Let us regain the true spirit of Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you! I merely love this festival of lights, Christmas trees and beautiful view of the street filled with the talks of red-headed people! Santa Claus has always been the king of Christmas and the beard as white as snow on his happy face has captured the hearts of young children all over the world. When I was very young, I always imagined the silhouette of King Santa slowly walking towards my room in the cold yet pleasant darkness and placing my gift under my pillow. That's what my parents used to narrate to me when I used to screech in happiness and carefully caressed the gift in my arms as if it were an innocent baby. 

Giving and receiving gifts is one of the best 'oh my gosh!!!' moments of this joyous festival. All would anticipate excitedly for their gifts and would tear open the gift wrappers as if they are about to procure some secret treasure underneath the sparkling layers. But at that moment, the gift is no less than a secret treasure and we value it from the bottom of our hearts.

Gifting something to someone special is marked by immense love. Unfortunately the mark has faded over the passage of time. The sweet and memorable period where one exchanges gifts with someone special has now become a target of a flashy price tag. People are expecting expensive and sophisticated gifts in Christmas. The true magic of Christmas has lost it's essence in this commercial paradise.

If emotions are valued less than the cost of the gifts, the joy of gifting decreases and the stress rises. That is because dejected individuals are the ones whose expectations have failed to take the image of reality. No one likes to see their loved ones with sullen faces during the time of Christmas. So it leads to certain amount of stress. That is when the true spirit of Christmas slowly starts losing it's hold. 

This true magic encompasses only the emotions behind every gift. Placing a warm blanket on the shivering hands indicates the emotion of warmth. Offering a small lantern to a fearful wanderer depicts the feeling of hope being passed on, so that the wanderer could follow the light. Gifting delicious cookies to a fragile face indicates the emotion of care through which his hunger could finally take it's last breath. Offering a pair of shoes could lessen the pain inflicted by the scars on someone's feet. 

Christmas is regarded as the festival of joy but is everyone happy? Some are but many are not. If each one initiates a selfless giving, joy would spread like an avalanche and the number will increase who always cheer in unison: Merry Christmas!

Where is humanity?

Any religion has shaped itself as a core part of our identities. Every religion possesses it's own mythological stories and the impact of its influence is huge in the minds of the followers. I imagine religion as a vast ocean. There are huge ships sailing on the ocean. The ships vary in it's size and colour, the sailors differ because of the varied languages, culture and race. But everyone's medium of transport is the same and that is the vast deep blue ocean. Religions have many names and engulfed within them are varied customs and traditions. But the base which supports every religion is the same. That is humanity. 

We all are aware of the fact which I have mentioned above. But many have manipulated their own religion for their vested interests. The ideas of manipulation are then passed onto others and slowly and gradually the volume of minds under the rough blanket increases. Who is the one to be blamed? The person responsible for manipulation? But why would he do it? There is must be some reason behind it. As all say that there are two sides to every story. 

World is divided into good and bad people. There are bad ones because they must have gone through some nasty experiences, which you or me could not even imagine of. This implies that there must be some bad ones before the new bad comers. Another division which is so popular nowadays is good and bad religion. People belonging to a bad religion are bad. There maybe many good hearted ones but they are ill-treated and deprived of love which really turns them bad. The conflict rises like rising flames. At the end, no one wins. Any revenge cannot be victorious where humanity is being confronted with fatal death. 

I try to recollect the Stone Age period which I studied in History. I wonder if religion existed at that time. The time where survival was the only priority of man. But there maybe fights occurring. So is conflict the outcome of religion? Maybe. That's because some people fight in the name of religion. A person is not treated well by a person of a xyz religion. There are chances that the victim feels every individual of that particular religion is a devil and this feeling spreads. It even spreads from generations to generations. Revenge rises at a same velocity and a time comes where humans only blame the religion. No one knows who started it and no one knows how would all this end. 

Humanity is at stake. Revenge has become the head of all human relations. Thousands of candles are lit and yet the war continues. People say peace is the solution. How can peace grow? If the fights stop. How can the fights stop? If understanding builds up. How can understanding take it's stand? If people just forget about the nationality, race, gender, caste, class, religion and remember only one thing. 

We are humans.

Cooking: A cool experience to enjoy with loved ones....

I remember writing notes about cooking when I was in 6th. I can't exactly recollect the cause behind it but the first line is still embossed on my mind: cooking is an art. I didn't have any idea about cooking at that time. It never occurred to me as interesting. There were students in my class who had already learned to cook some dishes as the teenage years commenced but I considered myself as a 'black sheep of my group.' I didn't even bother to learn few tips from my mom.

As years passed by, my first experiment on cooking was making an omelette. I tried to push my interests onto the unpredictable path of cooking. I term it as unpredictable because sometimes an unexpected drop of blood becomes a painful ingredient.(wink*) Egg is my favourite and hence I felt delighted in the process of making an omelette. I used to proudly exclaim to my relatives that: I know to make an omelette! Well, it's not a big thing but for me it was. 

Being a housewife is not a piece of cake. I have seen my mom struggling day in and day out and I used to feel sorry for her. I have always made a grumpy face whenever she used to present healthy food in front of me. "Isn't there something interesting?" would be my first response. I feel most of the kids have the tendency to make such a response. In some situations I had come face to face with the sudden outburst of my mom's anger. 

"Stand in the kitchen whole day and try to cook something as your mind battles with the heat! That is the time you will realise how difficult cooking is! Be grateful for what you get as you don't know how it feels to die in hunger!" My mouth converts into a straight line and I kind of feel ashamed of myself. That is the time when I don't feel sorry for my mom, but I actually empathise with her. 

I then took a silent vow and promised myself that I would start helping my mom in cooking. I realised that a little help could make her day. After all even our moms deserve a hang out with their friends and some time for themselves, isn't it? The vow is still in progress. 

Cooking is one of the best way to spend time with the parents. One day my dad decided to make a fish curry. I started observing him and tried to cut few vegetables by myself. It's a very funny experience. I didn't know how to hold a knife properly and my hand would tremble with excitement and fear. My dad would look at me and say, "this is not the way!" and his remark would be followed by my mom's laughter in the next room. He would keep me occupied by asking me to remove green chillies or tomatoes. I would become confused because of an unsuccessful search in the fridge and my mom's comment would make me laugh harder: Oh! (in exaggeration), she will take the whole day to find them! The entire experience would be composed of dedication, fun and a dawn of realisation which consists of one single message: Cooking is a cherish able experience to rejoice with the loved ones. 

This amazing art has developed tolerance in me. It has also taught me the secret behind a wonderful recipe. That secret is love. It is an ingredient which makes any dish so delicious and mouth-watering which no five star hotel would be able to provide you. That is why home made foodstuffs are the best! 

YOLO- You live only once!!!

This article is based on the topic YOLO- You live only once. Things which I would like to do before I depart from the world....

'You live only once' is an utterance so popular. We all wish to lead a life where there is adventure, excitement, happiness, love, fame and success. No one would dream of leading a monotonous life riddled with boring routines! Just like you have framed a picture which consists of shining present and mysteriously awesome future of your life in your mind, I would also like to share the framed photo which I have designed and has huge impact on my mind and soul. Just like anyone else, I want my life to turn out as a magnet that attracts only smiles and laughter. In order to turn this dream into reality, I wish to become a writer before I lose my earthly existence. 

Writing turned out to be my passion since I turned 13 years old. I had developed immense love in reading novels and later I decided to pass on this love to the fingers which could pen down ideas of my mind. From that moment onwards, I dreamt of being a writer. At the beginning I wished to be a novelist but slowly and gradually my heart exchanged routes with the one which would inspire me to evolve as a blogger. 

I want to lead my life writing captivating articles which would capture millions of hearts. I am sure this passion would be entangled with other varied experiences which could be breath-taking and eye-opening at the same time. I don't wish to become a great writer. Rather I would like to become a writer who is consistent. A life whose core is writing and where there is no pressure for perfection. I will love to read the articles of other writers and their inspiration will turn out to be a cherry on the cake. 

Traveling is another motive of mine. I feel that traveling and writing go hand in hand. Traveling will help me to develop a flexible heart for understanding people whom I have never met, it will gift me a new vision to feast my eyes on the nature, beyond my grasp of imagination, it will surprise me with a unique taste for which my taste buds would thank me and finally it would shower upon me with experiences to make me capable of widening my soul further. 

I would love to pen down all these experiences. Peace will be at its abundance and as my eyes will blink with fading yet beautiful images of entire journey, a faint voice will sing in my soul: Yes, I have lived my life fully! 

You are changing everyday.....

True love. Is this a concept or a feeling? I don't know and I feel that most people are still unsure about it. I have never been able to define the word 'love'. From the days of childhood I have heard that one must love and take care of their family, relatives and friends. We love our families. We say that we even love our friends from the bottom of our hearts. Keeping that in picture, I have come across situations where I have said 'I love you' to my best friends in school. But at the same time, I hate it when they change over the spasm of time. This results from the change in priorities and I have found myself saying this to one of my childhood friend, 'you have changed a lot!' 

A deviation in the attitude conflicting with the one playing in our minds brings anger. Slowly I tried to come over it. But as I came over it, I sensed that my idea about the love I feel for my friends has changed. The feeling is still the same yet the perception has decided to take a new road. I realized that understanding people brings more love than merely celebrating parties and circulating gifts. A change in attitude will shoot out the bad feelings and replace the black hole with love. Can that be understood as 'true love?'

Break-ups have become a daily routine. People have also started celebrating break-ups. Ending up any relation has become so deep rooted and there are many who take it so delicately. I don't want to consider them as the insensitive ones because everyone's life is different and thousands of experiences and reasons encircle their current personalities. But sometimes it feels as if fights and conflicts have turned out to be the only solutions. Love blossoms and then continuous arguments blacken it deeply. Hatred comes out and the relationship ends. This is how I have imagined it. Why does the feeling vanish into thin air? Because of conflicts. How do the conflicts take shape? Because of egocentricity. Promises disappear into the realms of anger.

Earth has become a fusion of two worlds. One world is deeply marked by hatred. The other one by love. We all know fairly the reasons behind these two words. We watch news broadcast where wars between countries are being dramatically explained. We watch it, analyze it, criticize one of the nations and take side of another. If we find any one who is supporting the opposite nation, we start over a debate with that person as well. Small-sized fight has begun. We watch latest shows with our friends and later discuss about the actions made by the characters. Some actions reflected selfishness and in an animated discussion we say how truly we hate that character. But at the same time if we see our only friend mingling with some other guys, insecurity swells up in our minds and we start acting differently. We talk a lot about books whose stories depict unconditional love but if it's your birthday and your bf/gf didn't turn up with a gift, you turn red as a tomato.

In this entire article I tried to emphasize reality within the hemispheres of totality. I would not like to suggest any measures to improve relationships because that is totally up to you. You are your life's master and your actions will add colors in your life. Mere experiences with people or reading articles changes our attitude towards love and hatred. It gives birth to a new perception and things start changing. You are changing everyday. We all are changing everyday. It is an amazing feeling to view the world in this way. 

What happens when you do things you don't desire to do...

'You can do it!'

This sentence spreads out an amazing dimension of positivism. Anyone loves to hear this when they find themselves in the most challenging situations. I can presume that the challenging situation comprises of something which you wish to excel. 

There can be situations totally opposite to these. A challenge is in front of you and you keep on playing the same track in your mind, 'you can do it! you can do it!' but here the challenge is something which you don't desire to excel, you are standing there just because you want to procure acceptance. 

What may be the outcome of this?

You fail.

I have realized one thing in the past few days that when we try too hard to achieve something, we generally fail in it. Here working 'too hard' doesn't imply carrying a positive attitude and making maximum efforts to succeed. It is when you are under lot of pressure or more specifically, someone is pressurizing you to do something in which you attain no interest. Then why are you doing that particular thing at the first place? That's because you can make the person happy or make him/her like you more than he/she does. This is what generally squirms in our minds right?

Now what is that thing which we do to make the other person happy? It could be anything. But going more in depth, it is some sort of object or activity which the other person admires. I don't feel that doing something for someone else which he/she likes is a bad thing, especially when it comes out of love. There are times when we place our priorities below the priorities of our loved ones. That is truly special. But there are also times when we get so much immersed in making the person happy or trying to impress him/her that we forget who we truly are and where our capabilities actually lie. 

Those are the moments where we work 'too hard' but don't receive fruitful results. Our minds during that period are not as light as the feather which flows delicately and graciously amidst the power of the wind. It becomes heavy and stuffed with only expectations. You try but the desire has already vanished within the moments of sadness and disappointment. 

'Be yourself' is such a commonly used term but it appears to be commonly distinct. We hear this, say this but how many of us actually follow this? Even I forget to follow this during times  when reality is overshadowed by day dreaming and excitement. But the sooner you realize where you stand, the easier it would be for you and all of us to come in talking terms with reality. 

People feel that they were stupid when they realized how their efforts to 'prove' themselves had gone in vain.  All human beings gain that tendency to prove themselves so that others would look at them in awe and praise and admire them. There is nothing wrong in it. Everyone deserves attention and feeling of importance. But when an individual gets so blinded in gaining importance that he starts doing things which actually doesn't suit him, then he may land in trouble. 

My father had always told me one thing: 'It is not necessary that everyone out there is going to like you.' I feel that this statement has been useful for me and it may even to you to forget the past and move on in life. 

What is your greatest challenge?

Human potential is beyond words. It multiplies magnificently between your first and your last breath. It is nothing but the driving force behind one’s existence. The purpose of your life is like a blossoming flower and your potential is the stalk which supports it. Only sky is the limit if both rejoice each other’s company.

If potential and purpose of life are imagined as one side of the coin, then challenges occupy the other side. These challenges raise us, break us and polish our personalities to create a spark, the one which we are carrying today. They sometimes take us for a drive to drop us beside our goals whereas sometimes they carry the masks of unfriendly strangers. They never die, determined to indulge in new shapes at every walk of our lives.

Challenges are analyzed as exterior objects. A hot-tempered boss, hectic entrance test, recession, giving a presentation in front of large audience, break-up and so on are its varied forms. Some people manage to pass through such foggy areas but many halt out of fear and dejection. Why can’t they pass through the foggy areas?

Ans: They are not yet aware of their main challenge.

Criticizing is an important threat that every human being possesses. If any stimulus crosses their path which they don’t consider as desirable, they start criticizing it. So even challenges are criticized by us some time or the other. I have read in Dale Carnegie’s books that criticism is like a poison that kills any relationship. (That’s not exactly his words butthe underlying meaning is the same). So if you got to materialize a beautiful relation with yourself then is criticizing going to help you at all? You know the answer.

The people who are able to pass through the foggy areas are the ones who consider themselves as their first main challenges. Their relationship with themselves is beautiful with an inner depth of understanding. Criticism blocks you from looking into your inner self. That is how one comes over with brilliant ideas and solutions for their upcoming hurdles.

YOU are your greatest challenge and no one can change this fact. If your mind can make you dream about your goals, then why can’t it give you solutions for the obstacles?

Imagine your mind is a bird. The bird is with other birds in the nest, waiting for the food toarrive and fighting with the other ones. Then one day, it flies and sits on a higher branch. From there it can see the entire scenario more vividly that takes place every day in the nest. Similarly if we are too much engrossed in our fights and criticism, then how can we get a crystal clear picture of the challenge in front of us?

Take a moment and fly higher from where you are. That one flight may take you to the glories of the sky.

 

It doesn't matter how you look....

Height is a trait which is a known fact to all.  It is completely depended on one's genes and it is composed by nature, one has only a little control over it. 

'You are tall' or 'you are short' are the statements which could pinch your emotions. If you are tall and are complimented by peeps around, it will surely pinch your emotion of pride. You feel so good about yourself. But if it is the other way around, especially when your 'lack of height' is compared with a person with whom you got to raise your head up for a talk, then you know well what you are going through.

Nowadays people have given birth to a new perception towards a particular characteristic called height. It has been given a lot of importance and if you are 5 feet 5 inches or more than that, you are considered as 'perfect.' If you aren't, then they would either look at you with pity or mock you. 

Physical appearances I feel has achieved the peak position of a pyramid that contains things inducing human satisfaction. Everyone wants to be more fairer, thinner(0 size!) or are even ready to indulge into a surgery for producing a 'dimple' on the cheek. 

Seriously?! 

In case of boys, some of them have the craze to develop abs, muscles and make their hair covered with gel to create artistic spikes and all this is done to appear 'cool.' 

I clearly agree to the fact that looking neat and presentable is important. But before you indulge into any appearance changing missions, just ask yourself: why am I doing this? Is it because you love it or you want someone else to love it? The answer will immediately knock on the door of your consciousness. 

The topic regarding the 'body size' is yet another interesting one. Being fit and healthy is very essential. Some are very thin because their body metabolism is very high and some become thin due to vigorous exercise. I personally feel that the tendency of letting your body indulge into exercise must be a call from the heart. If one is doing exercise just due to the external pressure, there is no fun in doing it. 

Your colour, weight, body structure and height could be manipulated or changed to a certain extent. Being able to measure that extent would make you realise how much you can work on it. That hard-work will eventually provide you with sweet results and you will find yourself being happy about it. It would lead to less stress and dissatisfaction.  

Be happy with how you are and how you look. Never feel insecure about your looks, because that is how you are meant to look. There are many products and cosmetics for the face, gym and other surgical treatments to make you thin ( I don't know the names of such treatments but I have heard that it exists) and heels to make you look taller. It is impossible to ignore such things in today's era because it has gained so much of popularity. But amidst all this, haven't you ever felt that the 'true you' is lost somewhere? The one that was beautifully crafted by the hands of nature?

The connection with universe

'I hate my LIFE!' is such a negative statement which very often I have heard people saying. Of course the utterance seems very exaggerating and when someone is not happy with the way things are happening around, such words have an easy spill from the mouth. The individual blames people, objects and circumstances which are rotating around his/her life, cursing them and the situations grow even worse. After which the person says: "Why me? Why is God doing this only to me?!" 

Alas, there is no option but to see that individual jumping in the well of misery by locking himself/herself in the room, trying to shun off all the contacts and losing interest even in the activities which he/she used to admire the most. 

Who should actually be blamed for this travesty? Life? Most people blame their lives when they are confronted with difficult circumstances. But who is controlling this life full of problems? 

We.

Thoughts which keep on circulating in our minds are energies. This implies that both positive and negative thoughts are nothing but energies. This energy becomes very powerful when we keep on dwelling on it. That is the time when it shoots up into the universe and whatever you thought will eventually turn into an experience in the external world.

Which means that if you feel you are facing a lot of problems, it is actually because you were brooding over something bad that has happened to you in your past, which makes you feel anxious and irritable, increasing the frequency of negative waves in your mind and making them release into the universe, which alas gives birth to more negative situations.(problems)

'What you sow so shall you reap' is a proverb that fits perfectly with this concept. If you sow banana seeds and water them regularly, nature responds to this action by making you feast your eyes on a large and beautiful banana tree. It would only be a banana tree and not an apple tree. Similarly if you practise the habit of bottling the positive thoughts, then those would eventually turn into likewise situations, making you more happy and successful in your life. 

We all have the habit of washing our faces after an outdoor experience. In the same way we should not forgot to cleanse our minds. It is the source which is going to shape our lives. Our mind can be implicitly compared to a bowl of water. It's purity can only be sustained if it is taken care by us everyday. Or else small specks of dirt will built it's home in it, slowly and gradually calling it's neighbours and at the end that clean bowl of water would turn into a stale and filthy water. The place where taking even a single breath seems next to impossible. A kind of scenario wherein death overshadows life.

It doesn't matter who you are and what is your age. We all are same at the core and this 'universal law' applies to all. Consider your mind as a companion and love it till the end. Create your mind as a book whose each page is inked with positive ideas which will help you, me and all the people across the globe to aim for our dreams, make us compassionate and deeply loved by our dear ones. 

Don't give a damn to those who try to put you down. If you are an optimist, you will definitely recreate the courage that will enlighten your destiny and make you into an individual you want to emerge as. Dream, fly and colour your life with all the positive ideas and hopes. And if your life is not feeling well, provide it with the medicines of optimism. Slowly and gradually that bowl of water which is nothing but your mind  will take in the shape of a divine energy. 

It's a state of mind!

A question was bubbling fiercely in my head during this morning. It just joined in the network of my thoughts, as I was jotting down my notes. The thought sprang up into life as I was enjoying my studies and then a voice said in my head: why do some people don't enjoy studies? The answer to that question formed a chain with a completely different network of thoughts which focuses on hanging out with friends, a cinema lover or partying hard. A person who doesn't enjoy studies must be giving an enthusiastic response to some other stimulus, that may be different from the ones mentioned above. So any xyz stimulus can cause an individual to dance in enjoyment but if it doesn't happen, then what would that situation be called as? Boredom? The two concepts which are 'boredom' and 'enjoyment' led to the birth of a question (yes, the same question I had typed down in the first line) which rose above all the networks of thoughts in my mind.

Is there a link between boredom and enjoyment? 

I agree that the introductory paragraph is very confusing but I can't help it! This is what happens when we try to phrase the birth of an idea which joins with another idea which joins with some other that just appeared out of nowhere into words! 

Phew! So now I would like to create an explanation that would give justice to my question. I am a bit certain that there is some link between the two and I will try to explain it in a less confusing way (wink*)

What is enjoyment? Hmmm. Not so easy to describe it. That is because this particular feeling varies from individual to individual. 

For some enjoyment is:

For some enjoyment is:

For some enjoyment is:

How diverse, isn't it? One more thing I would like to add is any thing that an individual enjoys or an action which he enjoys to do could be hereditary or inculcated due to an external influence. 

Now I would like to take this matter one step further. It is an universal fact that one human being cannot enjoy all the situations which takes shape in the passage of time. A boy is enjoying himself on the ground as he plays football wholeheartedly with his friends, laughing, falling, running and jumping until his mom orders him to stop playing and takes him to the mall. 

Oh God.

So one can expect that he would be carrying that face during the entire mall adventure, his face growing worse with the increase in excitement his mom's face radiates as she experiments the shops one by one. 

What is that the poor little fellow going through? 

Boredom.

Why is he getting bored? The answer is so simple. It is because shopping doesn't please him the way football does. So the things which actually doesn't make you feel happy will eventually make you feel miserable and bored. It's very humane. Everyone experiences this kind of circumstance sometime or the other. But certain situations are unavoidable. If such a situation is not  'enjoyable' in your opinion, then what would you do? Carry that swollen face all the time? Of course not.

As I am typing down this article of mine, I got the answer to the question I had mentioned above. The link between enjoyment and boredom is your own mind. The way you perceive things is actually depended on the scene you have already drawn on your mind. If something is boring for you, that is because you have already visualised it as a thing you would detest. But if you try to shake that illusion and put it up as:'Not a big deal. I can give it a try!' will make you enjoy it and will safeguard you from falling into the trap of boredom.

Attitude changes everything. So never give up on tuning your mind into a direction that you must have never witnessed. But just make sure of one thing that light should be able to travel smoothly across that direction! 

This would make you feel like:

Certain setbacks of free messaging apps.....

The free messaging apps have enclosed us in a virtual world. Heads down and fingers moving vigorously  on screen like ants has turned out into a most undefeated hobby. Of course these apps have paid their plausible contribution in shrinking the size of our planet Earth. But it has also led to confusions, misunderstandings and fights. Let's have a look at the causes of such outcomes:

1. Tricky Emoticons:

  

The use of emoticons is so enormous and popular. It has an upper hand in most of the conversations as they are given more preference than the words. Why would I like to call them as "tricky?" That's because whatever feelings a person is undergoing cannot be put forward as a mirror image with the help of emoticons. It can be contradictory. For instance if an individual feels that he has typed something nasty online, he would immediately send '😜' or '😉' just to reduce the impact of nastiness or arrogance. That individual is trying to cover up the emotion of anger or frustration through such emoticons. The person on the other end may feel he or she is joking and would take it lightly. It leads to misinterpretation of emotions, until and unless you specify clearly what is going on your mind.

2. Are you considering a stranger as your friend?

Many a times one likes to show his/her chats to friends. It leads to the arousal of excitement and exchange of 'ideas.' Here 'ideas' actually mean: Gosh! That's not the way of writing! Wait, give to me and I will type it! The person on the other end feels that those messages are the results of the actual friend's processed thoughts and he/she may either be happy, angry or sad depending on the nature of the message. To have more fun, the stranger never spills the beans out of the bag. He/she gains pleasure in confusing the person on the other end, which could lead to disastrous consequences. 

3. Has making people laugh turned out to be your job?

These messaging apps are comprehended as 'entertainment' for many people. There are individuals who depend on others for passing out their time, so they start sending messages to the ones by-whom they are entertained, when they appear online. The ones who have a good sense of humour may be struck by a thought that the 'importance' they gain through such messages could be the shortcomings of being liked by an xyz person. They don't realise that the importance is maybe nothing but the urge to ooze out boredom, for which humorous people are taken for granted. 'Don't go offline. I will get bored' or 'I am so damn bored...start a topic' are the texts which would make you wonder have you really turned out to be a mere source of entertainment for others? 

4. Do you mean what you type?

The 'indirect conversation' is the essence of messaging apps. People take this as a support to express certain feelings which they are afraid or not comfortable to say directly. They gain complete freedom to bombard those feelings into the small boxes which pop up sequentially on the screen. The words that make up a sentence can be altered and altered again depending on the mood or how diplomatic a person is. But is the weight of the words equal to the weight of the feelings stirring inside?  God knows! I would only like to suggest that don't get swayed by the nature of the words that an individual types down as a text message. Whether the words are heart-warming or harsh, I feel that one should not jump over conclusions, as you are not with the person in reality and hence you can't even guess what his/her state of mind could be!

 

Actions speak louder than words. One must not get emotionally charged just by brooding over the words spilled out from the person's fingers. His/ her actions in future would slowly give you a clear idea about his/her personality.

There was another quote which I came across in FB:

"People type 'lol' without even laughing hard. So, if someone types 'I love you', there may be a possibility that the person doesn't mean it. Don't get fooled!" 

5. Absence of observing body language:

As mentioned in the earlier point, texting is an indirect conversation. That can also be considered as a setback of texting because we miss out one of the most important technique of knowing a person closely and that is through his body language. We generally have a tendency to judge a person by hearing out the words spoken. But observing a person's body language, especially the person's eyes is helpful in knowing a lot about the person in the first meeting itself. Words as I explained earlier could be altered and manipulated very easily by us. But the body language cannot be succumbed to changes as per the mind's desire. It gives you the picture regarding the core of an individual's personality. That however is not possible in text conversations. 

The above assumptions after all is inclusive of the typed out explanations which were lying deep within my opinions. Through this article, I don't have any intention to challenge someone else's opinions regarding messaging apps. I know different people would be having varied opinions or suggestions regarding this and I truly respect that.

Why this Diwali was so special for me......

I felt different this time. It seemed as if an entire revolution has occurred in my mind, opening the door to a fresh perspective. I was joyous, but not by looking at myself in the mirror in my 

new dress but by developing a new skill and nurturing it through my unselfish behaviour. 

I heard people complementing about my face being photogenic. I love to click selfies of myself, trying to give weird as well sweet expressions. When I was small I had the habit of posing like God Krishna, imagining myself playing a melodious tune with my flute. It was like an inborn tendency! 

I grew up and joined the crowd in the  era of social networking. "I got 37 comments for my pic!" or "my crush liked my status!" were the utterances that my ears grew accustomed to. I started enjoying posting pics on Facebook. My relatives and friends liked them as well. Being on Facebook during the age of 13 or 14 for me was like a feather on my cap! 

I watered the habit of clicking selfies during the time of occasions, which blossomed like a flowering plant. Once as usual I was clicking selfies during the time of a relative's wedding. My parents got ready by then and told me to click their pictures. I got a bit frustrated. I started clicking their pictures half-heartedly. I gave more importance to my own selfies, neglecting the joy of taking my own parent's pictures. 

After two years I entered college and got many beauty spots on my face. Well that was mockingly put down by me. It is synonymous to 'acne.' I felt that I am not pretty anymore! I stopped clicking selfies of myself. Because it disgusted me. 

Slowly and gradually I came out of the 'acne caused sadness.' Thanks to my parents who filled my soul with optimistic thoughts. Change is inevitable and applying this fact to the problem of acne implies that it's going to vanish soon!

Diwali vacations followed after the hectic exam schedule and I read 'the last song' written by Nicholas Sparks. This book taught me so much. It is next to impossible to describe my feelings for the book here. But I would like to highlight on one of the amazing thought of the book: 'the unconditional love.' 

Every teenager I feel would like to have a partner who showers unconditional love. But when you start dreaming about this, has a thought ever struck you that the love which you are craving for is present with you right now? It is. Your parents!

I have realised that sometimes we youngsters get so much engrossed with our dreams and friends that unknowingly we neglect out own parents. But they don't do so. They smile when we do and they rush to help even when a small frown appear on our foreheads.

This Diwali I had made my way out of the negligence. I didn't care about the acne on my face. I didn't care about taking selfies on my phone. I just looked at my parents' happy faces and thought of the ways of how I could sustain those smiles. I clicked many pictures of my parents and after every click I didn't even ask them to click mine in return. It was my mom who told me later that she would click mine. I enjoyed clicking pics and it dawned on me that I do have the skill to click good pictures. I clicked pics of my temple and told my mom to give various poses. I felt contended. I felt happy. 

The phone is the same one, the app is the same for clicking pictures and the quality is as mesmerising as ever! Just the eyes that were searching for perfection in every click reflected a new vision. The vision of unconditional love and though this example forms a small part in its entire beautiful concept, it sure would pave the path for the love to blossom in future! 

The Lighthouse

I have an interesting topic to write down today. The topic throws light on an object that is so much connected to each one of us around the globe or more specifically I can put it down as the object which is 'inside' us. Don't be under the impression that the object I am talking about is an imaginary one designed by me! It is neither imaginary nor visible with the naked eye. It can only be heard if one pays attention to it closely. It has a name. But I have given it a different name which was suggested by my father.  

The Lighthouse.

How can a lighthouse be inside a human being? It is constructed to direct the ships in dark! Duh! The reason behind entitling the object with this name would be explained later. First I would like to write in depth about it. The universal name of this object is the 'sixth sense.' I hope now it is a bit easier to analyze about this object. I don't know whether 'object' is the right word for sixth sense. Or can it be described as an 'abstract feeling?' Chuck. I will leave this to you. 

The lighthouse or the divine voice is just like a whisper. I hear it many times in a day. It is very spontaneous. It just appears and disappears like the ocean waves. But it has an outstanding clarity, because it wants us to hear the opinion as transparent as a piece of glass. It depends on us whether we should listen to it or ignore it. Some people call this voice as 'God.' That is due to it's purity and truthfulness. My father had once told me that the voice that alerts you or stops you when you are trying to do something wrong is always right. One should never dishonor it.

I have heard the voice plenty of times in my heart. At that moment I realize that it is not created by me. It is a creator itself. Very natural just as the clouds dart away to show the blue sky or when lightning shines when the rain unfolds. All these phenomenon are the various forms of God. Similarly the voice beneath the clogged brain is yet another form of God. So many people ignore it, not allowing it to grow and it sinks deeper and deeper in the ocean of stress, greed and day to day hassles. It leaves us completely and the traces fade away. Even the time becomes helpless to bring it back. Without that light, we have no one to guide us and acquaint us with the right paths. We become like the wanderers who doesn't know what to seek and love.

I named it as the lighthouse because just as the actual lighthouse directs and guides the ship in time of necessity, the divine light also does the same thing. They are our true companions, intact with our souls. We can inculcate the habit of having a small 'chat' with God by sitting in a silent room in a relaxed position or by walking in a park early in the morning. Recollect all the good and the bad things that you have done and start questioning yourself about them. Slowly and gradually you will start getting answers from within. 

Just as being in contact with your friends on Facebook or Watsapp is very important for you, in the same way do give importance to the contact lying deep within your soul. The responses are more unique, clear and intricately explained than the ones flashed on the apps! 

The changing time

Sometimes one's mind is just clouded over with so many emotions. If those clouds part away, mind becomes as wide as a clear blue sky. If the clouds continue to exist, it seems as if there is no end to this gloomy day. I often wonder what keeps our mind occupied so much? As one thought changes into another, one emotion dissolves and another one evolves. As change is inevitable in life, a thought that grasps an emotion deviates and then that emotion takes the shape of some other. One can look at this deviation as a cycle, wherein the thoughts connected to certain emotions are interconnected with the experiences which involves an individual's lifestyle. It appears to me as a never ending reincarnation process. Though we are not born everyday, new thoughts and emotions within us decide our actions as our actions depend upon them and they lead our personalities to a new highway. There are situations in which one feels that his life is going perfect and then the clock hung on the wall of his house enlightens him with a new time. I imagine time as breaking up into pieces due to a reason and then forming up into a confident period again due to some reason. Time can change us and we can also change time. But it all depends on the intensity of determination sung by an individual's heart. Doesn't the 'inevitable change' scare you sometimes? Can happy moments haunt you with the sad ones that may have occurred in your life? Does the past affect your present? It's a very common quote: Live in present! But doesn't it happen that both past and future in times draws curtains on that window? The window which gives the best view of your present. That window becomes dark somehow. Sadness of the past and worries of the future completely chains you. It leaves one helpless. But why??? Why don't you at that time lead yourself in a movement, a movement that could shower freedom in your own mind? This is freedom from your very own thoughts!!! Freedom from thoughts that lowers you down. Freedom from thoughts which always depict the dark side of your life. Freedom from thoughts which only gives you insight of negative emotions. Freedom from thoughts which makes you doubt about yourself. The world outside is engaged into struggles to achieve freedom but there has to be a little amount of freedom won in an individual's mind. That freedom I feel holds an apex position in the entire list of types of freedom. If the past hurts you, remember that you have reached to a certain level today, just because of your past. It has already been dealt over by you. If the future scares you, remember that actions in your present will anyway define your future. So do good deeds and give your 100%. Never swim in the misunderstanding of ultimate perfection. One cannot be smiling and living peacefully in all the 365 days of the year! Of course positivism do helps in being happy. But the ups and downs is like another nutrition intake for your spiritual growth.

Inevitable change in time can give birth to happiness as well as sorrows. There is no control over it. But the intensity of dejection can definitely be controlled over by us!

Keep smiling always! :)

Inferior and superior

I have often come across students who consider themselves as 'inferior' in comparison to certain 'brilliant' students. Why is that so? I can present this with a suitable example: There is a person named 'X' who scored excellent marks in a particular exam. There is a person named 'Y' who didn't score that well. A common statement that 'Y' makes: Because of 'such' students( making a gesture towards 'X') we don't get admission in institutions. 

Two things that can be inferred from this statement: Either the person 'Y' doubts his own capabilities because of a certain reason or he feels jealous. These are my assumptions. This is a very common experience that most of us must have faced in our lives. The feeling of jealousy is so common. It's natural and as human beings we do feel jealous of each other. But a question that lingers in my mind is: Why is that certain people don't work hard at the first place and then make remarks that reflects underestimation of their own capabilities?

I don't know the answer to this question. But a vague guess that forms in my mind is lack of confidence. I am sure there must be other answers to this question. Without going too deep into this matter, I just want to convey to my readers that talks are infinite. Don't let your inner voice be blown away by the judgements of others.  If the confidence within yourself is getting degraded due to external jeers, you would always consider yourself as inferior and will never be able to highlight your potentiality to the world.

According to me, solution to any challenge is belief in yourself. Whether it is cracking up good marks in exams or winning a tournament, belief can definitely boost the magnitude of your success. Don't let anything to stop you from achieving something that you want to achieve in life. This will turn you into a better individual, stop you from making unnecessary remarks, will give you an insight of what others are facing and will enable you to look at those who are doing better than you as not merely your competitors but also as people by whom you can get more ideas and inspiration.

The courtroom

Life is like a courtroom. To defend and to shield one’s personality, each one of us transforms into a lawyer. The lawyers become self-centred, establishing their priorities over everyone else’s, inflicting shouts and chaos which are an indication of a never ending conflict. On the other hand there are judges. Their work is to pinpoint the faults, the good qualities or just blabber something incomprehensible and untrue things, just to allow new gossips and self made rumours get chained in the cycle of destroy and rebirth. The roles of judges and lawyers can even get interchanged. Judges can transform into lawyers when they climb onto the platform of defending themselves and lawyers into judges when they get a chance to pick their seats in the audience! I feel that this is a never ending cycle. No matter in whichever region, state or country you are, you will always find yourself in this big courtroom of life.

Life is full of misery. Well, there is no doubt about it. But most of the miseries are created by us ‘the great human beings.’ We create new technologies but at the same time destroy the beauty of our nature. Should I call it as ‘peak of individualism?’ Or should I call it as a symbol of mere brilliance and intelligence? We make clothes made out of animal skin. Wow! What creativity! Or should this activity be termed as a murder? Now let us consider those individuals who have shouted their opinions against such heinous crimes and again a big conflict takes over. For some such jobs are profit-oriented whereas for others they are inhumane acts. At the end, the question arrives: ‘Who is the right one?’ If you as a reader is analysing the entire situation and about to frame a statement in your mind, let me remind you that you and I have started transforming into judges! Isn’t that interesting?

Human mind is so complex. Our experiences and teachings define the personalities that we are carrying today. Situations undergone can be similar but the reactions and responses differ. If that is so, is there any way through which peace can spread like flowing river in all the continents? Can the option of nurturing balance act as an aid to this friendly mission?

 

Vande Mataram!

A very Happy Independence Day to all the Indians out there! Today our nation has completed 67 years of independence successfully and my heart fills with joy and pride to chant the two words, those which always transfer drops of courage, respect and love in our blood, towards our developing nation. 'Jai Hind!' It's indeed a beautiful feeling to say these words, in a saluting position, our heads raised up to feast our eyes on our beautiful Indian Tricolour, our beloved and prestiged Indian Flag. I feel honoured and blessed to be part of such a big and diverse nation. I feel proud to place my feet on that ground, on that rough and smooth surface, where great heroes have sacrificed their lives happily for the freedom of our country, for the nation which has undergone tremendous progress, for the nation which is soon going to emerge as a superpower. This celebration, speeches, parade and waving of flags is nothing but a tribute to those heroes, whose silent cries paved a pathway for loud laughs, happiness, contempt and indeed for a bright future. Sun rises everyday but does it's warmth and glow encompasses us all is a subject of concern. But I believe that it surely would one day. We Indians just got to believe, swim in the river of faith, dedication and we will finally reach our destination, that destination where there would be no atrocities, no crime, no violence and only peace, love and good health. That fire which burns slightly in each one of us should be raised with more fuel, vigour and belief. Then and only then would it reach the hearts of all Indians. Let's take an oath of not shedding ourselves from our responsibilities because as you sow, so shall you reap. 

I am proud to be an Indian. I hope each one of us do!

                    JAI HIND!

Connection with self

A very famous quote:'Books are man's best friends!' A frequent reader must have experienced the reality of this quote. It is indeed magical as we get transferred into a different world, making imaginary friends, and forgetting entirely about our problems and the world where we reside in. 'No complaints, no demands!' I have heard my friend saying this to me when she was about to get immersed in Pride and Prejudice. I smiled at her comment and suddenly a thought hit me. Are we considering books as our best friends just because they are in our control? We can read them when we feel like and turn a blind eye when we don't want to? Is this possible with respect to human beings? Nah! You take someone's feelings for granted and then find yourself in the court of karma. You try to control someone's life and then suffer the anguish and frustration of the concerned person. These pressing thoughts make me to wonder more. Who is our best friend in true sense? Is it necessary to depend on someone or 'something' for our contentment? 

                          People and objects can give us happiness. But for how long? Family, friends and any object of the world will please,comfort and guide you for a certain period. But what after that? Won't you able to survive? Change is inevitable. It happens in every field of any human being's life. Accepting the change and moving on can only be done if you are in peace with yourself. Maintaining a harmonious and happy relationship with self must be the ultimate aim of each one's life. It's a very common topic. Most of the people know this. But most often one forgets and gets drenched in the agony that life carves for him. So why can't people become best friends of themselves? It definitely doesn't isolate the person from the reality but gives the strength to face the reality. It blesses one with more laughter and smiles, feelings which got lost in the glow of city lights. 

            As I search for happiness

            I look upon the dwindling world

            There is scarce of freshness

            When have we turned so self-

            centered?

  

            If change is inevitable

            Why don't we change ourselves?

            Connecting with self can turn us 

             liable

             To rewrite our fates once again!

             

              

How I found the treasure trove of happiness

I was told by my mom to clean the lower drawers of my cupboard. Laziness falling over me like an avalanche, I refused to do it. But her persistence won as usual. I opened the lowest drawer at once, followed by a loud groan. My drawer had modelled itself into a palace of dust and its condition implied that a serious headache is going to strike me for nearly an hour. Not finding any excuse to avoid the task, I started removing the objects from the drawer one by one. But the one hour passed in cleaning it was not a source of headache for me. It changed into a magical hour, filled with all my memorabilia. The younger me was smiling, laughing and talking animatedly in the photo album. It felt as if I were travelling through a time machine and was breathing like a third person in my past. No one could see me but I could see the cuter and chubbier version of myself. The dollswhich used to be my best friends started interacting with me all over again. The love and care I expressed to my dolls were sprouting in the deep rooms of my memory. The gifts I cherished many years ago weren’t in a good state, but still weren’t devoid of their charm. Why do people say that ‘old is gold?’ The diary, my very own secret diary which used to be my most treasured possession has still kept its heart open for me so I could fill it with all my desires and experiences once again. The untidy handwriting of mine has not yet faded, proudly standing in inappropriate sizes, because they are the symbol of my development.  The orange purse which I used to carry everywhere with me as if I were the queen of the world, still looks lively and vibrant, even though it retrieves a very low market value. The colourful bangles of mine,which I used to wear creates an urge in me to become a small girl again so that they could fit my wrists. Such beautiful, colourful and wonderful experiences made me feel nostalgic. How can I discard them, the objects which transmit the fragrance of my earlier days? I removed them all, cleaned them and placed them neatly and properly in my drawer. When I stole a final glance, my heart leaped with joy. Treasures are not those which are discovered deep under the sea or in some ancient palaces of kings. Treasures are those which treasure one’s memories of innocent days and tension free lives. I had finally discovered my treasure trove of happiness!

Are you there?

A call and eyes dart out

He who became unknown

Quiet feelings desire to shout

U are there where the seeds were sown.

Eyes in pain but mind claimed

Calm face chasing me

Strength of silence so high

Alas but there is no key

Stepping out with resolution 

To welcome the unknown 

Mind praying for revolution

May the feelings be shown 

Heart craves to speak

Conscious doesn't dare to listen

May those drops don't leak

He shouldn't see them glisten

Life is not so fair

Smile can make it brighter 

Mind and heart turning into pair

Sorrows should turn lighter.

I have written the above poem to express feelings of Gautama Buddha's wife when she sees him enter in their town. He had become a sanyasi and had detached himself from all the bondages. His wife makes her mind strong with a strong determination to shield her self-respect. She didn't want him to see her sorrows.

Income and expenditure

J: Hey Sam! How is your new job? I hope it's resulting into bright flying colours!

S: As usual you are so right Jenny. My new job is excellent and my income is making my life a wonderful one!

J: Okay. That's cool. But I have noticed that there are dark circles below your eyes. Hectic schedule? U never had dark circles.

S: I have a full time job. Anyways to be a wealthy guy, you got to work hard.

J: (Pause) So no time for family?

S: It's impossible! How can I have lot of money then?

J: (Smirking) Ur happiness as an income is so low! No peace!

S: (Perplexed) What are you trying to say?

J: Work is good. But over load is not good for health. Though you have lot of money, your income and expenditure is not satisfactory, as what you are gaining as income is sorrow and your expenditure is happiness! You are not permitting the river of peace to flow in your city of mind!

S:(Irritated) So should I just stay at home and sit like a jobless freak?!

J:(Smiling) No, of course not. To do your job well is your duty, not a punishment. Giving some time to your family would give you happiness. So why not understand it's essence and also give your job the amount of essence that it deserves?

S: Are you talking about having balance in life?

J: Yup! That's what I am trying to say. Balance of job and things that give you happiness.

S: The meaning is sinking in. I will try! I will follow the task which you have given to me, the task where happiness must knock at your door during intervals!

J: You will rock! Economically and emotionally you will be so wealthy!

S: I will urge to be more emotionally wealthy. That's the garden where my soul could always blossom and rest in peace.

J: Yup. But also pass on this message to others. You can be someone's inspiration!

S: Just as you have been mine!

Can I step into new world?

Mountain was high 

Moon rose behind its peak

Like a ghost the doubts followed

A shadow falling on what I seek

Path was glistened with roughness

Cracks were deepening so tight

Time had it's blissful sleep 

It wasn't easy to catch it's sight

Wolf's howl rose fear

Calm lake had it's own plans

I looked down, in expectancy of seer

Fire in my eyes still breathing in me

Thought of loneliness was so fake

Figures forming and deforming in brain

With a hopeful smile, I remembered that lake

Sun in desires can develop my dawn

Surprised feet drowned in soft mud

Time had chosen a new path

Plant rejoiced over it's new bud

Luck was flying amidst the new hour

My destiny finally awaits

Lungs filled with new air

Hope and reality can be one

If you offer your courageous share!

Waiting for you

Leaves are unpredictable

Their colours changing at high speed

Gloomy ambience is understandable

Dry embarks on a quest for their greed

If that's the case, I am waiting for you!

What is the mood of a cloud?

Winds with echo are passing by

King of tadpole is so proud

Lightning and thunder are hovering by

If that's the case, I am waiting for you!

Dirt mingles with the pure

Water dwindles my vision

For any pain, this is the ultimate cure

How magical can be his creation?

If that's the case,you are right here

Feet send ripples

Heart blooms with every beat

Pond kisses rolling pebbles

White connects as a big sheet

If that's the case, you are right here

My creator:YOU<3

I am extremely thankful to the person who has created me. Without her, who am I? The birth of my identity took place when she adoringly called out my name. I transformed from a helpless infant into a social being when she made me join a play-school. I cried because I didn't want to stay away from her. But I still recollect the promise she made that very soon my eyes would see her, opening her arms to embrace me. That surge of relief is so different and also better than the relief creeping within after completing a 3 hours test! Promises made by her are so pure and real ones. I can only feast my eyes on the world of honesty breathing deep within her soul. She raised me with affection, not minding even though small bits of her soul are being detached from her during the process. Her principle of being the right person, made her scold me when I do something unpleasant. I have a strong heart like hers but it still has room for soft corners, because they are important to open the door of change in this cruel world! She is so talented and does multi-tasking. By observing her, I have always felt to follow her footsteps when I would become a mother. I feel it's the most difficult task of the world. Mothers don't get paid for their jobs because they are priceless. A note cannot touch the palace of love,care,hard-work, sincerity,honesty and sacrifice. Her single hug can coax the tensions rising in the mind and that feeling can never be earned inside the four walls of a spa! Moms are special and not a single creature can take their place. Their presence is eternal and how much ever I try to describe about her, the words are still less. I feel infinity is the best word for moms! I so love you mummy! 

Are micros the invaders?

I feel most of us are aware of the term ‘micro-economics’. Those who don’t, let me acquaint you with the term that implies the study of economic behaviour, related to small economic units of the nation.  This article doesn’t constitute further explanation of that branch in the economics. It contains a term named ‘micro-happiness’ which is quite in a partnership with ‘micro-economics.’ How?

Some moments in our lives are so cherish able and magical. They don’t include bagging a cash prize or buying a bungalow or driving proudly a BMW. These are material happiness, which can’t invade your heart for a long period of time. Money is the source for our livelihood. It is a first-aid box to all our financial problems. But, it cannot be the dictator of our lives! Dictator of our lives is pure happiness, which comes from within as well as from our surrounding. It includes awalk in an early dawn, talking merrily withour family members, enjoying a bear hug with our best buddies, letting our eyes enjoy the first drops of monsoon and so on. These are the most precious moments but yet contemplated as ‘small’ things.  They are like our shadows, trying to cast some magic in our lives but most of the times are left unnoticed.  As ‘micro-economics’ studies small economic units, similarly, ‘micro-happiness’ studies the small yet the beautiful moments of our lives. Hence, they should be prioritized sometimes above our busy schedules and must be enjoyed to the maximum. Maybe they can bring a smile on our faces during stressful situations and can act as a bonus for minimising our tensions.

Last but not the least; it is not a compulsion to conquer the world. Conquering and spreading out goodness definitely acts as a feather on the cap!

Tickets to our world

I heard the tinkling of the bells hanging in the shape of W above the curtains and my heart started beating faster. She was entering into the main hall from the kitchen with a tray held in her hands. I had seen her photos on Facebook but she looked prettier in person.Her hair was left open and she was wearing a pink coloured salwaar kameez. A pink coloured bindi was placed perfectly on her forehead, spaced proportionately between her dark eyebrows. Her bangles made soft sounds when her grip grew tighter on the edges of the tray. She scanned me from top to bottom and placed the tray on the table. Her scanning look made me nervous.

“My lovely daughter Roshni” her mom said with great admiration. Mrs Varma and Mr Varma, Roshni’s parents, were sitting across on a black sofa. I smiled when Mrs.Varma made that lovely daughter comment. Roshnipicked a cup of tea and offered to me saying, “Chai”

I thanked her and took it, praying that she didn’t notice my trembling hands. She offered two cups of tea to her parents and they accepted it happily.

“Roshni pursues to become a writer” her mom said proudly when Roshni sat on a chair beside me. “She has started working on her first book!”

I looked towards her but she kept looking down. Her fingers were entwined together on her lap.

“You are a software engineer right?” Roshni’s Dad asked me, looking at me as if he was the principal and caught me red-handed while bunking lectures.

“Yes I am” I replied, giving him a proper eye contact, “right now I am working in Kolkata.”

From the corner of my eye I saw Roshni looking at me blankly.

“Oh, that’s nice!” her mom exclaimed, nudging her husband and giving him ‘he-is-the-right-guy’ look, “Roshni loves Pussar silk sarees.”

“It’s Tussar silk sarees mom” Roshni corrected her.

“Well” I interjected and Roshni’s mom looked at me expectantly. Her dad’s expression was however blank.

“If you all don’t mind, can I talk to Roshni in private?”

Roshni was now staring at me and her dad didn’t say anything. Her mom suddenly stood up, as if a spring was attached on the sofa’s surface and said brightly, “Why not?”

Roshni stood up and left the room. Her mom gestured me to follow her and I did. Roshniwas now in her room, sitting cross-legged on the bed and looking outside the window. I guessed it was her room because I saw her childhood photos on the walls and a type-writer on her desk. The room gave me a warm and positive feeling.

I sat beside her on the bed and in order to strike up a conversation, I said, “Nice room”

“Thank You” she muttered, still looking outside the window.

I took a deep breath and slowly started telling her about my hobbies and interests. I tried to tell her everything which she should know about me. She kept quiet and listened. But didn’t utter a single word.

Finally I said, “Do you want to share anything with me?”

Now she looked at me and I looked back in her eyes. Her jet black eyes weren’t happy.

“Look” she said, turning towards me with her cross-legged position, “I can’t marry you”

I was a bit surprised but told myself to be patient. She continued, “I read your entire profile when you sent me a request on Facebook. We have no similarities in common. You like Hollywood movies and I like Bollywood. You watch thriller movies and I like to watch romantic-comedy. You don’t like much of reading and for me, reading is my passion. Our horoscopes match but not our personalities. Then how can I marry you?”

I tried to interrupt but again she continued in a mournful voice, “I was always in favour of love marriages. At least we have the privilege of not marrying strangers! But my parents forced me to do arrange marriage. My life is in ruins now!”

I listened patiently to her ‘arrange marriages suck!’ theory and said after she kept quiet , “I want some time to think. Can I meet you tomorrow?”

She nodded, not looking at me. I got up from her bed and went.

 

I was kneeling in front of her and she looked at me in surprise. We were in her bedroom and she was wearing a maroon coloured salwaar kameez today. I took her right hand and said slowly, looking into her jet black eyes, “My heart consists of seven continents. They are films, hobbies, jobs, books, automobiles, future homes and love. My ideas in these seven continents represent the population in each. Unfortunately, the population is quite low. But if I am lucky enough to fetch your ideas and mix those with mine, then the population would be on a tremendous increase. More population means more opinions, more opinions mean more development, and more development would lead to growth and finally a successful life of mine. So do you want me to book your tickets for exploring my seven continents? Do you want to have a world tour with me that would last for our entire lifetime?”

After saying this I looked down for a second and then looked up. She was beaming at me and tears were running down her cheeks. I panicked and was about to say sorry but she hushed me and said, “I am obliged to join a world tour, beginning with a cup of coffee at CCD. Would you like to join me?”

I stood up and my legs were paining a bit. Now I was holding both her hands and smiled. “Of course I would”

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and gestured me to move forward. We were holding hands and after we left her house she said sweetly, “Actually, the world tour is going to encompass fourteen continents.”