Window to pleasure!

Isn't the weather lovely? Few days back, it seemed as if the monsoon had forgotten the 'soon' that it contains. Its arrival seemed impossible.
Never mind, it is here and I am enjoying it as much as you all are.

Having started with such an enthusiasm, I do not fee like emasculating  the pleasure. I am using my father's laptop for this post for I do not have one of my own. At an approximate distance of 1 metre from the the place where the laptop has been kept to be charged, is a long window. We live on the ground floor, hence, we are usually aware of the people entering our block.We see through this very window.

The residential society that I stay in, has a construction type of its own. Three blocks are connected in a circular manner. Hence, each set of such connected blocks has a common circular ground-Kids usually play here. Each block in each set is, in turn, connected to two more blocks, in the same fashion to complete another set of trio. Exception lies only in case of a few buildings whose common area was not intended to be circular. Their common area has been used to create the Central Park or the children's park. 

I just felt like describing it so that you can, to some extent, visualise how it happens- The window described above faces the common circular area of the trio to which my block belongs. The three connected buildings of this trio provide three entrance/exit-one of each building. People normally use other entrances to enter hence our trio is always quiet and submissive- It listens when you speak.Always!

There is a special kind of a pleasure in noticing people from this window-We know we can see them but they are usually not aware- and those who are, usually the married ladies, make sure that they get a quick glimpse of our room and later tell it in their friend circle- The Sinhas changed their table cloths....there is a new chair in there...Dekho ji, They even have new curtains, this time even I am going to buy some...etc etc.

Everybody understands that humans- myself included!- reside here. Hence, whenever they are pondering over something, while moving here, they don't announce what it is but being at the ground floor, I can always hear them.."hmmmm...", "this is...", "that is....", "how can......", "no, not this time...."...

This window is an interface. It gives an insight into the very basic truth of life- that every person has some problems- light or loud- but problems are there. And in fact, that I am not the person facing the trouble is the only reason why I may describe a problem as big or small for when one occurs, it usually seems to kill. There is no scale or weighing machine to measure it and rank it- a problem IS a problem!

There is one man- He seems to be in deep conversation with god or himself- he moves his fingers, at times like ACP Pradyuman( ;) ), and murmurs something to himself, again and again. This other pretty lady with her maang being accentuated by the bright vermilion sprinkled with elegance is frustrated- Says her husband has crossed the limits; (don't know what that is about)..wasn't so a year back when they liked spending time together..(secretly may be)..quietly whispers.."Before marriage, he used to be on time always...At our first anniversary, he kissed and promised to...", she turned silent. I could not hear.
Who else.....Yes, This girl, looks 16-17, in Magenta top, white shrugs and Dark blue hot pants is conversing on her Galaxy..."Yes..Yes..Me too. But I will have to lie for that..You know na...I will not be permitted..Yes yes...tomorrow at one..Ok bye...sweetu...muah!(cuts the phone)...uff this life...(her eyes get teary)..Why only me??.."
And there is a group of kids, pretending to be Policemen- shouting loud to kill any thief they might find; Thieves have ransacked the entire place..can't leave them!
This boy seems to be returning from tuition classes- "Sir was rude to me today...I will not go tomorrow"...Another small boy, (works at one of the flats) wearing a torn singlet murmurs he wants to go to school and learn- even if he faces bad teachers for he loves books and would show the world what he is..Just allow him to go to school once!

And I thought I had the worst problems in life.

In fact, I now realise, problems could be one truth of life but they are not necessarily always that painful- we make them so! our thinking and thought process have 40% share in the pain- We have total authority over that 40%! If only, we could change our thinking. It is easy.Husband not turning up on time is alright if he is busy with work- atleast, he is employed! Be happy about that. Father not allowing you for something is a thing to celebrate- You have a father who loves and cares for you and hence, is concerned. That you have a rude teacher is not always a thing to be enjoyed on the pretext that you are enrolled at some school/college, but see, he can try to be rude, but he surely does not have the authority to hurt you. You are free to choose. He is a salesman selling you bad mood- You may buy or you may not!

So, the next time I feel hurt because I have problems, I will think of the positive choices I can make and transform the sorrow to a smile, grief to grin (heh...ok its not that positive, but to change the mood, it can be used for a while..right?).
At least, I will not be one among those who are so burdened with the tiny problems that they forget to mingle with the beauty of life. I know, it is sounds kinda clichéd philosophy- But it is true and hence has been quoted at many different times to many different people to become clichéd.

So, lets pledge today and try to solve at least one problem of our lives with this attitude- After all, we must not let the problem sell us burden! Right?


Oh see...there is a small girl crying over her broken toy...seen through this window...Such a problem she has...for nobody comes here without a heart burdened with a thought that needs to be shared...hopefully, her mother will follow soon....most probably with a new toy...till then...This quiet place will hear while this little angel curses her brother for having broken the toy and her grandma for having defended the culprit!

A changed change!

    This post is definitely not going to be a very long one. So, you can read it!

This one is with a view to clarify some thoughts. Very lately, my posts have evolved as preachers of the importance of a changed life; transformed goals etc etc. Just as I was pondering over the subject of my posts, I realized that somewhere, they lack 'complete communication' of my thoughts.

I certainly believe in the fact that change is the law of life. Societal norms, strict rules, unnecessary restrictions- all must undergo a change,a transition rather, to become friendly. Those are on a much wider level. We can unhesitatingly term them as 'traditions'. As Saint Morari Bapu says,"parampara pravaahit honi chahiye" which means traditions must undergo transitions with changing times. And I revere him a lot. Not just for this one thought but many other great thoughts.

But the change that I have usually written about are associated with a person-not his surroundings! I have talked of how 'changes' have influenced my life and how I have needed them to happen in my life.
Yes. All of that is cent percent true! But I also feel, people may perceive it differently.

I shall explain briefly.
A change is needed when what one perceives as good is not actually good and when that change happens, one realizes what was bad with one's 'good'. But that does not mean, or at least I did not intend to imply, that one should let 'anybody' enter one's sphere of personal space and make it. Mind you, 'Teachers' never intimidate- so they really are not 'anybody'. They inspire, as I said.  I am not talking of them.

The change that I talked of comes from within- When you realize that no voice other than that of your inner self tells you that you need to start looking forward to some newer and nicer habits; a better life.  And again, this does not mean that you should not listen to people around you. But you must define lines. My definition of a change does not ever associate itself with moral principles. They must not be converted for they define who you are.

So, conversions and changes are practical and useful only till they lead you to a maturely nuanced line of action! In case you find your morals being compromised, ahem!, you are most probably letting yourself be swayed away unknowingly. So, decide whether or not it is your inner self guiding you. Because when you will need a change, you will acquire it eventually!-Without compromising your 'self-ness'.

A good Teacher!

Mr.Barack Obama gets a standing ovation from me for precisely explaining the distinct grandeur of the most important element of a student's life, in a student's life- That of a teacher! Can you spare a few minutes? 3:06 to be precise. Whenever you can, Please do watch- this Video!

"A good teacher can change the course of a student's life"- An eternal truth it is! I have always needed guidance. Not pieces of free advice, which most people are generous to give, but true guidance.
The easiest and the most difficult decisions in life are usually the most time taking ones. You need to make a quick decision and a good guidance helps.A LOT! That is the part good teachers are expected to play. Enable the student to make quick and correct decisions. It is believed that a child may not listen to his Parents, but the same order from his teacher makes him get going. A good teacher just realizes how important he is in his student's life and utilizes his position-of-importance to bring the best out of the child.

It took me a long time to realize that no teacher can be totally bad. Teachers can be categorized as excellent, good , not very good and may be not that good. It is not litotes. It is a simple reality. First of all, the very fact that a teacher makes efforts to communicate certain ideas with his students, makes him totally respectable. Students must value that. And if still, students feel like labeling some as a 'bad teacher', they are most probably not labeling a teacher; just a person who trudges after the syllabus just so that his pay does not get blocked! So, you know the context of my thoughts- I am talking of a teacher!

Being humans, students do turn judgmental. And it turns quite instinctive to define a good and a not-so-good-teacher. And the definition is never based on the volume of the homework. It is just myth. Students always now the importance of getting 'H.W.'. Anyway, the Teachers that I am talking of, lie beyond the ambit of school and college assignments. They don't just teach. They inspire. And the line of separation between these categories is based on the differences in the degrees of inspiration.

The course of a student's life is definitely affected by his teacher. A good teacher always takes it to the right direction. A good teacher makes an eternal impact through his eternal inspiration rather than an ephemeral one.His words fascinate his disciples. They make the learners discover a newer self.

As I said, I always need guidance. Many times, I am not even aware that I do. But the shade of an eternal inspiration makes me realize that I do. Years back, I used to be a girl who totally averted reading. Years later, after having been under the supervision of some good teachers, I have fallen in love with Books-even my text books!. I have started to read! Maturity, it could be. But without those lovely teachers, Maturity would just have been a word associated with age!

My ambition has now changed from 'getting a good job' to 'doing something that can change the lives of many in need of a better life'; changed from 'earning salary' to 'earning satisfaction'; from 'studying' to 'learning'. And yes, it may not totally reflect in my personality, but I AM trying to improve and do something substantial rather than surreal. Because reality is not always ideal. It consists of loopholes. The 'substantial' that I talked of will not always be ideal, but at least can be majorly good- My teachers have taught me!

And that is the impact that I wanted to talk of. An impact that a teacher makes to transform the goals of his students. After all, a good education does not just make people study hard but learn smart! So, without any amazing  return gift equivalent to their contribution, I want to say, Thank You teachers! I need you always!

A Lesson

I have no words to express. But to express has become a dire need for me. Have you felt this way ever before? A deep sinking feeling. Does it happen to you that you plan something for days and then at the finalized day, the entire plan crashes? Say for you birthday party? You plan the decoration, cake, everything to the most minute detail but nothing turns up the way you had wanted. Bad. No? That is the 'sinking feeling'. When expectations deceive. Hopes go low. And if you know it is your fault, blaming does not work.

I do not have  the case of a crashed birthday party. Nor do I take birthday plans so seriously. But some other plans seem highly important to me. Plans of life. No. Not Career plans. Careers can seem way too secondary when you realize that somewhere you have failed to do the job God had hired you to do. God will not fire you because he loves you. But your self will kill. A good Career may brighten your future. But to be a better human will definitely enlighten your life; your soul; your mind;everything.

I will not elucidate on what happened. Not because I should not but because I cannot.

'Somebody looks up to me to seek help but I do not realize the severity of his situation and avert helping him.' To paraphrase the episode, this line could be quite helpful. This is more or less what has happened.
For a minute, I can even forget that there is something called the 'Supreme Power'. But that is no reason why I should not feel guilty. Be it for the sake of God or any such powers, lending a hand to someone is a Human Duty. For me at least. Forget even that. Humanity is a far thought. Many times, I have needed somebody to guide me. To hold my hand and take me to the right direction. Why can I not be that hand to somebody?

It feels bad. But I can not get any idea on what to do next. 'It was a mistake' is just a euphemism for 'It really was my fault. I am guilty'. This is human nature. Justification. You see, when we succeed at helping someone, we are so highly proud.Why? 'I helped him dude, should not I be proud? I faced problems only to keep ABC out of a few.' The 'I' becomes so dominant.
But when we fail at same. we justify. 'I was not in a position to. I have my own priorities. How could I have helped yaar?God will do something.I can just think good for him' Now. God has the responsibilities.

This is the fight that usually goes on. I v/s God. Pride versus Justification. That is the moment when not our degrees but our virtues matter. When life teaches a lesson, it usually is a permanent one. One that we keep with ourselves throughout the different phases of seeing the world.

So, for me. It is the time to get working. I will not justify. I will work not just to make myself not feel guilty but also to bring a smile on somebody's face. Hope it will work.

Nostalgia+Current times= A philosophical narration!

My Facebook status messages and picture shares are usually overfilled with nostalgic accounts. For some reason, I always end up writing about my childhood and share stories with all the people in my friend list who might , in one way or the other, be related to those incidents.

A few days back, I shared  a picture, that displayed a funny summary of the 'general dialogues of teachers during classes in school'. To my surprise, many of contemporaries who were there with me in the 7th and 8th standards supported the picture with a thumbs up.(Well, that's the FB culture, if you hit a Like, your support to the contents of the link, is an abstract confirmation:)) Alright, I had mentioned which teacher I was reminded of by those 'dialogues'. But my friends confirmed that. A thread of comments, initiated by me and another childhood friend of mine, on the same link made sure that we laughed out loud! We started adding our 'remembered teacher's' other favorite quotes which used to make us laugh during her classes in school.

It feels so strange to realize that what once used to be our daily practical dose of laughter, has now shrunk to a narrow ambit of memories. And what is happening now will soon shrink and find spaces in nostalgia!

Its admission time in Delhi University. Anxious, Curious, Excited, Ambitious, Confused-are a few adjectives that can describe the students aspiring to get admitted in one of the most sought after universities in the country. Seeing the aspirants, I am reminded of my own days. That sounds as if I ran for admissions in 1927!
No.
 But indeed the changes in the admission procedures happen so fast in the University that every freshers' batch feels proud of being a part of the batch it belongs to since no one knows when the University may change the rules leaving no rooms for the future generations to follow the same rules! Every year is an Era of rules that might turn associated with the 'freshers' belonging to that year only. You are following certain rules this year and your younger sister or brother may not ever get to know such rules even existed! So, it is quite justified if I say,"hamaare zamaane mein Colleges ke separate forms bhi mila karte the" even though my 'zamaana' refers to 2010!

So, the would-be students of the university, remind me of my days. It used to be so much fun to fill the forms and to make temporary friends at the various admission centers just so that both I and my friend could help each other in filling the details!
At my college, The Admin Gazebo is THE PLACE! Guardians, their kids, friends, and dreams together constitute the population at the Gazebo these days.

Yes. Nostalgia does dominate. But it also strikes me that wherever may these kids go, their perception towards the curriculum and courses will change after getting admitted. Admission to Universities(or at least to the Delhi University) is just like what most Love marriages are like-You are at the peak of your energy till the last moment before it happens and then it may start going down when your expectations and the realities start meeting at crossroads. You realize that certain prejudices that had had an unabridged control over you mind till School hold no importance now.
At the same time, You realize that College is not about creating a line of divide. Its about erasing a few. Courses hold no importance if the person from a different course, who just turned wonderful friend of yours,can meet you regularly.
You realize that there are many things that you do apart from studying; That days of completing syllabus can be forgotten for sometime; that things that you may have otherwise avoided to do are not that bad after all (No, not smoking dude!) I mean bunking classes; joining societies that were before college, totally alien to your world of ECA.


Its the time of change for the kids. Change that will most probably accompany them throughout their life. And this reminds me of one Alumna who, at our First day at college, inspired us to gear up for a wonderful life ahead when she said that irrespective of what one achieves during School, College ensures that each person is trying to have fair share of the same cake. So, Confidence is a must!