.

In today’s fast-paced and materialistic world, kindness is just another lost art. While we pride ourselves on being scholars of mathematics and science, we lack the quality that makes people like us, in addition to respect. Since preschool we’re taught values, but how is it that in high school we forget the textbook of life while focusing on social studies and languages? Why is it that kindness isn’t used to measure a person, but instead their grades and interests decide their life?

Kindness doesn’t have to be donations to an organization; goodness starts at home. Help your mother in the kitchen, surprise your parents with a gift or even a card, ask your brother, “how was your day?” or just smile at a stranger you cross.

Instead of thinking ‘what’s in it for me?’ think of how you can make someone else’s day better– and that is kindness. And remember, no kind deed is ever wasted. When Randy told his parents about the saltshaker incident, they were so impressed that they made multiple trips to Disneyland thereafter, which generated about 1,00,000 dollars worth revenue for the theme park. Exchanging a ten dollar memento earned them a lakh more. A kind deed is all it took.

Crashing Waves

It's funny how the principles of this vast eternal universe can be found at a distance of a few metres. Hence I say, if you want to understand how to live, study people; but if you want to master life itself, learn from your surroundings.

Who doesn't like going to the beach, playing in the water and building sand castles? I know I most certainly do. This ecosystem has sustained joy since the concept of a vacation was introduced, but can you think of this adobe as a meditation centre, where the secrets of our soul are revealed?

The crashing waves, which are a form of serenity for some and a source of fear for others, come onto the shore with the same intensity throughout that stretch of land. But the impact it creates differs depending on the nature of the beholder. The gullible sand gets soaked, some of it even being carried back with the waves, while the rocks remain firm.

Our life is constantly faced with the same phenomenon; troubles will always come our way, they will hit us hard sometimes and make the skies appear dark, but it our attitude that decides our destiny.

We could be sand, allowing our problems to get the better of us, drowning us in misery and pulling us into the unceasing ocean of doom. Or, we can choose to be rocks, standing rigid and tall in the face of adversity. True, these geological bodies get weathered with time, but our situations ought to alter our personality- you have to constantly sharpen your blade. More importantly, there is a reason river rocks are smooth. Fighting your troubles rather than letting it conquer you will change you- improve you.

So don't be afraid to stand your ground even when the waves are towering over you; the bigger the wave, the more fun it is to surf on it, even if it is more difficult. With a positive attitude and a firm footing, you'll glide over your problems with ease. Quoting Phil Edwards, 'the best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.'

India's Lotus: Neerja

September 7th, 1963: A child was born.
September 5th, 1986: A national hero died.
February 19th, 2016: Her story was shown to the world.
Yes, I just came back from the theatres, having watched a movie which has impacted me beyond measure. I'm not saying that I'll be saving the world, but my mind is now prepared for that. And that's the first step towards actually becoming Superman.
For those who still haven't guessed, I'm talking about Neerja Bhanot, a mere 22 year old who lost her life after her plane was hijacked. But the story isn't over there. With her great presence of mind, and even more importantly, with her compassion and bravery, she saved three hundred and fifty nine lives.
359. Out of 379, she saved 359 lives.
She didn't think about herself when she opened the emergency door and evacuated the plane. She could've been the first to run out, but like a captain to his ship, the air hostess stayed and ushered people out. And yes, she got shot while protecting three children. And yes, she died.
True to her name, Neerja was like a blossoming lotus. She was in a situation of dirty water, but she was the flower that enhanced the pond. She took charge, and she stood out from the rest.
The reason I'm writing this is not to promote the movie (which is undoubtedly beautiful), but to spread the very reason this film was made: to inspire people. Neerja didn't have any gadgets like Iron Man, or even an Adamantium shield like Captain America. But she did share some of their qualities. She was scared, but despite the circumstances, she felt a moral responsibility to her duty, and a loyalty to her fellow travellers. And that's why today, the Neerja Bhanot Bravery Award is one of the most prestigious awards one can be presented with.
All I'm trying to say, is that we can't be Spiderman, because that's fiction. But we have in us what it takes to be Neerja Bhanot, because she's a reality. Let her story inspire you. It has definitely changed me.

The beauty of the Taj Mahal is not its marble, nor is it in its architecture; the beauty is in the idea of constructing an eternal tomb to make immortal one's dead love, in the story that's passed on to every generation, in the feeling of infinity experienced when inside the monument, in the history that runs through every brick of this Wonder of the World, the beauty is in the combination of the Taj Mahal and you.

You know what I want to do?
I want to take a blue rucksack and my camera, and just travel the world.
Travel so much, that I never run out of stories, that I have friends everywhere.
Travel so much, that I know one word in every language, that I have seen all the attractions of google images.
Travel so much that Columbus gets jealous, that when I'm asked 'Where are you coming from,' I can answer with 'A small village in the middle of nowhere.'
But that's not happening.
But that will happen.
It will.
And so...
Bon voyage!

Why is it that whatever I do is never enough?

You value something till you don't have it,
And then value it again once it isn't yours anymore.
Oh god! Help me!
Make me learn the value of things which are in my hands, and not desire for those which aren't. Make me value the things I need instead of the ones I want. Make me value the things I have, instead of those my neighbour flaunts. 

Just remembering those days when I would come back from school to run into my mother's arms. And then, she would go to get my food, and I would run into 'hiding'- the one place where I thought no one would be able to find me. And boy, wasn't I right. My mom would go all around the big blue tent, acting oblivious to my obvious hideout. I, in the meantime, would giggle and try with no success to control my laughter. And then, suddenly, she would put her hand through the 'window' with a big spoon of 'dal chawal' with a loud, "Found You!"
I miss those days when immaturity was an act of fun, not stupidity. Stupidity was being cute, not dumb. And 'dumb' wasn't an everyday adjective but a taboo word. Those days when you didn't judge and weren't judged, and those days when you genuinely smiled at almost every thing.
I miss all those days...

My thoughts tend to wander off occasionally... frequently... regularly...

Is spirituality making people blind? 

I was born a barbie,
But since that was too mainstream,
I grew up as myself B-)

House or Home?

Whats required to make a house? A piece of land, 4 walls and 1 roof.  But whats needed to make a home? Just the feeling of belonging. You can be surrounded by hundreds of people in the Buckingham Palace and not get that feeling, or you could be with your one best friend in a hut made of straw, and be at home. If I were to define love, attachment, affection, I would say its home- something we just cant do without. While every home is a house, every house in NOT a home, and it is your choice to make your house your home. The richest men on earth aren't the ones with the biggest houses, but the ones with the biggest homes. I finally conclude, your feet may abandon your house, but your heart will never leave your home.

Magic Mastered

I don't believe in magic, but I do believe in moments- moments that are magical.

I don't need a wand to create those magical moments, just a pinch of laughter with a tablespoon of love would suffice.

I don't have someone give me the ingredients, only my heart does that,

And the world doesn't seem problematical anymore, just magical...

Sometimes I just wish that I could block out the sounds of this fast paced city, close my eyes and forget what's happening in the world around me, and just peacefully go to sleep in my mother's lap, with her arms around me.