Words

The words pierced the heart

like  the cold edge of a dagger

numbing at first

But unbearable in the next

And as the depth of their harshness

Begin to sink in

Slowly but painfully

No effort could submerge the agony

it caused, when the heart erupted

like a monstrous fire breathing volcano

While the eyes released the flood of tears

to diffuse the fire it fumed..

 

 

 

Dreams are like butterflies

Dreams are like butterflies

Enticing yet elusive

Dazzling yet distant

Vibrant yet vicious

And just when they

seem so close at hand

just a touch way

They drop out of sight

 

till some other day

They flutter by us and 

 

glide  into submission

Only this time they belong to us !

Be proud of yourself !

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/proud/

‘Pride’…. the word itself has its complications. In fact , it is very much like common salt .  The excess of salt ruins the whole palette , while  less of it , doesn’t let us enjoy  the flavors of the food . Sprinkle just the right amount , and it can work wonders !

Similarly  if you have too much ‘Pride’ packed into your personality  ,  you will bloat and collapse under the weight of it .

 ‘Pride hath a fall’ , is a moral lesson infused into us right from our kindergarten days . Remember the story of  ‘The hare and the tortoise’ ?

Yet , without this  ‘Pride’  ,  you are left with a deflated ego and a low self esteem. Not a good thing to have either…..

But just the ‘right’ amount will let you flower and touch new heights …

Pride , is a feeling of ‘worth’ , that one may feel for one’s own self  or for another person .

Throughout our lives , we are searching for this ‘self worth’ in the eyes of another person. As a child we crave for that one approving look from our mom or that one motivating pat from our dad .

Sometimes we get it in abundance , sometimes we do not . Even when we grow up , we do the same . Just that,  now  it is not our parental  approval  that we seek but that of our peers .

A word of praise , a nod of agreement , and sometimes even hugs .  As we move on in life , no matter how much we achieve , a thumbs up from our better half ,  a kiss from our little one ,  can still go on to make a lot of difference in our life !

A few times , verbal  and  a few times in gestures , your close ones do tell you how proud they are of you . And sometimes , there are occasions when you may not receive these magical words for something you expect , but then that is life , bear with it !

However ,  life does not end there . I believe , each one of us , is the best judge of our own  ‘self worth’.  When one becomes aware of one’s own strengths and weaknesses ,  is the time one learns to live  with both ; to coexist in happiness.

Realizing one’s problem areas and trying to rectify them , is a sign of maturity . Also , a person who accepts his skills and good qualities , without letting them hamper his sensibilities  , is a socially mature individual .

Taking pride in oneself is a very good way of staying happy and content . Of course , as I have stated before , this pride should only encourage one to improve upon themselves , rather than demean others .

People who put down others or try to humiliate them are those who , in reality have a poor self worth . In fact , these poor humans are victims of insecurities and frustrated egos , that they try to boost incorrectly by being pompous and disapproving towards others .

I have heard a lot of homemakers forever crib about their better halves or kids never appreciating them or being verbal with their feelings .

But what I would like to say is  that the deepest feelings are felt , not told . Besides , learn to be proud of your own self first and the world will follow. A person content in himself , will not have to seek happiness and approval from others .

Of course , we all love to hear somebody tell us ,  ‘I am so proud of you.’  But your worth shouldn’t be a matter  to be judged at the whims of  your family and peers.  Never let their opinions about you change the way you perceive  yourself .  Your worth  should be judged by you and you alone  – you , who is deserving and  beautiful ,  in every which way……….

So tonight before you go to bed , look at yourself in the mirror and say , ‘I am so proud of you !’.

Love yourself . Be proud of the unique person you are , yet modest in your attitude towards others . Do things that will make you proud about yourself , improve yourself everyday and the world will applaud , sooner or later !

Trials and tribulations

Life is always so unpredictable ! Well , at least when you are a soldier’s wife all the more . Many of my friends have asked me how I handle being so far away from my better  half , so frequently , when they cannot  even imagine a day without their’s . Well I think life teaches you a lot of things the hard way…

When I was a newly wed army wife (or lady wife as referred to in the army ! ), I had similar opinions as them . I was a naive girl , who was afraid to stay all alone in  a house , or even travel by myself ! I was brought up in a metro city , yet I hadn’t really ventured out to far away places on my own …

Yet , today things have changed…I have traveled alone to far off places , even on International trips with a two year old toddler , dangling by my side . I have  now stayed alone , for nights in old , dilapidated bungalows (that belonged to the Nizam’s army ) and stayed without talking to my Husband for days (owing to poor mobile connectivity ! ).

I would be lying  , if I were to say I am not afraid anymore. I am still afraid , still jittery , but I have learnt to face my fears now .  One’s success is not in being ‘unafraid’ but in being aware of one’s fears and preparing to conquer them .

I guess , in the Army  life we do not have a choice . Sometimes if you want to be with your husband , even if it means only for a short while , you are willing to go that extra mile , just to see that smile on the face of your daughter /son  , when she/he meets her dad and vice versa .

Every time I go through a long , tiresome journey  to meet him , my heart is  filled with excitement and happiness , and in the face of these emotions , the weaker emotions like fear , nervousness and discomfort take a back seat .

Some of my friends belonging to a civilian life (as in non army background )  , call me brave , to have married an army officer . But honestly , I am not being brave , I am just adapting… and so will anybody else in my place.

Every human being had this innate instinct to adapt to his/her surroundings and this adaptability is essential for survival . So no matter what situation one is in , there is always a way out , if not , we can create it .

Most of modern day inventions and innovations today are a result of this adapation . It is the very life force that makes a drowning man , hold on to the next available thing to cling on to , so that he can keep afloat .

This life force is present in all of us , just that many of us do not realize it and give up on things quickly. It is when life gets tough , that we realize our true strengths , our capabilities. Of course it does depend from one person to another , as to how you emerge at the end of the hurricane . Some break down , while others grow stronger and more resilient .

Being an army officer’s wife it will , without doubt be the latter .

The other day I was watching the interview of an army wife , who lost her husband , in a military operation  an year ago . What I saw in her eyes were not , tears of a  dejected woman who was now a widow , rather a sense of immense pride  and fortitude that would have moved even the hardest of hearts . She was smiling and eloquent through out  and the nation salutes her stoicism.

She didn’t choose her destiny , especially when she had a four year old daughter by her side , yet she faced it with dignity. She rose from the ashes , much like the mythical Phoenix  , with a vengeance . 

From where does she draw her strength..? How did she manage to keep such a cheerful disposition ,in the face of such  heart wrenching  trauma . Now , that is what I call the life force . The inner strength , that guides all , yet only a few care to listen .

 Everyone has their fears , their problems , their anxieties , but do not let these conquer you , instead , learn to cheat them and be a winner . .. I am still on my way ..

Here is a link to that interview if you want to have a look . It is truly inspiring…….. :

 http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the-buck-stops-here/india-should-see-the-man-mukund-was-not-my-sorrow-martyr-s-wife-to-ndtv/354130?pfrom=nri_videowidget_cat_5

My recipe of life

A truckload of smiles

to make my day bright

and a few shared giggles

to add an extra spice ;

Just a handful of humor

and jest in our talks ;

A  heart full of love 

 and long silent walks ..

These are the ingredients

that I would require

to churn out a happy 

and blissful  life ;

Season it well

with warm hugs and cuddles

And see it transform even hell

into heaven !!!

New year musings

I have often come across people who make a billion resolutions for the New year , but don’t manage to fulfill even one… I may have , perhaps , been another addition to this list of ‘resolution breakers’ , except that I have never really made any resolutions !

I am a carefree person , who likes to take life as it comes , and making a list of  ‘to do’ things is ‘so not me’ ! I feel a ‘list’ , no matter , how simple or ordinary it may be (ranging from a grocery checklist to a new year resolutions one ! ) , tends to restrict our thinking , and our ability to act spontaneously .

 

When we have a list in front of us , there is a tendency to try and accomplish the things mentioned there in , with the effect that one tends to ignore the other , more significant things in our lives….

Being without a list ,does not make you ‘goal-less’ or aim less , it just means your life is more flexible and you have the ability to modify your priorities , while fulfilling your responsibilities…

Even if we do not make any new year resolution , it is important that we take out time to sit back and ponder over the things in store for us the coming year ,and the lessons from the past year …Sometimes , our lives may demand a major attitude change or a change of perspectives….

The past year has taught me many lessons , the most important being not to take anything or any person for granted . But I am human , and no matter how hard I try sometimes ,  I tend to repeat my mistakes !

 Here I would like to share a few lessons the past few years have taught me :

• I have learnt over the last few years that  the most important thing in life is to stay happy  , yourself . Only a person who is satisfied with his own life can go around trying to improve other people’s lives..

• No matter what others say , or expect you to do  , always do what your gut instinct says…It is never wrong !

• Happiness is a matter of choice so you can choose to be happy where ever you are …. If things do not work the way you want them to , try to create new ways to keep yourself happy and fulfilled…Finding a new hobby or pursuing your creative skills is just the beginning !

• Stop blaming yourself or  others , if things go wrong . Make your own life choices and be prepared for the worst !

• Stop expecting too much out of every person , thing  or place .. When you demand less , you often tend to get more !

• There are enough things to make life worth living  around each one of us…One just has to have the eyes to spot them .

• Concentrate on the good things in life and let go off all negativity . Fill your lives with people who motivate ,inspire and encourage you and keep away from people who crib and complain all the time .

Joining wordpress has had a very positive influence in my life…I have begun to concentrate more on my strengths and improve upon my weaknesses… It has inspired me to make a constructive use of my time and instilled a sense of true sportsman spirit by providing me the opportunity to support and positively influence many others enroute…

So 2015 , I am ready for you ..bring it on 😉

 I hope this New Year fills all your lives with all the wonderful things in life , and may it inspire you all to be better human beings and spread cheer and positivity in the world around you !

 

God’s diamond on the rough…….

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…’

— Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

 DAILY POST PROMPT

Life in itself is ironic . Unlike those  fairy tale stories  which we read as kids , that almost always ended with the perfect note , ‘And they lived happily ever after’ , real life stories are a mixed bag  .

I would say , life is akin to a roller coaster ride , which is thrilling and exhilarating , on one hand , yet on the other , it fills you with a sense of unknown dread and despair too… It takes you to the greatest heights ,giving you a false sense of pride ,while in the very next moment , it sends you crashing down , to the low depths of  unstimulating and depressing times……

When I look back into my life , I realize  that in every sad and upsetting time of my life , there has been a ray of hope , some tiny yet significant moment of happiness ….something that doesn’t allow me to classify those times as ‘completely black’ .

Similarly  , in all times of joy and jubilation , I have had to face some stray dark clouds of grief and anxiety , that try  to mar my ‘happy times’ ! So , then I cannot  completely classify them as being ‘completely white’ .

So , I have seen the worst in the best and the best in the worst……….. And with each of this , I have evolved into a stronger , and perhaps , a better individual .

Everything that happens , happens for a ‘reason’ . Unlike in the movies , where the initial ‘grey’ era of ones life is overshadowed by the ‘golden era’  towards the end , a mortal’s life is forever filled  with sad and happy moments and these cannot be divided into ‘eras’ , like we do in history texts !

It is in out weakest times ,that we realize out strengths… and in our most powerful times , that we ‘realize’ our weaknesses..

Even Diamonds are formed after  going through  extreme pressure , and the harsh process of cutting and polishing that reveals their true beauty.

Life is worth living for , because it is  so unpredictable and filled with ups and downs ,all in the same go !

It is beautiful in its imperfection. If it were perfect , our spirits would die , for lack of goals and there will be absolute monotony.

It is this salt and pepper existence  , that sets Life apart . It is in imperfection , that we realize the worth of beauty ; in darkness, we value light ; in despair , we see hope ; in emptiness we cherish company ; in silence  we value noise…………

Life is filled with contradictions and that is exactly what makes it so unique…so beautiful . So, all good times are times c that have seen  a little sadness and all sad times , a little of good !

We should enjoy life the way it is…and let its beauty unfold…with all its contradictions !

 Because we are but God’s Diamond on the rough…………………

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO ‘REGRET’ !

DAILY POST PROMPT

Fill in the blank: “Life is too short to _____.” Now, write a post telling us how you’ve come to that conclusion.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO ‘REGRET’ . I have already written a lot of articles , pertaining to  so many things that life , is perhaps  not long enough for , under the category Life Lessons , of my blog .

Life is precious and every second lost in a negative emotion , only goes to further reduce its already ‘short’ nature .

I have often come across people whose attitude towards life , surprises me , in a strange yet funny way . On one hand , they talk about the ‘valuable thing’ that life is , and on the other hand , spend the remaining part of their ‘valuable’ lives ‘regretting’ their past actions !

‘Regret’ is good , especially , when it spontaneously follows , a bad action or harsh word spoken in anger or haste , and  leads to the rendering of an apology.

But the same doesn’t hold true when it comes to personal decisions and past actions of a person . I have seen people fret and fume , over a  bad decision to marry a certain person ( while not making any singular effort to improve their relationship ),  or not marrying a certain person ( psst…the grass is always greener on the other side ! ). While one lady  regrets  her decision to have two kids , instead of one… there is another , who regrets  she never had a second child !

Life isn’t a bed of roses for anyone , not even for a billionaire (  who perhaps , has his own share of problems to toil with ! ).

 Every individual is unique and what one must not forget is that , we are what we are today because of our own ‘unique’ decisions and actions…. All our actions , good or bad , have somewhere or the other ,helped  us grow into more mature adults capable of  facing the ‘big , bad’  world . So , regretting things , that can no longer be undone is not productive in any manner . Rather , the more we dwell on our past actions and feel miserable , the less time we get to enjoy the life we have .

By constantly cribbing and feeling sorry for oneself , we not only make our own lives , difficult but also spread our negativity to those around us . So instead of thinking about things , people and actions , that should or should  not have been , it is always better to concentrate on the good things in life . Enjoy your today , forget your past and see your future shine !

Everything that happens to us , happens for a reason . This philosophy in life , has always got me through all the unpleasant phases of  life and enabled me to embrace my beautiful present and look forward to a bright tomorrow ! So the next time , you  regret something in life , remind yourself that this shall not repeat , smile , and walk ahead….And see how wonderful life looks !  Have a beautiful life people 🙂

Advice or ‘Add Vice’ ?? your choice !

From the time we enter adulthood ( actually even much before that !! ) to the time we hit our graves , there is one thing that is sure to follow  us ,even more religiously than our faithful canine , and that is ‘UNWANTED ADVICE’ !

Right from the dress we should wear , to the guy we should marry ( or not marry perhaps ! ) , to the number of kids we should have , or to losing the baby fat ! , there is no dearth of  unsolicited advice in our world . It pours in , generously , without provocation ,  and often from the most unexpected quarters …

Thankfully for me , I got married , much before people could began to wag their tongues , on me ‘not getting married‘ ! But then , that doesn’t put an end to it…

Till you have your first child ( even if it is probably the only ,you intend to have ! ) , these so called , ‘Messiahs‘ of ‘unsolicited advice’ ,  try to preach you on the urgent need to have a child . Some even go to the lengths of prescribing medicines or giving out names of  doctors we must  visit ( Thanks…but no thanks  ! )

And once you do have a child  ,  you think it is the end to all  unwanted advice ! Phew…

But , lo and behold , you see it coming…

 The ‘temporary’ excitement in  lives of the ‘mommy experts’ , dies , when you have that much awaited child , leaving it drab and lack lustre , a sort of vacuum enveloping it…..

This sets their empty minds racing again ,till they finally find another victim or a new subject to haunt ‘me’  with….like ‘ Do you feed formula milk to your baby..?…..You must plan for your second child now…blah..blah……’ and it just goes on…

But wait…this is just the beginning…!

So , as you have seen ( and in all probability , experienced it yourself !! ) , our lives and its rules are often dictated by what  others  think or say ( most of these ‘others’ ,perhaps do not even know us well enough to be able to guide us clearly! )

At this point I am reminded of the lyrics of an old Hindi movie song... ‘Kuch toh log kahenge…logon ka kaam hain kehna..‘ ( loosely translated in English , it would mean…People will talk , it is their job to do so ! )

Our life is our own , and what we do with it is our prerogative ! Advice is a good thing , especially when it comes from elderly people in your family ,who know you well and have seen you grow , into the individual you are today .

But then ,again ,it is your choice ,completely , whether to adhere to it wholly , to modify it ,according to your own thinking or to avoid it altogether !.

We have but one life…So , I believe we must live it on the basis of the choices  we make . Do what your heart tells you to do , not what the neighbor tells you to !

My parents have always supported me in all my decisions right from the time I was in my eleventh grade. That was when I made one of the early ( yet important ) decisions of my life – to pursue ‘Arts’ as my calling  . But ,even back then , I remember a lot of my friends being forced to take up a certain subject against their will.

 I wasn’t spared from unsolicited advice , even then . But I stuck to my resolve , to take up arts and my parents stood by my decision…

Do I regret it now..?? If I were to run back in time, would I change my decision..? No..never…in fact whenever I look back in time , and remember all the advice ( some welcome , others unwelcome ) I was given , yet making my own choice , I feel a certain pride for myself… I may not be a millionaire today , but I am a contented soul , happy with the little blessings in life…and that is what I think is important…You may beg to differ…But , to each his own !

Life had guided me to one of the most noble ( yet underestimated ! ) jobs in the world , the job of moulding hundreds of lives , every day ………the job of a ‘TEACHER‘ !

Listening to others is a good trait , but following their advice  blindly ,without thinking about yourself or your aspirations is Tomfoolery…!  and I am no ‘nincompoop’ !!

A good well meant advice is welcome anytime…

It helps us grow as a person and broaden our horizons …In fact if it were not for the advice of a well meaning individual , I wouldn’t be writing out this post or having my own blog today…

Sometimes we need to let things be…Sometimes we have to let someone grow out our shadow , and learn things on his /her own.. We  may advise , but trying to thrust one’s opinions on others , is a sign of immaturity………

In the end , it is your life and you are the master of it !

Now does this sound like an advice..?? 😀  Well…your wish !

Live life ,while you can…..

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/finite-creatures/

Death is inevitable !

This fact I have known..

This ‘life’ is not  ‘stable’

-the one we call ‘our own‘….

Every second is a ‘breath’  lost 

every year – a candle blown

‘Mortality’ is the dreaded cost 

we pay , to be as ‘humans’ born..

The day I saw my grandpa’s corpse ..

lying still before my  eyes ;

That day this truth, before me dawned –

‘Every human being dies’

Some die young , some die old 

A few , have time enough to plan 

Some unlucky ones are never told

Others have just life ‘began’

So here is my advice to all …

‘Live life while you can’ 

Express your feelings, make  that call……

Help someone needy , and be a good man !