BON VOYAGE!!

Sails have been set. I have painted my ship green as for me it is nature’s colour which symbolizes freshness, life and ever-lasting growth. Where am I headed for? My ship is about to leave the shores of ignorance and is set for a journey on the sea of wisdom. I am on my way to explore one of the most interesting islands present on this sea called writing – the island of words. For some learned minds, writing simply is stringing words into meaningful sentences. Little do they know that it is an art that, just like any other art, envelops within itself a vast history responsible for its development.

From simple and majestic verses to intricate and magnificent novels, a myriad of incidents lies in between its transition. Style, tone, language and narrative techniques – the gradual development of writers in all these aspects not only captures the literary history, but also encloses the changes that our society (both eastern and western) has undergone from time to time.

My fanaticism, however, for venturing into this island has two very strong reasons. First, as a writer, I need to know and comprehend my limitations; the stumbling blocks that lay between my writing and me need to be kicked aside. Second, I need a one-word identity that defines me and for this, I cannot think of any other word than ‘writer’. God has been very kind to me as He has blessed me with a beautiful life, and I fail to come up with any other mode to manifest His wonders than the mode of writing.

Pen is mightier than the sword. This age-old adage of Edward Bulwer-Lytton stands true for any and every century. Hence, when I have been gifted the magic of writing, I feel it my utmost duty to use it through the wand called pen. My contributions may not turn out to be as significant as William Shakespeare, Rabindranath Tagore or of any great writer as for that matter. But, the fact that I possess at least some percent of their gift and my few contributions through prose will suffice my soul.

Apart from these two reasons, my hunger for knowledge has also acted as a compelling factor for setting me on this journey. Writing goes in conjunction with reading for the more you read, the more you learn. Books not only reveal facts of life, but also show the astounding, inventive power of the human mind. How else do you justify the popularity of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter or T. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings?

Having stated my reasons, I now feel it important to let know my readers that you all are my compass for this journey. The wind seems to be rough at present, but if you are willing to guide me through your critical appreciation, then I will always be able to find my way back. I now embark on my journey. Bon voyage to me and to my readers! J

STOP THE BLAME GAME

Millions of hearts were broken on 26^th of March when it became clear that India would not make it to the final of World Cup 2015. I am also included in that heart-broken crowd. After the match, I tried to calm down with help of books and songs but in vain. Finally, I called my father to elevate my mood and bingo! Within seconds, I was a different person. At that moment, however, I wished what he said to me could be heard by everyone, hence, creation of this post.

Ever since I have started watching cricket, I have witnessed extreme behaviors of Indians during India’s matches. This extreme behavior turned into absolute abnormality during World Cup tournaments. Whenever India lost a crucial match, newspaper editions of the next day featured incidents of people dying out of shock, people breaking their televisions and still others venting out their frustration on expensive crockery. Whoa!!

One such incident (without much damage though) took place in my own home during the 1999 World Cup. India lost a league match to Zimbabwe by three runs. That match was India’s ticket for making entry into the quarterfinals. India had three wickets and nine balls left to score those three crucial runs, but they couldn’t. When the last wicket fell, my father shouted and sat up with a jerk, and seconds after that I could see the cup and saucer (the nearest objects he could find) lying broken on the floor. Next day, he could not go to shop because of high fever. Newspapers and news channels were full of criticism on India’s lame performance.

When team India lost the semifinal to Australia, they knew something similar awaited them. I felt bad too, but that bad feeling was more because of judgments coming from my country people and less because of our defeat. I knew that the newspaper next day would be filled with statements on how our batsmen screwed our dreams, how Dhoni should have set a better fielding and of course, the poor shot played by great Virat.

However, when I told Papa about my wallowing, he started laughing. He answered calmly, “Your wallow is legitimate sweetie, but Australia is a strong team. It has robust players, a power-packed batting line-up, and most importantly, they are playing on their own ground. Unhi ke jagah mein unhi ko dadagiri dikha ke cup le aana halwa hai kya (is it a cakewalk to defeat them on their own ground and bring back the cup). Our team did their best. So cheer up and cheer them up.” He was so right.

So, here is my question to so-called die-hard Indian fans. After winning seven games in a row and defeating strong contenders like SA and WI, is it fair on our part to play the blame game? Be it Twitter or Facebook, not a single platform has been left for their criticism. Calm down folks! If you have the guts to sneer at other teams on India’s victory, then have the spirits to accept its defeat sportingly. Above all, stop the blame game. Why didn’t Kohli perform? Why didn’t Dhawan show some sensibility? Who asked Dhoni to take that single? Stop shooting questions.

Our team has landed on its soil after months. Act less like BCCI directors and behave more like cheerleaders. They have lost a match; they have not triggered apocalypse. Come on! I mean what slogan would we have for the next world cup if India won it this time - take it if you can? How lame! Now, I have already come up with an energetic punch line for 2019 World Cup – we will get it back. Spectacular, isn’t it? :-D

P.S. – A crucial reason for India’s defeat was the absence of Australian players’ non-gentlemanly banter on the field. I bet. Had Starc or Maxwell dared to crack jokes with Kohli or Dhoni, we would have fired our way into the finals. What say? ;-)

2015: WE READY FOR THE ROAD

2014 has become history. With the dawn of 2015, we now have another new book consisting of 365 pages. Though 23 pages have already become history, we still have 342 pages ahead of us. Isn’t it strange? Every morning the rising sun breathes a new life in us. It promises us a fresh start with renewed energy and refreshed hopes. But, it is only the eve of New Year that gives us a new, different kind of excitement. That different ‘excitement’ lies dormant all year and resurfaces only at the last day of that year – the only day when we contemplate its specialty. I, by the way, am not here to contemplate 2014.

I am here to welcome 2015 with open arms. I had to run a few rough roads in 2014, but I am not carrying forward grudges to 2015. Of all the lessons life taught me in 2014, the most important one was that ‘today is a gift’. The past cannot be changed (we still don’t have time machines), and the future is nothing but a thick fog. We know that the fog will lift up, no matter how dense it is, but what lies behind the fog is beyond our control. All we can do is comprehend the situation, act accordingly, learn our lessons and then move on. And that’s exactly what I plan to do this year.

From the very first day of 2015, I have stopped lamenting over my past and worrying about my future. Yes, I have had bad experiences; I had faced betrayals and I had quarreled. So what? I am a normal human being and I behaved humanly. If people have cheated on me, then they should feel guilty and be ashamed of it. Whenever my honesty and trust got shattered, I wept thinking that I was living my pain. So wrong I was because I was actually living the pain of people who were on the wrong side. I am done living others' pain.

Hence, in 2015, I have decided to liberate myself from regrets, pains and guilt. I have decided to free myself from clutches of society’s hypocrisy. I will accept myself unapologetically. I’ll laugh harder, cry louder, shout at the top of my voice, write till my fingers ache, sing my heart out, dance like no one’s watching me and live as if I’ll die tomorrow. At the end of each day, I wish to live just like the song of my favorite band OneRepublic:

I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places, the things that I did

Yeah, with every broken bone

I swear I lived….

That's right! So many things to know, books to read, songs to listen, movies and series to watch, places to visit, cuisines to relish and only one life for everything – how unfair? I’ve already wasted enough time, but no more. So 2015, behold me! I am ready for the road. I will continue my journey towards my dream. It doesn’t matter if the road gets bumpy because I know that at some point of my journey, it will be smooth. During this journey, I’ll give my sweetest smile to life, and life will be compelled to smile back. Does it even dare to slap me, I’ll slap it harder. I am going to keep the confident, young woman inside me perfectly intact.

I wish all good (I mean truly good) persons an extremely joyous and prosperous new year. As for the bad ones, I would just say all the best because if you are not having a good time, then your karma is rounding up on you. So, try to be good and just from now on.

ATTEMPT TO PROCRASTINATE PROCRASTINATION

Sticky notes, scraps of papers, markers and coloured pens – there I was, sitting muddled among piles of stationery and struggling to organize my thoughts. The clock struck 09:30 pm and I were still in a constant attempt to line up my tasks and start with this post. Alas! In my yet another battle against procrastination, I lost. At twelve in the midnight, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling. Once again, I failed to defeat my biggest enemy, the procrastination monster.

Every year, I make a promise to my readers (more to myself) that I will be more regular with my posts, but I fail miserably. I guess that by now, you must have understood the reason of my long delays. Despite my continuous and futile efforts to procrastinate procrastination, I just couldn’t do it until the phrase ‘one fine day’ dawned on me.

It was just another ordinary day of my life. I was back from office and was in lookout for something that would soothe my tired senses. Suddenly, my eyes fell upon the pen and paper, which, in a hurry, I forgot to place at proper locations in the morning. And thank God I did so because that was the moment which brought me to my senses. Writing is, and will always remain, my passion. I forgot that pen and paper have been my best friends during my darkest hours.

Without any delay, I unfolded my writing desk and sat down to write with an enthusiasm equivalent to a child about to unwrap his birthday gifts. But, no sooner had the tip of my pen touched the paper, I felt my usual enemy – the procrastination monster – holding the pen. I sat there, battling hard with the monster. For a moment, I felt I would be defeated again, but I wasn't as that was my 'one fine day'.

I don't know what exactly propelled me - job dissatisfaction or the insults bellowed at me by my employer. I summoned all my courage for I suddenly became hell bent on defeating the monster that day. I succeeded. My joys knew no bounds, and I went dizzy with happiness. I thought of going out for a treat, but before that my readers of course needed praise. For you, my dear reader, it is just another post, but for me, it is my victory against the enemy that has chained me for days or perhaps for months.

However, as said by wise men, success is easy to attain but hard to sustain. I haven't given much thought to the 'how' part of my sustenance against procrastination. But, the one thing I do know is my sustenance is impossible without my readers' support. I hope that they will keep encouraging me as they have done always for my other posts and wish me luck so that I can always fight and win against my enemy - procrastination.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

“God cannot be everywhere, so He made mothers.”

This has and will always remain my favorite quote. The major and the only reason for my devoted likeness to this quote is because I’m blessed with the best mother in the world. Dictionary wraps up meaning of mother as ‘a female who has given birth to offspring’. But, words can hardly give a concrete definition to a mother.

A mother is a universe where the only thing that resides is the undying love for her child. She is the only person who accepts you as who you are and what you are. She has known you since the time you started taking shape. She is among the solitary manifestations of pure and selfless love. I better not dare try to explain Her in words because if I do, then perhaps a book wouldn’t be enough.

My message to my readers (and especially to today’s youth) is that feel blessed to have a mother. Feel glad that God has considered you worthy enough to keep you under the warmth and love of a mother. This post is undoubtedly a tribute to all ever loving and caring mothers. But, that does not mean that your love and respect for Her should be restricted to this day only.

Don’t forget that one day you will have to bid goodbye to your mother forever. Don’t ever forget that there will be a cruel day when the comfort of your mother’s kindness and love will be snatched from you forever. So, take every moment and all opportunities to make her feel special. Give all the love you can while you can. I am not saying that your relationship with your mother should be an absolutely smooth one.

Nasty feelings like anger, frustration and annoyance will be there. She might be over possessive and over protective. But there is always a way of talking things out, and do you know what the best part is? A child is the only person who can convince a mother. If certain things get sour with your mother, then you are the only person who can turn it sweet. Don’t hesitate to talk to her because no matter how strict and harsh she appears, deep down she is truly, deeply and madly in love with you.

I hope this post has given you enough reasons to spare some time and share at least a cup of tea once in a day with your mother. Once again Happy Mother’s Day to all ever special mothers and all folks who are blessed with mothers!!

Please share some ideas for surprise gifts so that I can use some for my *Maa.

*Maa – In India, mother is addressed as Maa.

2014: TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE ‘HARD-LEARNED’ LESSONS

First of all, I offer my apologies to all my readers. I’m trying hard to cope with the head-on collision between my daily chores and writing schedule. And now that you all have accepted my apologies, I wish you all a very happy and healthy new year. :) I’m sure that just like me, most of you must have fresh hopes, fresh plans for the year followed by resolutions of course. As for me, I have made just one resolution this year because in my case, too many resolutions have always spoiled my year.

My only resolution this year is to implement the lessons I have learnt from 2013. The year 2013 turned out to be great for me. Why? Because all my best laid plans went astray. I was literally screwed up and was thrown into a maze of hopelessness. Surprised why I still praise 2013? It is because I found out that God screwed my plans to make my wishes come true. My initial disappointment was gone when I looked over the incidents and the dots connected.

Those incidents taught me useful lessons and the reason behind sharing them with you all is my hope; hope that some lessons might come in handy to my readers for knowing and recognizing the ‘actually’ valuable things in life. So here come my ‘hard-earned’ lessons.

# Never Say Never

Life does maintain a diary where all our actions are noted down (that’s how karma gets back to us). Out of all entries made in that diary, situations that are entered for sure are those for which we firmly utter - I’m never going to do it. The moment you utter those words, the next moment life starts hatching out a plant to ensure that you do it.

I remember a conversation with one of my friends when I so confidently said to her, “I cannot stay away from my home for more than four months.” That very year, I moved to Ahmedabad for my job and my next visit to home was after eleven months. I turned almost insane, but I survived. Life rescued me but it smiled at me and said, “Never say never darling.” So better ‘never’ utter those words. Simply avoid the situation and move on.

#Never Take Anything or Anyone for Granted

Not even your slippers. Ever heard of Lehman Brothers, the fourth-largest investment bank in the US that went bankrupt in 2008? No no! I’m not saying that they took their success for granted. I’m just emphasizing on the point that things can go wrong any time. What you have today may not be there tomorrow. So better respect all your loved ones and every good thing that you have – your loving parents, caring siblings, your beloved, your clothes or as I said, even your comfy slippers.

#What Doesn’t Kill You Definitely Makes You Stronger

Life often throws us in situations when we feel excruciating pain and wish that dinosaurs were alive to eat us up. Make damn sure that you survive those situations because those are the situations that turn you into warriors. And as my favorite Po (the kung-fu panda of course) says – warriors have nerves of steel and souls of platinum. It won’t be easy for others to break you down again.

#Hope for the Best but Stay Prepared for the Worst

Rihanna’s ‘Love the Way You Lie’ has a captivating line – even angels have their wicked schemes. SO VERY TRUE! In July 2013, I just landed into a great job and before joining, I decided to take a break. I was at home when malaria caught me for the third time and ruined everything. I lost the offer and was completely shattered. Thanks to my ever-supportive parents, they helped me stay stable and help me to put up new plans.

Guys! There’s nothing wrong in keeping your fingers crossed but there’s nothing wrong in keeping a backup plan either. Keep yourself prepared to face the extremes. That’ll help you a lot to stay stable when things don’t go your way.

#Don’t Try to Please Everyone

Because that’s next to impossible. Even God doesn’t try to do that, which maybe a reason for existence of atheists. Let me make it very clear that I’m not raising questions or doubts on anyone’s beliefs. I’m just trying to clarify that keeping up with everyone’s expectations will ultimately result in failing on your own expectations. Remember one thing – trying to make everyone happy will leave you lonely. So try to keep yourself happy because only then you can spread happiness.

These five important lessons that 2013 taught me have brought out several unknown aspects of my own self. I went bonkers when I was put through those tough tests but when they were over, I found myself again with stronger traits and in better shape. All I had to do was stay in the game.

I wish that my lessons turn out to be of at least some help for my close pals and nice folks. Once again, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. :)

A TRIBUTE TO MY JOURNAL

Love, happiness, excitement, nervousness, hatred, anger, frustration and a lot more – my journal is a ‘pensieve’ that holds all my emotions besides my memories. I was in seventh standard when I started writing journal, which was in the year 2001. To be honest, I haven’t been able to visit it daily (something I’ve wished to do since a long time). But till today, my journal has been my only friend to stay with me through thick and thin.

Life doesn’t go easy on anyone but, it does grant a means of survival to everyone. This means of survival, be it a friend, hobby or anything, helps you to make it through the day. For me, it is my journal. This takes me back to the first episode of The Vampire Diaries’ very first season where Elena Gilbert sits beside a window and addresses her journal as ‘Dear Diary’. Yes, a diary is one of the dearest things to its owner. And why not? After all, this is the only place where incidents and feelings are entered unadulterated. There is no place for pretense.

However, when I started my journal, my purpose wasn’t exactly to report incidents. My sole purpose of writing journal was to improve my writing skills. But we got connected eventually. When I sat with it, all I could see was those blank pages eagerly waiting to be penned down with all I have in my heart and mid. When we were together, it listened to me so patiently. Anne Frank is so right. Paper is more patient than men.

From seventh standard till now, both my life and I have changed. In the last twelve years, I have metamorphosed from a nervous teenager to a confident spinster. So many things have changed except my love for my journal and its respect for my emotions. There have been times when I neglected it, even abandoned it for months. But, it never complained and every time I was back, I found the same warmth and love.

I am and will always be grateful to my journal for so many things. I’ll be grateful to it for helping me to maintain my integrity when other people have been losing theirs at such rapid pace. I’ll be grateful to it for helping me to believe in myself when others mercilessly broke my trust. My journal is and will always be my best friend.

P.S. – Before you start writing journal, find a good place to hide it, especially from your siblings. ;) J