~ Reflections ~

The last month has seen my life changing in more than one way... all because of the welcoming of a 2+kg globule of mass that has entered our lives....    Were we looking forward to the moment - absolutely, for a while now ! Does it give a sense of elation - sure enough ! But it has also evoked lot of other emotions in the entire family, which I didn't see possible earlier.    We (read:immediate family) have become extra possessive about every moment, and action being taken. Is it a natural reaction.. must be... it's a first for all of us....  The root cause appears to be this sense of belonging of someone who was earlier a part of you. I can safely say that for myself, having harboured (is that even the right term.. or should I say anchored !) the baby in me for 8+ months. But it is more than that. It is not just about the organic matter.. I guess it is also about the idea that we have been responsible in creating something (ooops... someone) new, and now have...

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...

How does one differentiate between something that is being said just for the heck of it or as a formality, as against something that is heartfelt. I often deliberate and waiver too long in making this decision, wondering whether something should be taken on face value, and does it involve in dwelling deeper... sometimes resulting in the moment just passing by. I guess this is an important skill that needs to be acquired.. or maybe that's what one gains with wisdom and experience.

I understand a person's urge to do certain things.. to scratch and itch.. to click fingers.... to crack their knuckles... I get all that..  But I somehow can't seem to get over this urge hoards of people seem to have to grab a drink on Friday night to unwind....  Don't get me wrong, I am not against the idea of relaxing with friends over food and drinks.. but the primary objective always remains catching up... catching up isn't the excuse ! But now, Friday nights have been presenting a new nightmare... it is the jam close to our place thanks to a new 'state owned' liquor shop.... Every Friday, the place crowds up like there is no tomorrow... needless to say the joy in parking their vehicles inorder to successfully block all traffic.... I wonder what is the basis of these licenses the government doles out licenses for such liquor stores. There are already 3 such stores in a 2 km radius, and this is not including the 'sophisticated' wine selling ...

We work in groups... teams... And each person wants to add value to the discussion.. to every decision... till there comes a point where the point is lost.. And it all seems in vain... The more people spoke, the closer to consensus every decision came, and the less responsibility anyone had. ~ Terry Pratchett,  Thief of Time

India seems to have pulled off the Commonwealth Games just in time & quite successfully at that, despite all the criticism about the leaking bathrooms and the broken bridges. But the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that, we lacked not in organization skill. The flaw in the scheme of things is at 2 very basic levels. Firstly, for a developing country like India (ya ya, I know, we hate to hear it... but we definitely are still in the league of developing nations... we have miles to go before we can call ourselves developed !!!), to have  budgeted  INR 16.2 Billion for the event, and to have finally spent an obnoxious INR  115 Billion on sports facilities and related infrastructure. The intention is not to hurt the sentiments of any sports enthusiasts who finally have good tennis courts to play in.. But in a country where simple amenities like hospitals, schools are unavailable/too expensive for over 50% of the population; it is sheer ex...

Decisions are part of all our lives... Some are taken by others on our behalf... and for some, we manage to summon the courage to take the leap ourself... But each and every decision taken has a bearing on our circle of influence.... So when we take the plunge (I mean when we try and decide for ourselves), do these people figure in our consideration set at all.. And having said that, didn't we always dream of being independent people, where our mind and thought was free from any other constraints...