~ Reflections ~

With the General Elections due next year, one would have thought (or rather, hoped) that the political parties would be working in full swing, to prove their mettle, and show that they are worthy of making the next government. Unfortunately, most of them are spending their time pointing fingers at each other. Don't get me wrong, I am a strong believer of the fact that a strong democracy is only when we not only have a strong ruling party, but an equally strong opposition.... But the current scenario is such, where neither is ruling nor the opposition are worthy... as a result, a majority of their time is spent slinging mud at each other & proving themselves innocent & the opposition guilty... The irony is that, even in the most tragic events, be it the Uttarakhand flood or the Poisionous Mid Day meal in Bihar, all the parties are scrambling in the race of finger pointing... No one has used the opportunity for finding a solution/relief in the crisis.... As voters, t...

Living in a nation that loves cricket, and married in a household where everyone breathes cricket, I would've thought (or atleast hoped) that I'd come to love the game too. Instead, it has brought me to this ludicrous idea.  What if our the sport of cricket was banned in India for an year.... I know it is almost an impossible occurrence, but just humour me for a while... Besides bringing a smile on most teachers faces, who keep fuming over their class watching cricket matches and not studying, it might achieve much more.... It will definitely bring down the advertising cost on all channels at prime-time (since cricket has also become an almost daily source of prime-time entertainment). Other sports (which might provide similar excitement in smaller games), will finally see the light of the day or rather, will finally get a spot for telecast. With all the spot fixing and other controversies surrounding cricket, am hoping the black money in circulation through...

When we are 16, most of us are wondering what we want to do with our life (i mean careers here)...  Some of us find our calling by interest, some by force, and some just manage to dabble through different things and get there.... However, in India, one of the most "chosen" careers is that of an Engineer. Its almost a national hysteria - an admission in a good Engineering college. This phenomena has had a ripple effect.. The first being that now there a huge number of Engineering colleges (with little or no infrastructure whatsoever) which are full of students trying to soak in the practical aspects of science and technology... none of them realizing that they'll soon become a part of this ocean.. of Engineering graduates (i refuse to refer to the likes of us as Engineers!!! )... The second is the total ignorance towards the other lesser known career options, be it psychology, journalism, law, photography, medicine, architecture, design and the many others... A dire...

I am often forced to ask others (and myself) this question, when they fail to see what is not necessarily visible to the eye... The image is a dream. The beauty is real. Can you see the difference ? ~ Richard Bach, in Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

I've read a few books so far.... Some books many times, and many books just about once.... But the one book I can read as many times I lay hands on it is Love Story , by Eric Segal . So as I read the book again (once more !!!), here's what I like the most, besides the entire book that is... "When our two souls stand up erect and strong, face to face, silent,  drawing nigh and nigher 'til the lengthening wings break into fire at either curved point;  What bitter wrong can the Earth do to us that we should not long be here contented? Think.  In mounting higher, the angels would press on us,  and aspire to drop some golden orb of perfect song into our deep dear silence.  Let us stay rather on Earth, Beloved,  where the unfit contrarious moods of men recoil away  and isolate pure spirits and permit a place to stand and love  in for a day with darkness and death hour rounding it."

The more I think about it, the more I am confused... To think that the past doesn't have any bearing on us from the moment it has gone by is foolishness.... And to think that the future is what we need to invest for/in is not prudent either... So how do I balance myself in "that" precarious position.. not whiling away the moment... yet not undermining the importance of the past or the future ...

Have you ever felt that you talk too much...  and sometimes, words just slip out.. that you've said things that could have been avoided,  even though what you said was true... How do you control that spontaneous response, and the regret later.... Dogs are better than human beings  because they know but do not tell.  ~ Emily Dickinson

What I miss about my childhood the most (of course I miss the idea of not having to assume any responsibilities... duh..) is the freedom to think. Not like I've been chained to an outlook, or that an attitude has stuck to me.. But the supposed logic, and practicality that we tend to attain with age (is that what is erroneously called wisdom ?!?), is what is responsible for our lack of ingenuity... the lack of thinking out of the box.... We have regimented our outlook and thought process with dos & don't, the right & the wrong, the reality & the dream...  And somewhere, maybe unknowingly, we inculcate the same in our children... So when they ask why they can't fly, all we say is that they'll fall down on the ground... without realizing that we are actually clipping their wings...

I am a strong believer that the more you try and chase something, the more it evades you... and the more you avoid something, the more it chases you.... Despite believing in this, I tend to try and chase material things... Promotions, Increments, Praises, Appraisal.... Maybe because it is "that" time of the year.... maybe it is the to be recognized, for a change for what I am responsible for... But as always, the more I harp about it, the more it moves away... needless to say it really messes with the head and spoils the mood. “I can resist everything except temptation.”  ~ Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

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."