~ Reflections ~

This year has been exceptional in more ways than one... That the pandemic hit all of us is just the cause which snowballed into many effects (some drastic) for a lot of us.  To say that I am thankful would be an understatement... thankful that I got rest when I needed it (due to the lockdown), thankful that I've been blessed with my bundle of joy despite all odds, thankful for a lot of things... but most importantly thankful that my near and dear are all fine, emotionally, physically and financially. So here's my takeaway from this year... 1. There is often good in all the negativity that surrounds us . While this might sound like management jargon, it's true. On a personal front, lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to work from home and rest when I could, which really helped. But even in a more general sense, the air became cleaner.. City dwellers could suddenly hear chirping birds and spot stars in a clear (read smokeless) sky.  2. Reinventing oneself takes time an...

Change is a funny thing.. We realize that life cannot be static - that change is inevitable. Yet, when change actually hits you, you are often caught flummoxed. So how does one react when there is more than one change hitting you... as if suddenly, your mind is the only stationary thing, and all else seems to be in motion. The adjustment of the mind is probably the toughest... adjustment not to The change, but the idea that it is all changing, and will probably change into something totally new !

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...

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 ...

What happens when the blocks you setup, the ones you depend on, start tumbling down. Initially the loose and frail ones, but ultimately even the firms ones start to disappear. Is it a sign of age ? Or is it merely a sign for change ? Or maybe both seem to have suddenly coincided. What is the right response to such a situation, because it is tough to sustain numbing your way through this turmoil. Being patient might appear to be a good strategy in some instances and might feel like living in fool's paradise other times. There seems to be limited clarity on what can be done. However, it is clear that once the dust settles, and the tumbling stops, resulting in lesser stumbling, what remains will stay.... hopefully for good.

Different people, different hues.. Different thoughts and different views.. Some persist without a thought.. Some resist without a doubt.. Irrespective of how the mind works.. It finally accepts people with their quirks.. And learns to dull the pain.. From dealing with the new change.. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. ~ Richard Bach ( Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah)

So often we enter a comfort zone,  not wanting to let go of the pleasure of knowing what will come your way..  What to expect...  But as always,  life has other plans..  It takes special sadistic pleasure in turning your world upside down... One block moves,  and the whole world comes tumbling down...  The only bright side,  if you can all it that,  is you now have the experience and ability (hopefully)  to rebuild it all...  Obviously with a block missing,  it will look different,  and there will always be that missing link... 

Hope is a funny thing... There are times when we don't think or imagine that something will happen... that here might be a change... and then suddenly, there is a flash,,,  All of a sudden, all the variables involved in the equation change... Things appear in a new light... you see people in a new light.... and suddenly, it doesn't seem all that grim... Situations change... and so do people... or atleast our outlook towards them... So do we change with time... or does time change us ?

As children, we epitomize our parents... but at the back of our head we also sort out their habits subconsciously into the ones you wish you'd get, and those you wouldn't want to inculcate. Imagine my surprise when, in a recent discussion with my parents, I realized that I had subconsciously started doing some of the things in exactly the way they do... except, as a kid, I didn't like it... What would you call it then... growing up ? inheritance ?  Or has my memory just dulled and I have chosen the path of convenience over the right one... All of us change with time.. but am wondering if I'll suddenly realize one fine day, that I've turned into a person I don't like ! 

The recent speech given by Shashi Tharoor at Oxford is simply brilliant... not just because of the courage of putting it across, in interspersed with humour in the Queen's own country, but also for the various points he touched upon, but also the spontaneity with which he connected what he knew, with what the other participants said... even something as trivial as the wifi password was used to make a point. Having said that, it is also strange that even after 60 years of independence, we never miss a chance to blame the British for our current situation. What Tharoor did was oratory.  But if that's our excuse for things not working even now, I think we need to think again. Consider Japan, a nation which was partly wiped out around the same time we got our independence, which has managed to literally rise from the ashes, and done a brilliant job of it too.... Indians have got used to making excuses... first it was the invaders... then the britishers... now our own politi...

With the run up to the General Elections in India, it is amazing to see how policies (across states) are being pushed, and decisions are being made. It almost makes you wonder why they were sitting on all of it for the last 4.5 years when they were agreeable to the change in the first place.  Be it the Lokayukta Bill, or the Environmental clearances to 70 odd projects... The running government (please read ruining government ) is making amends in their style, as if the box has suddenly been open, and all decisions will be made overnight. The Aam Aadmi party is attempting to make the phenomenon in Delhi nation wide, and they just might succeed in some pockets... Eitherways, this will be an year of change..  All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was ...

Our views about life, relationships & people keep changing.... When we start out any relationship, we resolve that we'll accept everyone as they are..... But slowly, we get the itch to change the person....not necessarily to our liking, but towards our ideals..... And then guilt follows, when the realization strikes, that what we had resolved to love, without limits, unchanged, is what we are trying to change, knowingly..... and questioning them all the way..... Now I know what Oscar Wilde meant when he said....  "Women  are meant to be loved, not to be understood."

लोग रंग बदलते है  ज़िन्दगी भी रंग बदलती है इन बदलते रंगों मे कही मेरा रंग भी ना बदल जाए Log rang badalte hai Zindagi bhi rang badalti hai Inn badalte rango mae Kahi mera rang bhi naa badal jaae

Man evolves physically... but I've come to believe that we are slowly devolving (if such a word exists) emotionally & psycologically... Our previous generations had blind faith... in their elders/forefathers or who ever they chose to believe.... M not saying blind faith is good... atleast they had the strength to stand by their belief... What are all of us doing now??? In the name of experimentation, we dabble in different things, without understanding the reason/basis of it... j ust for the sake of experimentation, we are not only letting go what we have, but are getting into some new unknown.... Call me old fashioned, if thats what this is.. but I've always learnt to question... I'm not averse to change or experimentation.. but not without a basis.... Remember the science experiments we used to do in school.. Aim... Apparatus... Theory.. Method....  That's the way to follow here also...