Life in Technicolor

A long journey it was, As the hills rolled past us, Covered with green shrubs & tall trees, The monkeys leaping merrily, While a Koel called out from an overhead branch. Happy I was, Though the horizon was nowhere to be seen, Enjoying the drive. The green foliage was a comforting cover, While the cry of the birds, a reassuring presence, Of life. As the sun dipped lower, Out came the crickets, chirping loudly. As if, the forest wanted to keep us company.

I sit by the Stream, Which gurgles cheerfully, Playing with the rocks, Jostling them, Toppling them over.  I wait till you arrive. It's been a while. And I'm growing impatient. Last time I saw you, It took me sometime, To regain my senses. You looked pretty  As you quietly appeared. Over the green meadows, With your myriad hues. The clouds await your arrival too, While the Sun peeps out, A silver lining. There, there! I see you now. Like the half of a halo. The Rainbow.

Stormy grey skies, Ink black waves, Hugging me,  Choking me, Mouthful of briny water, Arms lashing about, Trying to keep myself afloat, While looking around with hope. A strange dream it was, Last night. When it was calm outside. And the barn owl cooed softly, As a mouse scurried along to hide.

I rub my eyes vigorously, Till I see stars in the daylight. Sunlight streams in, Through the dusty window. The dewdrops sparkle, On the green grass outside, While the bees buzz dreamily, Around the honeysuckles. I hear the Wind whispering to me, Mischieviously. Hinting at me to guess. Carrying the sweet aroma. Intoxicating me with happiness. She sends me a gift every morning. Mother Nature. A sight to behold. To marvel at. To dissolve in. To forget myself.

First day of swimming lessons, "Keep your fears aside", they said to me, And when you're in the water, Just relax, let go and be. And you'll float effortlessly. The Eureka moment,  It hit me then. Life's like that. You got to find the courage within, To float amidst a pool of dreams, Emerge when you're ready And watch the world with glistening eyes of Hope.

It's golden they say, Overwhelming you at first, But gradually bringing you peace. The soul knows the language like no other, Silence. Sometimes a much needed respite, Like a short vacation, Healing you and launching you forth. Silence. And then one day, the words burst forth, Like the first spring flowers after a snowy winter, Bringing color to the white, Movement to the still air.

I found a book lying on the seat, On the Express Train. An old tattered one, Bookmarked with dog eared pages. I waited for someone to notice it too, But nobody there was. I picked it up and peered at it. Astonished. No author. No title. Carefully flipping through the pages, Worn with age & use, I find it filled with questions. Thousands of them. One after the other. "Where are the answers?", I wonder. I turn to the last page and find the title there. One word.  "Life", it said.  And I get my answers, To all the questions.

The world is coming closer, what with faster travel and technology, moving abroad either for further studies or for better work prospects is always an option. More and more are now opting to study abroad for a holistic learning experience, global exposure and for the thrill of living in a new country. Be it for furthering your education or for work, one has to list out all the challenges one might face before making the move. Speaking and being in touch with fellow mates, who've gone the same route you are planning, will definitely make the whole process easier. The visa norms, passport validity, university acceptance letters, English language tests, housing, finances etc. feature on all lists.  I recall the year when a friend was applying to universities abroad- with the sheer pressure of applications, deadlines, regulations, scholarships and finances, she was left with no free time before the course started. Pearson India, decided to make one aspect of this planning easie...

Being a nature lover, I like the lessons Mother Nature imparts to us every day. Observing and learning from these has helped me on numerous occasions. So, I thought, I'll capture some: Persistence- Go on,no matter what. The sun will always rise, despite the dark clouds, the thunder and the storm. You're unique in your own way, bloom! A flower will bloom when it has to, without bothering about the one next to it. Timing- There's a right time for everything. Neither late nor early, it'll happen when it has to. You cannot rush a sapling to grow into a tree overnight. It's okay to change- Seasons come- the colors change and each one is beautiful in its own way. Let go of the things, people, situations,thoughts you cannot manage. It's a process necessary for growth. Let the dead leaves fall, the tree will grow stronger.  Be vulnerable, it's okay! Autumn makes even the mighty oak be vulnerable and shed its leaves. Sometimes, after a terrible storm, you...

When was the last time, you postponed something you really wanted to do? Calling a loved one, craving your favorite chocolate dessert but waiting till the weekend to order it, painting, writing an email/letter to a friend you've lost touch with , the list goes on.. We always somehow, put ourselves second. Trying to squish the desire right out of our minds to another time in the future when you can give yourself some time.  Beginning this year, I decided to try it out! The tiny desires which I could treat myself to and get them right out of the way. That way, you're happy and there's no waiting. Who knows what the future holds? Think of a friend, call him/her immediately. Craving some Chinese food- why not? Want to catch the sunset- go for a quick walk and treat yourself. Aiming to be fit? Start today! Our social system teaches us to sacrifice self and cater to others. Yes, one should most times. But, I've also realized that, you've got to put yourself firs...

It's a warm Sunday afternoon in April. Most people are indoors, snoozing after a heavy Sunday lunch. Oscar sleeps on , in the cool verandah, swishing at flies, maybe in his dreams, cause I see none. The pigeon nesting in the attic, is cooing softly. It's been about half an hour and she goes on. Almost like a snore- rising and falling. The big Gulmohar tree across the road, is full in bloom, swishing merrily in the warm April breeze. The ground below is beautifully adorned with red & yellow petals. Reminding the passersby of the beautiful yesterday that was.  The afternoon is so still that even the squirrel on the mango tree is nowhere to be seen. Sunday lunches are always heavy, ending with sweet ripe mangoes. It's understood that one has to save some space for the juicy mangoes. You aren't allowed to refuse! Who says "No" to the king of fruits, after all? The evening might bring in a thunderstorm. A usual occurrence in Eastern India. When heavy,...

"You never know the worth of water until the well runs dry" Imagine, a hot summer day and you're running errands exhausted, and would give anything for a sip of cold water to refresh you. Now, imagine a similar scenario- but now, there's no water left on the planet. What would one want to consume to refresh oneself? It's a scary thought, which we are quick to dismiss giving an excuse that the situation is still a long way to go! Well, that's where we are wrong!  Out of all the water on Planet Earth, only 2-2.8% is fresh, drinking water. This small percent which currently sustains all life forms is fast depleting. Places such as Cape Town in South Africa have already run out of water. Several other cities are already heading towards this sad situation. Rajasthan, interiors of rural Maharashtra and Bihar face drought like conditions every year. Water conservation requires the efforts of each and every human being. Tiny steps towards saving water daily ...

You've got to feel something completely In your heart, till it explodes Only then will it leave you. Be it love, be it pain, Hope or jealousy, A person. And then you feel liberated, A light hearted feeling.  

Ever wonder why, when you see waves lashing against a rock, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is? When you see the orange sun setting behind the clouds, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is. When you see a freshly bloomed flower with sparkling dew drops, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is. When you experience the warmth of the sun on an extremely cold day, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is. When you see a mild red sun, rising in the horizon, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is. When you see a bird feeding its fledglings, You are reminded of how beautiful Life is. A miracle in itself, Life is beautiful. Maybe we complicate it, With expectations and ambitions.

Sometimes you wait, and then wait some more, "Be patient", they say. "Good things come to those who wait", they say. But the wait leads to expectations, Expectations spread like weeds, Dis allowing roses to bloom. Then one fine day,  You're jolted out from your reverie, Cause you're in the midst of the very dream, Living it.  Observe. Be grateful.

Neither complete nor uninitiated, Know that feeling of being in between? Almost best friends, Almost promoted, Almost in love, Almost finalized holiday plan, Almost committed, Almost reaching the destination, Of Almosts.  The world teaches you black & white early on, But it's the greys you've got to learn to recognize later. Not just recognize but to accept. Cause you can't fit a "grey" anywhere, Neither here nor there. And you'll learn to unlearn, That every story has not only a beginning & an end, But also, a grey in-between!  

I travelled to Yangon in Myanmar, a couple of weeks back. This was my second trip to the country. Being a work trip for just 3 days- both times, I couldn't do much. But I made sure to experience as much Burmese culture as possible within those 3 days! :-)  Glimpses of Yangon The thought of traveling to a new country is exciting. There's so much to experience and keep in mind. Sharing some experiences from Yangon here: 1.    First & the most important point- make sure to carry crisp dollar notes only. Any folded, coloured, faded notes will not be accepted. The visa officials are very strict and you might be denied a visa on arrival with no proper notes. 2.    You'll find beautiful gleaming pagodas on every street. Adorned with flowers and incense sticks, you'll find people praying here in the mornings and evenings. 3.    The Shwedagon Pagoda officially named Shwedagon Zedi Daw, is a must visit, if you'r...