~ Reflections ~

Every person has a purpose of life. Some recognize the purpose and try to make the most of the opportunity life has presented them with, while some simply fulfill the purpose during the course of their life, without the complete realization of having done it. But every person in our life also has a purpose and meaning, just the way we have a purpose in someone else's life... Often, we don't dwell into the reasons, but more often than not, each person ends up teaching us something about ourselves or the world or life, or maybe they are there just to give us company when we are low....  The intent is not to say that we should rubbish the people in our life, whom we deem have no purpose for us. But that, without realizing, each person has their own purpose... Not just in their own lives, but in our life too... Long story short, every person has their own journeys to chart, but they all have a role in your tiny journey too !

There is nothing as poetic and romantic as unfulfilled unrequited love... Or maybe the idea that someone is still trying to pursue someone, despite knowing that it is probably unattainable... Or is it just the chase.. I guess anything that has been attained looses its charm... Or maybe we work really hard when something is out of reach,  and eventually take it for granted when we have it...

We often say and believe, that we do things that appeal us (read our senses), and more often than not, our eyes. While I was already in disagreement with this philosophy of pleasing the eyes, being choosing partners basis appearance or judging your colleagues basis the way they dress, the latest trend is even more distasteful. Thanks to the advent of smartphones, I find that everything in life seems to revolve around how it can be captured 'beautifully' on the camera.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for photography and capture some priceless moments. But this urge of everyone to capture everything since they now have easy access to a camera on their phone has started to tick me off. This urge to click seems to be irrespective of whether it is a party or a pious moment, or just an emotional ordeal ! And due to this urge, things and moments are arranged to make them look 'more appealing' in a photograph.. without realizing that they are losing the spontane...

What would you do when you randomly decide to bunk office... not because of an urge to rest or complete some pending work... but simply to do what YOU feel like... In our races against time, to complete the chores at hand, be it home or office, we often sideline these random wishes... after all they seem to random and trivial to pay heed to... And even if we do succumb, we end up feeling guilty to have 'wasted' those precious hours on some of our whims instead completing the work at hand. But once in a while, it is important to let go off this obsession about 'constructive' utilization of time, and not measure everything under the parameter of productivity of work. We need to understand that such breaks of routine are required to keep the mind working and happy. So the next time you have an urge to watch a movie alone, or taste something haven't tasted in ages right in the middle of the day, don't try to push the urge in the background and succumb to...

Choosing a life partner is one of the toughest decision one faces. I am not undermining the other decisions one makes which have life changing impact.. but this is the one single decision which often stays with us (for better and for worse) for life. The essential difference is that, unlike in the case of parents, who choose you (and a mostly one way decision), the choice of a partner is an individual decision for which one has complete ownership...  So it is not surprising that a lot of us who linger on with the decision... wavering between indecision towards decision, till you finally call it ! What is the single most important criteria for this decision ? While the cliched answer might be compatibility, this might not be true, atleast in an Indian context, where most marriages are a conclusion of meeting and talking and not much beyond. Compatibility is probably what evolves over time, based on understanding and interpretation. So what exactly is it... Af...

Most of us are born hoarders.  We like to accumulate things, memories and thoughts.. more things, memories and more thoughts... Sometimes for that odd day where we might be left in the lurch.. sometimes for the bright day when we wish to celebrate..... or sometimes, just to relive what we've felt earlier... Whatever the excuse we might choose, the bottomline remains unchanged. So when I read this Article titles The Things One Leaves Behind by Sandip Roy , I was reminded once again how important it is to de-clutter, not just our cupboards and shelves but also our minds and bodies. We often harp so much on externalities that we miss what we actually Want and Need. So open your cupboards and minds (which are just like cupboards) , and spend sometime to get rid of what is truly unused or not needed, give it to someone who will find more utility...  Apply the same theory with the body and mind, and attempt to de-clutter, and get rid of unnecessary thoughts ...

Lets welcome the New Year with open arms.. And embrace the new things it brings with it.. there are stars you  haven't seen and loves you haven't loved there's light you haven't felt and sunrises yet to dawn there are dreams  you haven't dreamt and days you haven't lived and nights you won't forget and flowers yet to grow and there is more to you that you have yet to  know. ~ g.c.

I know we (I mean women) keep harping about the lack of gender equality in the society, especially when it comes to the mundane tasks of running a household (which is often the biggest source of angst for a blissfully single person just married) . Most women in the current (Indian) society atleast are hard wired to pick up such responsibilities. Having said that, I've met lots of men who are willing to help, and want to take that step. They often don't venture offering help not because they don't want to, but because they are worried that they might ultimately (still) be reprimanded by their partner for not doing it right. Please note, not doing it right in this context is simply, not doing it my way ! Long story short, it is not just about your partner taking the initiative to do the chores, but also you letting the person do it the way they know best. Yes, it might be a messy affair the initial few times. But do remember the first time you did it on your o...

While I can't claim to be a connoisseur of paintings and art in general, I can safely say good art has always piqued my interest. Since schooling was in an era devoid of what we now call Internet, a lot of it was what had been described in the books one read. The only other way to get the experience was to visit museums and be enthralled by this totally different take on the world around, often not in a very direct or real way, but could lead one into realms of imagination which was normally difficult to find. Having said that, I safely steer clear from conversation of Cubism - Renaissance etc simply because I've never 'studied' these subjects.  Growing up in Delhi provided the advantage of being able to frequent places like The National Gallery for Modern Art , National Museum and Mandi House area, exposing me to an amazing collection (often underrated), becoming a regular go-to place during college. The likes of Raja Ravi Varma , S H Raza , Biren De have alway...

So what do you look for in your partner - Someone who can keep the house together ?  Someone who manages to keep all your relationships - family and friends (as water is often purer than blood) ? While it might not be an either or  kind of choice, the dexterity with which one is achieved often impacts the efficiency in the other aspect. The decision might also depend on how complimentary the skill is with one self, as merely supplementary skills might not suffice. Can't we find someone who is good at both - appears tough. It's like trying to seek the perfect partner, a search which might not have any result :D But then again, what IS more important to you ? Can there even be a preference ? 12-Nov-19