The girl at the window

You know, just glaring out of the window today, I saw many people passing by the street and noticed the emotions on every face. The most happy were the young school going ones or the really old ones and our happy tail wingling office dog Suzy… Wondering what’s goingon in the minds of all those people, I sat down and simply searched Indians in Google. Again various emotions to confuse me with the stories behind. Why does it happen that we forget what we have and always keep running after what we don’t. If  you realize the importance of your assets and people now, you might overlook many sad emotions and see the better life you are living. Here surfing through net I came across some short and sweet stories, which I would like to share with my readers. Happy living !

LOVE:

Story 1: One night a guy and a girl were driving home from the movies. The boy sensed there was something wrong because of the painful silence they shared between them that night. The girl then asked the boy to pull over because she wanted to talk. She told him that her feelings had changed & that it was time to move on.

A silent tear slid down his cheek as he slowly reached into his pocket & passed her a folded note.

At that moment, a drunk driver was speeding down that very same street. He swerved right into the drivers seat, killing the boy. Miraculously, the girl survived. Remembering the note, she pulled it out & read it. "Without your love, I would die."

Story 2: It was a busy morning, about 8:30 am, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.The doctor took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.
The doctor saw him looking at his watch and decided, since he was not busy with another patient, he would evaluate his wound.On exam, it was well healed, so the doctor talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, doctor asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

Doctor inquired as to her health. He told that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. As they talked, doctor asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

Doctor was surprised, and asked him, “And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”

He smiled as he patted his hand and said,

“She doesn’t know me, but “I still know who she is.”

The doctor had to hold back tears as he left, he had goose bumps on his arm, and thought,

“That is the kind of love I want in my life.”

Moral: True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

ATTITUDE:

Story 1: An old man lived alone in a village. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.

The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation:
Dear Son,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren’t in prison.
Love,
Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: ‘For Heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up the garden!! That’s where I buried the GUNS!!’ At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.

His son’s reply was: ‘Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad.. It’s the best I could do for you from here.’

Moral: NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS.. NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS….

RELATIONSHIP:

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her.

The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised.

That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn’t sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral of the story: If you don’t give your hundred percent in a relationship, you’ll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.

This is applicable for any relationship like love, employer-employee relationship etc., Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully.

Unconditional emotions:

A man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper.

Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty.

He yelled at her, stating, “Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.”

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

Moral: In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses… from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.

Hurts & Benefits:

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:

“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied: “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Moral: LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE

The Not-so-Perfect Days!

Absolutely…. Nobody is so perfect… am too not so perfect, neither does everyone has a perfect life. Yes I too have heard this before, that life has its ups and downs. And these so called ‘Downs’ (which has different definition for everyone and they occur quite too often) are the ones that sometimes get to your nerves but all we can do is be patient and let it pass. I know you would think, its better said than done, like any other philosophy of life.

When we are going through a bad time and nothing seems to work, infact it just gets worse, till the time we get up and prove sanity to ourselves (which, to be honest, is the worst part!). You bang your head, bite-off all your nails or blow a trumpet to scare n shoo away the problems but all they do is just keep piling up like colorful scoops of ice cream one to top of each other giving you taste of different irresistible flavours…... you bet, its not as yumm as it is sounding!

Perfectness has its relevance when it comes to problems, since they are Not-So-Perfect. And since every problems brings with it some pain which is inevitable but the suffering attached, is surely optional. I can say it all depends on us, if we are taking it as a challenge of life and defeat it or we submerge into it and get bullied. Infact this could be the time when you will realize what you truly capable of. Practically speaking from my bag of experiences, there is surely some truth in the fact that  sun needs to set for it to rise again the next day. And it’s only, when you know what darkness is, that you will appreciate the significance of light.

Nope, I don’t want to turn this into some kind of a motivational post….. I just wanted to point out that if you are having a bad day, just remember that it’s not going to stay forever. Simple! Don’t get pushed by it but get led by your dreams.

Live, Laugh, Love !!!

Yesterday while flipping through tv channels, I came across a show on a lifestyle channel about 10 things to do before you say bye…. No, am not going to write about my 10 things!!! I have also seen many friends on the same grounds as the show, making there to-do list for the life, with various interesting/personal things topping their charts, from slimming down to learn cooking to writing a book etc etc.

I too want various things from life, but in a slightly different way… these things aren’t carefully thought over tasks, to be listed… these are my dreams. These are the things which are a part of my passion n hobbies. It's not to show the world what I want from life… Its about me, they will make me complete and satisfy my dreams that are part of me since I was a lil girl! (And surely they are not rounded off to 10 too…. :D)

I don’t dream too big, I’ll achieve what I would crave for truly and work towards with dedication (Inshallah). Here, the dreams I am talking about are in the context of things that can give happiness to my inner soul. My childhood has been very motivating coz of my mom and dad, who have always understood my likes and dislikes and helped me turn them into my hobbies or passion. I won’t deny that I have lived a lot of my dreams like I learned few dance styles, travelled to new places, have a career that can prove me independent, I started this blog (my dream to start writing someday beyond the diaries), I got the man who loves me truly, I have a brother with whom I have the the best bonding (as a tiny 2 yr old, I longed for a friend to play with & God gave me my brother – a friend for lifetime)… but all these are not done yet, to tick them off… they are growing with me… they are accompanying me as I travel through the journey called life. There are many more dreams adding up with every passing day…. Guess this is what makes life interesting and worth living for!

I don’t really want to grow up, but I want to move ahead to realize that I am living my dreams. Its true to say that it doesn’t matter how many years you have in your life, what matters is how much life you have in your years!

Its never too late... realize your dreams, even the simplest ones, to see how many you would have already lived! This will surely add a smile to your face and make you feel, your life is much beyond the present problems you are facing!  So Live truly, Laugh madly & Love deeply... Its precious !

Incredible INDIAAAAHHH !

Living in a country like India is an everyday cultural extravaganza… from taking a rickshaw ride to work or having gol gappas on the street, or being a part of a big fat Indian wedding…every  road and every rock in India tells us a story! Only a few places in the world can match the enigma that is India. Take some old treasured history, dip it in rich architecture and splendid natural beauty, mix it with lots of traditions and cultures, add some pinches of art, spiritualism and wild and now add a paste of age old practices and modern science garnish all this with lots of colours and vibrance, what you get is simply India! It truly  fascinates, as one of the most rewarding dramas on the earth!

Even though I had grown up in this colourful land but its uniqueness never strike me the way it does now, after spending 3 years of my work life in the Indian travel Industry. Travelling to India or travelling within India, both has its own charm. Travel is not a thing of only rich people now, India is developing not only in terms of visual development but also development of the mindset. Today people set aside an annual family vacation fund. (WoOoWW!!) Vacations are now like a new form of meditation, where you relax and come back to the real world with a new zeal. Moreover if it’s a country like India, then nothing better… what say Indians!

From snowcapped Himalayas to lantern lit villages to ultra modern metros to gorgeous beaches and an unforgettable history… India is a blessing for its traveler. The contrast is such that it becomes an inspiration--- Picture the scenes below and you can visualize the bamboozling land of India….

A train of camels in Jaisalmer vs houseboat taxis in Allepey

Breakfast in Udaipur with a lakeview vs lunch in the wilderness of Ranthambore

The sun worshipper of Varanasi Ghats vs the Sun kissed Goan beaches

Adventures of rough himalayas vs the smooth luxury of Jaipur

 The unique display of love at Khajuraho vs the martial art style of Kochi

Meditation in peaceful Ladakh Vs shopping in the bustling city of Delhi

 Royal forts vs Rustic Villages

Thrilling Rafting at Ganges vs the Serenity of TAJ!

India will showcase itself at every corner and in every Indian…. It will enthrall you, mesmerize you, captivate you leaving you hypnotized by its charm….no other word can capture the true essence of this country but INCREDIBLE! 

Chilli breeze - A world of freelance Writing!

Recently, out of my habit of surfing through net, i came accross this spicingly soothing name- ChilliBreeze that cought my attention. And after reading a few articles on the websites, i couldnt stop myself from being a part of this world. I had always wanted to try my writing skills for freelancing and here I am, now a part of this freelancing world  of Indian writers. Click here to read my published article on chillibreeze.

Beyond the job factor !

My this new post is dedicated to all you working women. It urges you to think if your job is the most important part of your self-identity and if  it has gradually taken over who you are…. OMG! Now, read on and keep thinking!

“What do you want to be or dream to be when you grow up?” This question must be sounding familiar, yes most of us have faced it as kids. When we were tiny, our silly yet creative answers caught everyone’s attention no matter how unpractical they were….. I want to be a farmer growing chocolates or have an icecream shop. Then with these sweet thoughts and in no time, we realize we have grown up, now its time to study hard, match expectations, and finally land in a real job. Something that justifies my education and defines who I am. All the stories of having chocolate farm and Icecream shop goes out of the window.

I remember, by the end of my first working month, more than career ambitions, I had plans of spending my first salary. Since my school days, when my dad once refused a school trip, I had a dreams of travelling the world as an independent  grown up girl. That is what I did from my first salary, a backpacking trip with a  friend cum roommate. We were both fresh in the corporate world and had a heady mix of independence, success and energy that the first job always brings. On our way we met two girls from UK who were recently fired from their jobs and had decided to use this break to follow their passion of travelling the world. We were not only surprised and admiring the two for their positiveness, but were also shocked at their spirit, since, being in their shoes we would have been devastated, after all its our career that defines us, what would we be without it? the mere thought was scary!

Few years of working went by in a flash and soon economy shook the world. I being in the corporate team was better secured than those in operations who had targets and figures to meet. One of my best of friends was worried about her job and the layoffs happening in her team. I tried to be motivating with the same philosophy of looking at the brighter side, so if in case it happens, she can use the break to do things she had always loved doing like writing, travelling, cooking, learning a new language etc.

Her desperation was against all my ideas, she was almost in tears and simply said “I am nobody without my job! This writing, travelling and cooking stuff is fine in pass time, but my job is who I am!

These words of her echo in my ears now. We have all grown up even more and lot of my friends are taking breaks from jobs coz of marriages and babies. I too am married now and being a women I have also dreamt of a perfect job, a perfect house, and I- a perfect in all the roles of being a wife, mom, DIL etc. I wanted time to follow my heart for the things I had always wanted to do…. Do some freelancing, write some more, read some more, follow my passion, cook delicious dishes for my husband n baby… etc etc.

When I shared my thought with a friend, she asked “ but what are you actually going to do?” …. Do people really can’t see the writer, freelancer, a book lover or a home chef I wanted to be? Does that not qualifies for a full time job? But who am I to point on these thoughts. I too, somewhere in my heart, have a fear of loosing the charisma I have from these plans. The thought, that will the grass be as greener the other side as I think? It’s a cache situation, may be it’s the time which will answer it!

Guess , the women of today is in a different league all together. Her career is the most important part of her self identity, she labels others based in what they do for their living. Sometimes during a conversation I too wait for the question “So what do you do” to come up and if it doesn’t I feel, I did not present myself well. Infact, I myself used to label others by what they do for their living. Today, after working for so many years, somehow I cannot relate to stay-at-home wives/moms etc. I don’t know how women motivate themselves to sit at home whole day and only have weekends to go out when their partners would have time for them. Marriage is a blessing for both man and woman… then why does it limits only women from following her dreams.

You work or not, but the talent God has gifted you should not go waste. I want to explore the other side of the story, realize my potential apart from my job and understand myself better. I want to let go the old definition of myself that is linked to my job, to unbox myself and explore the other facets of myself. I want to be a convert, to have a new birthday for my dreams and my talent.

Tomorrow if someone asks me ‘What do you do?’ my answer should be “ I do tons of things! I am a wife, I write, I love to read, cook, travel and laugh with my husband while watching a movie. I love my job and I love doing it. It is the wind beneath my wings” ... ofcourse complimented with my signature smile ***!

Life in a Metro - Part 2

Life in a Metro – A Different Story!

I am a new bee or a new traveler in the famous Delhi Metro, in a way two hours of my life every day are spent in this revolutionary transport system which was introduced a few years back in the capital city of Delhi and its region around. It has been the most successful of all the transport options one has in India. It has been successful to motivate people to leave their own vehicles and travel with the public in a convenient and comfortable way, thus reducing traffic and pollution. Bollywood is a craze for Indians, and not to deny the fact that I am also a movie buff. But, now I don’t have to visit theatres or takeout time at home for television. My daily quota of entertainment is met convincingly in the metro. 

There is a rare breed of humans that has come into existence fairly recently. It looks like a normal self generally, but transforms into a wild show-off species under special circumstances. Their behaviour is controlled at one time, but becomes awfully loud and vicious, few minutes later. This breed is present all around, but you can only see their true colors only in the most used public transport - Metro. These are the women traveling by the metro in the ladies compartment (the pink ‘Women only’ section, don’t know how guys miss this signage and entre).

Walking on the road, they seem perfectly normal women, but the ladies compartment of the Delhi Metro casts some spell on them. Of course there are exceptions, and that’s the reason how I am here to observe and now write about them. So, well, here I pen down some unique and interesting characteristics of these ‘Metro Species’. Earphones…. I had never seen soooo many people and all with earphones in there ears… wwooo, incredible invention I must say. Listen to music or chit chat till your stop comes… looks quite tempting. I haven’t tried it though.

It’s not that simple infact coz if they are listening to music, even with the earphones, it will be so loud that you might not need any music for yourself. Their songs will be enough to keep you engaged. If that’s not much of entertainment, just stand and their conversation will keep you occupied truly when everyday you will hear numerous stories of villain relatives, boyfriend not giving enough time or a new baby in the neighborhood etc etc.. you will have some experience for every sense – for eyes – notice the best dressed or worst dressed, see a lady in an abaya sitting beside one in shorts and staring at her bare legs or the colorfull nail art of the college goers or one almost getting into the window to secretly have her packet of wafers or peep in and read through neighbours newspaper or book etc. 

For your nose, smell the best of the fragnances like the Guccis, Channels & Elizabeths or the weirdest of those who just entered the metro after eating some chat or samosa… For your skin, feel the pain when someone gets on your feet like it’s their personal Persian rug or get sqeezed on a seat area for six, when the extra 3 try to fit themselves for an inch space (don’t know how much comfort does that inch gives them.)

There is one new experience almost everyday. Not leaving myself behind, I also add a few experiences for others, when my iftar time clashes with my travelling time in metro and I have my samosa on board.. (truly we cant follow all the rules, sorry government I cudnt control as the clock strikes 7:15). It’s the time when all tired office/college goers crave for their beds and warm tea at home, when I tempt them with my samosa.

So Delhi Metro adds a new facet to our vibrant Incredible India!.. and the fascinating part is that all this will happen only in INDIA!! And that’s what make it unique …. a day in the life of Indian. All my above details may sound weird to those who haven’t travelled in this amazing public transport, but all the ladies who do, they can empathise and enjoy reading through…I can now say, I don’t know how my time passes by when in metro and I am starting to like it now.

Cheers to metro women & Cheers to Metro!

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan Mubarak! 

"Unlike prayers, charity, and pilgrimage, fasting is an invisible act. Only Allah and the person who is fasting know whether he or she is fasting or not. One may quietly eat or drink something and no one will notice and no one can find out. However, the fasting person has made this commitment for the sake of Allah and he or she wants to guard the purity of his or her fast for the sake of Allah. Fasting thus teaches sincerity, and it helps a person learn to live by the principles of his or her faith regardless whether others know or do not know. This is the very purpose and essence of taqwa (God-consciousness)."

I love this little note. While fasting is often seen as something that involves community-building, it is truly a personal act. At the end of the day, all that matters is your individual relationship with Allah (swt), regardless of what other people see or think of you. The key point is that sincerity derives from living by your values, regardless of your surroundings. As we are inevitably bound to sway (however subtle) with the movement of others, perhaps faith is ultimately best expressed when you are in solitude. 

Because of fasting being an "invisible" act, it is a perfect time for personal reflection and contemplation of your beliefs. In this quiet, answers or questions will rise to the surface.  In this regard, you then have the ultimate power to choose how to manifest those beliefs in your everyday life and principles. In this spiritually charged time, Ramadan can serve to awaken the soul, or keep it in the same condition. It is for each person to decide how much they want to search inward. Through the tough way but now I truly understand that consistency and good intention, however small the acts, can reap great rewards, inshAllah. 

It’s not all about Money, Honey!

When I was in my tiny frame, my mom told me Happiness is the key to life. Infact she chose the name for me that meant happiness. Then one day my teacher at school, asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up… and I wrote down ‘HAPPY’ and she said I didn’t understand the assignment and told her she didn’t understand life!

What’s your opinion when people say, Money can buy everything…money can buy happiness? Personally I don’t agree with this statement completely. Yes, of course, money is important (that’s the reason why we all work.. end of the day money is what matters), but money alone can’t get us happiness.

What if we have million n trillions of rupees but don’t have any place to spend it at like no shopping malls or markets or even clothes, bags and shoes to buy. Or imagine being the only human on earth and don’t have anyone to show-off to. Would you feel contended and happy with bags full of these green notes and no one to share this happiness with? No mom and  dad to buy gifts for on their anniversary or father’s & mother’s day…no brother or sister to shower gifts on their birthdays for that special glow in their eyes that’s so precious. Or no husband/ wife for whom you would want to buy everything in this world or go out on a vacation with! No home, with your loved ones, that you can decorate in your style and no dreams to fulfill!... being super rich sounds meaningless without these precious and irreplaceable things that form life.

It’s not all about money, honey… it’s about each of these dreams and assets (called family & friends) with whom your happiness is linked with. You need people and home to spend this money on!

I love gifting,  I love sharing, I love the smiles on my loved one’s faces… I can live with manageable amount of money but not without my dreams, my people and all the things mentioned above!

A Fairy Tale

A Fairy Tale – Once upon a time…!

A white castle, a gorgeous princess, a prince charming, a beautiful location, a fairy, a crystal shoe to match, a dance of lifetime…. And they lived happily ever after! Fairy tales… almost every girl can feel nostalgic with even a glimpse of them!

This story is of a little girl, who used to keep her fairy tale book inside her school books, so that her mom doesn’t scold her of reading them every time. She had created her own world that was just perfect, free from any malice of any kind. All the tales was read hundreds of times and every next time when she reads it, she visualizes those scenes all over. A beautiful world with only happy endings… that is what she dreamt of!! *smiles*

Then she grew up, things started changing, the world she dreamt of started becoming hazy. She lost her beloved mom who was her strength and a friend. This loss was irreplaceable, she was the guiding force of her life, and with this force missing, she lost her ways. The steps she climbed, were oil coated and she slipped. Learnt the lesson ! Again another step, coated with powder, slipped again and learnt again! Life moved on and hopes developed… she was now a big independent girl in a big city with a never say never spirit. Then one day, all the  tales she had imagined, started taking a shape, the prince of her life arrived and she flew with him in a world full of love. He now happens to be her husband and this is her fairy tale that brought her prince!

 I was a damsel in distress, the sad girl who had been waiting a life time for the magic to begin that can sweep me right off my feet. And when you came, you weren't a knight in shining armor. You stepped in my life, silently and surely, knowing what you were here for. Your certainty about us had me going for you.

  Like a princess locked up in a castle tower, I waited for you to fight the odds, rescue me and take me with you. Scary dragons and wicked witches combined weren't enough to keep us apart; that's what I love about loving you. It's just so powerful!

  I didn't expect a prince when you finally found me. I know you today like I have known you for years and years, and when you were finally there with me, I knew it in my heart.. if you're a prince in cover of an ugly frog...

 Wanted to find a place for us up in the clouds far, far away; where I can look at the stars with better clarity, where they will shine brighter for us and where it's just you and me. Walking up in the clouds with you... Ah I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it!

   Lost in my thoughts, if ever I prick my finger with a needle and get a gift of a fate of endless sleep. Will you come to save me from this eternal doze? Awaken me in all my senses, show me what's like to be truly alive, stay by me and love me.

Kiss me and break the spell.

 Time tested us, from wicked witches to fire breathing dragons; from being confined in the sea to being locked up in towers of a far off land; from poisonous apples to pricking spindles; from being bounded in the castle to having to live in with a beast... Whatever may come; we'll make it through!

You just have to believe and have faith in me.

I love you for all the things you do for me; how you fight the odds and risk your everything. You bring it all to life and you make everything meaningful. I love this sense of purpose!

 Destiny, Fate, stars, crystal balls, dreams, the lines in your palm... everything told you I existed somewhere. You heard my beating heart just like I have been hearing yours all this time.

Souls interwined... 

 This beautiful story was written by God himself and is our destiny now and now since we are together, it's finally complete.

I want us to be the fairy tale that kids may read. I want this story to be read and lived over and over again for countless years. People may not know from where it all began, but they should know how and where it all led to. I want this to be a story that ends with "and they lived happily ever after". But then, I'd never want it to end. Let our 'happily ever after' be a wonderful beginning of every next beautiful thing. I want the little girls to know that happily ever after is not the ending but the beginning.

*smiling*

 This girl is me..  those fairy tales I read in my childhood, pooled in creativity to my thoughts. Do you remember your fairy tale days…? Now since we are all grown up, more practical, do you still believe in them somewhere in the corner of your heart?

For me it does exist! You have to just close your eyes and leave behind all the thoughts, smile and believe in this beautiful world. You will find a fairy tale in your life itself!

So…what does your fairy tale tells you?

No one killed Jessica

Finally finally … it was Saturday when I finally watched no one killed Jessica. The cheerful girl full of life, who always stood against the wrongs around her. A motivation to be around, fun to be with! She was Jessica!!

Yes ofcourse all the characters were justified decently by the actors. Vidya, Rani convincingly portrayed their roles and were quite impressive. It was engaging no doubt..But throughout the movie the thought that bounded me was the fact that somebody actually shot the young girl coz she refused to give him a drink?????? Horrible is an understatement for this kind of incident. And to prove this, it took years… even more terrible. She was a model, was in a celebrity party, shot by a politician’s son, everything was in a limelight and it took around 7 years for the law to punish the guilty, what will be the case if similar thing happens with a common girl like you and me? We can’t expect justice at all I guess.

Almost every day I read a news in the papers about a girl being abducted and raped and the very next day the news vanishes! Ok 50% people now know that the incident happened…. then WHAT’s next?

I can bet, there won’t be even a single girl who have not been stalked by or tampered by a letcher. They are the shameless element of our society, which no body can do anything about, and girls have to suffer being girls. Even in the case of Jessica, there were people around but with no guts to stop the idiots from harassing the girl. Cowards… Truly Cowards. Hope whenever they see the mirror they can see their inability to fight against  the injustice. Am glad some from our nation did come up to help the family and get the justice. As it was said in the movie 2lac people supported the fight…. 2 lac from the population of more than 20 crores?? That’s the crass reality!!!

The fact that most of these everyday incidents happen in broad day light with people just passing by through it, avoiding it… scares me !! Am worried for the next generation too.

I have been in Delhi for quite a few years now but still sometimes I feel very helpless and lonely. Men in general don’t respect women here – neither an autodriver or a shopkeeper, nor the police and not even the mango people on the streets. Earlier these things used to haunt me now and then, but today though I have learnt to avoid it, still it makes me very uncomfortable.  I guess girls around me have accepted it like that , or may be are used to the staring eyes. Personally, I hate it… I hate the feeling of fear and helplessness. It is the same India where the people worship goddesses like Durga?? Evening if I go out alone, it feels I am in a national park and have animals roaming around staring at their potential food.

India wants to develop, but it cant… until the society develops, the thinking of the common man develops. I want to make the change in this thinking.. but how? How can I make it a land for the free and fearless females?

I pray to Allah, to now on send a new breed of real men, not only biologically but also by their deeds in true meaning of the word. India needs it badly.. !! We need a revolution, indeed a makeover !

Illiterates in the neighborhood!

A Night before, I felt a strange anger and was furious on something, which I was completely not involved in.

A night before, at 11:30PM after hearing strange quarrel noises on the street, I ran to my balcony out of curiosity to see what was happening. And to my surprise I saw few people (guess of the same family) in two SUV’s banging on a white swift, that too, after they had broken its front glass. Not only that, soon after, they all came out and went to another car parked nearby and started beating up the two guys in it furiously. Of course being in the majority the family dominated the two young guys.

No rewards for guessing the illiterate reason behind the whole scene !!! It was parking!!!!

The two cars – the swift and i10, were parked on the side of the street (enough space for a car to pass by). This family, whom I’ll call educated illiterates and who really are not aware of the words called patience or calmness, could not stand a visitor’s car parked in their area.

That was not all, this family, who were fighting, as if their pops own the road and they have a legendary link to it… don’t even live there, they live on the next street but were just acting goons on our street. Is this what India all about! Grow up people… it’s time to look beyond these silly issues. There are many more things were you can utilize this energy and aggression. If you have it, use it wisely!

Today when India is going ahead and we are seeing positive developments around us, not only in the infrastructure but also in the lifestyle of the people. Today almost every middle class family go out on dinner once a week and have a holiday once a year. Percentage of the educated Indians is increasing and India is poised to compete with the developed countries in every arena. But all these advancements can’t cover for these stupid scenes, they are a shame to a cultured society and truly irritating to an Indian like me.  

Waiting for India to not only develop but grow up too !!

Talk of the Quarter….. Appraisals !!

Talk of the Quarter….. Appraisals !!

Today when I reached office, there was an email from HR waiting for me to open it… It was to introduce us to the new online Appraisal system. Then after lunch while taking a stroll in the office market, a passer by’s T-shirt said, Hard work doesn't kill anyone but why take a risk :)

Moreover I came across an online article on How to deal with Good appraisals..?

Super Surprising… do good appraisals really exist? Or they are like the UFOs, about whom we just hear and never see or experience?

Office has different vibes these days, everybody seems to be busier than ever. Making sure they complete something…. wondering what it is?
Meeting rooms are always booked, empty coffee cups stuffed here and there, printer are ever printing something or the other, people sitting late, offseason and so much work… HOW?

Did we realize our duties just now….. as in ‘this’ morning on the breakfast table?
Naaaahh!

I guess, with the soaring temperature, it’s also the heat of appraisal season that is sweating us all.
The impact has seriously doubled…. It’s now or never…!!!!

So on the mind these days….All the best work done by your team is actually your mastermind. Lets Prove it dude!
Right or wrong, who decides it…No one. Shut your ears on those who will call your corrupt. You are talented, not everybody is ....to even do this bit.
It requires skills.

I recall this famous quote, “In God We Trust, everybody else bring data to the table”– Mr.Narayana Murthy.
So, get it done by hook or crook.

If travelling was one of your interests through the year, make sure now you are seen more often in the office and how about an organizer and a pen in hand, would definitely give more effect to the scene. If don’t have…Borrow them nowww!
And yes… make it appear natural.

OHOKK … don’t stress yourself much for this, put an alert on your boss’s communicator status change. The moment it turns offline, throw the organizer away; pack your bags and off you go.

Another critical mustdo this time of the year, do anything to make a space in your boss’s good book.
Do whatever !!!! Even bribe …LOL :D… 

Important note… Do Not Crib, No matter you live poles apart from your office or had a bad day at home. Stop cribbing for Christ’s sake and think BIG. 

Not mine but a fren’s manager said to her “ For good job you get paid, for more do something extra”.

After reading this post if you have some time left, then chose a few initiatives and participate in any entertainment cultural event to sandwich the appraisal time in between and minimize it’s impact.

NOTE: This is just reality redefined and .....nothing official about it ;)
Well truly….  ‘You Don't Need The Biggest Title , To Do The Best Job’