Practice what you preach...

I cant count the number of times I have urged all my friends to think positively whenever they are feeling down. I usually follow that principle too, but sometimes I tend to forget my own advice. Yesterday was so frustrating. Because, I was stuck and stuck badly with my work. Was not getting anywhere. I felt totally crappy. But this morning when I woke up, I decided that I will not let anything get me down and will make some progress with my work. And I did!! I did not find the complete solution but yet felt like I was doing something, instead of just going to the office and wasting so much time and getting no-where ( I am glad that I didnt go into research ).
I guess what I am trying to say is that it is so easy to tell others what to do and how to behave, but we all tend to forget our own fundas sometimes. And usually these are the times when they are really needed. These are the times we need to remember to Practice what we preach.

Time

The other day I was talking to my aunt and we started discussing how the time flies by these days. She said that when they were kids they used to have so much time on their hands and could do so many things. Now, the days just seem to fly by. Why? Its not like the earth has started spinning faster or the number of seconds in a day have reduced!! I feel it too. The weekdays go fast and the weekends even faster. All of us are always in such a rush to everything. I am included in that too. I mean even when I am walking around with a lot of free time in my hands I cannot seem to slow down for a moment and just enjoy my surroundings.

I am usually listening to music whenever I walk and am so engrossed in it that dont notice anything around me. Which is OK when the roads are full of traffic. But what about early mornings? Or the small lanes where there is not much traffic around? Why cant I just slow down for once and notice what is happening around me.

Today I was to meet a friend at the top of a hill. As usual I had my earphones plugged in and was humming along to the music. I reached midway and there was a sort of an open space and a cool, gentle breeze blowing. At tht moment I just stopped, I knew he was waiting for me on top but I had to wait and look around. At that moment I removed my earphones and put them in my pocket. At that time I felt that listening to artificial music at such moment would be an insult to nature. And that was the first moment I realised how I have stopped admiring the natural beauty all around me. I mean when I was in school I used to love to go for walks all by myself, or sometimes accompanied by my dog, and would just look around, stop at various places, take a deep breath, admire the new life budding all around me (esp in the monsoons) and move on.

24 hours were enough then, then why are they not enough now? But, now that I have realised it I make a pledge to myself, that I will slow down a bit from now and get back to what I used to be earlier. I just hope I am able to keep it.

I dont know who is the author of this poem. It came to me in a forwarded mail. But it captues whatever I am trying to say above:

SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day On the fly?

When you ask "How are you?"

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

When you run so fast

to get somewhere

You miss half the fun

of getting there.

When you worry and

hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over

Matters of the heart

Mayank and Nisha had been married for 4 years. They had a one year old baby girl, Avanti. Theirs had been an arranged marriage. Their parents came together and decided that they would make a nice couple and soon they were tied in the bonds of holy matrimony. They had a smooth life. Then one day something happend which rocked their world forever. Mayank met Aparna.

She worked in the same office as his and had just moved to the city. She was all alone. Initially Mayank would just talk to her as she had no-one else to talk to. Slowly this casual accquaintance developed into deep friendship and this deep friendship turned into a beautiful, innocent love. They didnt mean for this to happen. But it did, and now there was no turning back. They started spending more and more time together and now they had become inseperable.

What should he do now? If he stays with Nisha and forgets about Aparna, then he will be denying himself the one shot at finding something which is so rare in this world, true love. And if he goes to Aparna, he will be abandoning his wife and kid whom he has promised to love and cherish for all of his life.

What is the right decision in this case? Is there even a right decision? Mayank had nothing to complain about in his married life. Yet, something was missing. Something which made him turn towards Aparna. I dont deny that it is infidelity. Having affairs with numerous women inspite of being married is definitely inexcusable. But, in this case what if Mayank had a chance of finding his soulmate in Aparna? Every one is searching for the love of their life, but very few of them actually find it. Someone once told me that it is ok to be a little selfish for your own happiness. But selfish to an extent that you end up hurting others?

One can argue both ways in this case, I mean we can say that if Mayank goes to Nisha and they both talk it over, it is possible that slowly he finds the same love in Nisha and soon gets over Aparna. Or on the other hand we can also assume that if he and Nish are seperated, then she too has a chance of finding her soulmate. But both these options have a down side too dont they?

I dont know the answer to this question? Does anyone?

You've got Mail

This is one of my all time favourite movies. I can watch it N number of times and still not get bored. This movie introduced us to a totally different kind of romance ( I must admit at this point that I am a hopeless romantic ). Two strangers who dont even know each other's names, just start exchanging mails at random and slowly fall in love with each other. What is it about this form of communication? I think people ( some of them ) are more honest about their feelings and emotions when they are interacting online. Why is it so I am yet to understand. But it is true isnt it? When communicating through e-mails/ IM we talk about so many things we would not if we were face to face. And the element of anonymity adds to the charm.

But what I dont understand here is that why is it that people always look for romance in such cases? I mean if two people are interacting frequently via the internet why cant they just be friends? It has happened to me so many times. And this is the reason why I am a bit wary of talking to a complete stranger online. I am not saying I dont do it at all, I have some great online friends, but I am very choosy about it. I am sure one can feel a bit of an attraction towards a person when he/she has been corresponding for quite some time, but falling in love!!! I am a bit doubtful about that. But on the other hand if your wavelengths match and you click then why the hell not!!! Oh damn, it is all so confusing and complicated!!! Well, then again, if it wasnt complicated it wouldnt be so much fun now would it? ;)

Destiny

Sometimes there is something we want very badly, but it seems that the more we try to obtain it the further it slips away from us. People generaly react to such situations in two ways: they get angry and frustrated and just give up or their determination becomes stronger and in the end they achieve what they want. And once they get it, the cherish it forever because they worked so hard ro reach there. There is a quote I once heard "Life answers our questions in 3 ways : It says yes and gives you whatever you want, It says no and gives you something better or It says wait and gives you the best." But do we have the time to wait? I dont think so. We are so used to getting instant results that we sometimes tend to forget that not everything in this world can be Maggie Noodles!! Hell even I, inspite of saying all this, get so damn impatient at times ( something which my best friend points out so gleefully ).

There is a time and place for everything and things will happen when they are meant to, not before it nor after it. And look at it this way. If everything was handed to us in a silver platter, would we appreciate it or enjoy it as much? I am sure not.