Festival Of Colors !!!

Holi the festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Festival of Colors, the name is derived from Lord Krishna with the pranks he played with the radha as he was jealous of her fair complexion.

 Red , Blue , Purple, which ever color you choose, I  am sure the air was full of laughter and joyful shouts, “BURANA MANO HOLI HAI “ meaning (don’t be offended or bad its Holi).That’s how many parts of India would have celebrated Holi yesterday.

When you are away from you country, what you miss is the festivals and the joy along with it, the joy of being with your friends and family. The mood is so difficult to recreate, but memories are something which are more than enough to bring the smile on the face, with a bit of a tear rolling down the eye.

I Miss - The day ,when I am standing and chatting with my friends, when someone approaches from behind ( I don’t know them  ), I can sense them and before I  can react  or open my mouth to say something , I am drenched with water and my face full of all the colors. I would have reacted with anger if it was some other day, but I laugh instead as its Holi.

I Miss – Roars of laughter, the screams of mirth and the burst of colors!!!

I Miss - The day when all the barriers are turned down and all the rules are bent if not totally broken.

I Miss - The day when the children are pardoned for being mischievous

I Miss - The day when, we keep our differences aside and even walk up to the enemies.

I Miss - The day where the house is full of stained legs and clothes dripping with water,  the house where mom’s are shouting ,” straight for the bath  “ or  “ watch the curtain “.

I Miss - The day when people on the road , (a few who don’t prefer to play ) look around  in anticipation that from where some water balloon or someone would come and throw colors, that ‘ LOOK ‘on their faces.

I Miss - Not being in India. A country, just about every day is a festival.

Holi is one of a kind which stands out for its appealing sense of fun. No wonder, it will remain a unique celebration of high spirits.

What do you miss?

Each Day Is Special

I had this habit since I was a child, if my memory serves me right I was about 12 years old when my very close friend had gifted me a bottle of perfume and a Teddy Bear ( typically girly !!! ). I used that perfume occasionally, and hence stayed with me for a long time, till the empty bottle got its way to the bin. I still have the Teddy bear (though it does not look the same J today, but emotional value it carries means a lot to me).

I could never throw things away. Whenever I got something new or was gifted with something I would save it for the best time. May it be a new dress, it would stay in my wardrobe for some special event, if it was a perfume it would rest on my dressing table, I would use it occasionally. In short I would save it for the best.

Till I met a friend (I mentioned her in my post Live Every Moment ) she changed the whole perception about things. She made me realize that the belief if I enjoy something now, I won’t be able to look forward to anything better in future is false. What it does is actually spoils the joy of present. Live in the moment that was her motto. That was the first time she made me, change my approach towards life.

As it is said that some habits are difficult to break and they really die hard, I still keep some things unused for those special times.

Sometimes a sad and traumatic situation makes a person stop and think again about their approach towards life. Something like that happened to me yet again.

My friend just left us for the heavenly aboard, and the other day I called up her family to check on how they were doing. (Loss which no one will ever be able to fill) which I am aware, support is the only thing that can be given at such moments.

Her husband who was trying his best not to break, but finally I guess the emotions took the front seat. He mentioned that on the funeral day when they were looking through my friends wardrobe, to decide as to what she will wear when they will put her to rest, he saw a  “ sari “ , which she had brought 6 months ago, but preserved it for her anniversary. He said to me, “I think this is it, don’t ever save anything for the special occasions, each day is special, each day you are alive is special.

The conversation came to end at that note, with tears at both the ends. My friend, who was fighting cancer, and was living her life as if it was her last day, had kept something for a special day. I think that was her hope, hope to live, and hope to be alive.

She taught me one more lesson, even while leaving this world. “Every day is special ".

That night, I lit the candle that had been on the center table as a showpiece collecting dust since years.

I slept with one thought that night, that when my journey on this earth ends, I want to shout and say… “Wow, what a ride I had in journey called life “

The Journey To The Pinnacle.......

“A young executive was seriously biting her nails "

She sat in the waiting area with other 5 people all men dressed in their best attires, also waiting to be called in for the interview. She was happy that she had made it to the final round of the interview in a big Multi National Company. Yes she was pretty much surprised when she was told about the good news. It wasn’t that she had done horribly bad, actually she felt almost satisfied with her performance.

It was 11:35 am, she was scheduled to go in at 11 30. Oh! That’s ok the person before me just took a bit of an extra time I guess, she thought. As soon as she lifted her eyes, of her watch, a man emerged from the room calling out “Shaznin Gazdar “. That’s me – she replied. The girl at the reception raised her head, and told her “It’s your turn, you may please go in “.

“A young executive was seriously biting her nails “

She sat on the passenger sit, being driven to work on Monday morning with so many thoughts in her mind. The week had passed on so quickly, with eyebrows plucking, to leg waxing and a choosing the right wardrobe. She was nervous, few more minutes and she would be all by herself. Suddenly, a familiar hand touched her and comforted her, “don’t worry take it to as just another day “- said her dad. She was tearful, but yet happy.

She had arrived 10 mins early to her workplace, some occasional hellos and she was directed to her cubical. The day was just normal as any other day, though it felt like excitement was overshadowed by nerves.

Congratulations, it was her first day at work.

“A young executive was seriously biting her nails "

The stage was all set; it was time for the recognition. It was the night for the best people to award for their extraordinary contributions, hard work.  That night, while she was sitting at her table, she thought all eyes were on her. But she always thought she is never going to win it. It can never happen to her.

The envelope was opened, and it was her name.

Winning the award did not change, much in her life. She realized that the award wasn’t about just her winning, but it was of much more importance for the people around her.

Getting the recognition and success in the career has been a blessing and learning both. The journey to the pinnacle has begun…..

“A young executive was seriously biting her nails "…………….

This post is a part of <a title="Write Over the Weekend" href="http://blog.blogadda.com/

Live Every Moment.....

A good friend left for the heavenly aboard a few days ago, she was just 40 years old. She died of breast cancer. Although we didn’t meet often as we live in different parts of the world. But we did catch up during her trips to the hometown and there was nothing that could stop us , we use to laugh , have fun , spend  never ending hours at a coffee joint ( obvious drinking coffee , with loads of gossips ) .

To me she was a complete and successful woman in every way. Yes somewhere we all knew that she is going to die, today, tomorrow, someday and we dreaded that moment. Yet, strange it may seem ,there was no sadness, no fear in her eyes and she never ever was uncomfortable talking about the most inevitable “ Her Death “.

Today, when I think about the night when one of our other friend had asked her about life and her dying (I guess there are a few, who really like to catch the wrong nerve sometimes!!) she had no bitterness or dramas in her answer. She told a story which she had read somewhere.

The story about a man who had 2 dogs, and he would chain them in his yard. One of the dogs would just lie around the whole day. Nothing would swirl him from his place. He would have his drinks, eat his food day in and day out and just lay there unmoved. Even when people walked past him , he would  look at them without lifting his head from the corner of his eyes then return back to what he was doing , that was NOTHING .

While the other dog was very different, he was full of energy and anger. He would constantly rattle his chain, fighting against being tied, wanting to get free one way or another. He would not leave a single chance or opportunity just to get the attention of others.

She said that, she will never forget this story, and the way the two dogs chose to deal with the situation they were in. one who had resigned to fate and accepted it and the other who was trying to fight in each and every possible ways he could to change,eventhough the efforts were futile.

She saw the  same with people as well , one lot who always  said  "YES " to life and the others who said  "NO " . She had made the decision that she will always say “ YES " to life, live it to the fullest and making the best of every opportunity.

That night, we kept talking till the dawn, just as we did most of times before. But when I sneaked under my quilt, my friend had become more to me that day; she became my mentor or so to say role –model.

She used to live every day as if it was her last on this earth (easier said than done!!). She wanted to make sure that she had no regrets of not having done something or making the best of her time on this earth or so to say she did not want to leave any unfinished business behind .

Today she is gone but I am sure she is up there watching all those who loved her and are proud the way she lived her life.

I am trying to follow her examples and make the most of what life has to offer me, and living each day as if it is my last.

How are you living your life? Think about it!!!

Hidden Self !!!

Recently, whenever I open a magazine, a newspaper or I m just walking in a hypermarket, what comes to frequent notice is the ads /posters of the personality development courses. The courses, which promise to help people find their way in this world.

Do we actually need these courses to express our hidden being; I agree that we all do have hidden personalities which we generally do not recognize. These personalities come out when, feelings are expressed, and it is mostly decided on our inner conscious.

Years back, when people talked to themselves, they were generally thought upon to be having some mental ailment, but today the same does not stand true at all. People today have started to understand the importance and the value of self talk. Once considered to be an ailment is now the tool to find answers to the questions and solutions to the problems!!

I have seen, time change. Today people are running to find ways to develop their own self. Gone are the days when people thought that outer beauty, appearance is what made the person, they have come to a point where the realization of the fact that beauty is skin deep, but inner beauty is to the bone.

We as humans have always struggled to abandon bad behaviors or habits or even managing our feelings and emotions is a challenge.  We notice that when a person makes a small lump of money, he thrives to make more. We start to immediately start racking our brains that how can we multiply it and often in doing that we are down and out. Life seems to be nothing that the "MONEY” almighty. Money is important in life and we need it to survive, but that can’t be the only goal in life.

Money has become the soul material for all, yes it for sure is a necessity in life but to believe that it’s the only thing that can bring happiness and love is foolishness. The people who believe it are often in the state of stress, in the race of earning money they forget to realize that the road to happiness, which is love, happiness and peace.

How successful you are in life , or how may failures did you come across is not what will make you or break you ,what makes a person is fighting through the hidden messages which are constantly in our mind to discover our true self.

I agree that we are humans and we all battle emotional responses. there is no way we can escape from the feelings like anger, jealousy , sadness, joy , failures, success, depression so on and so forth, but there is a way we can take control over these emotions. How we express, about how we feel. What we talk and what we share.

Today dependency has crept so deep inside us, that for every small thing we need someone to be around. We are so dependent that we want someone to pick us up when we are down. I believe no one can help us to heal, because no one posses that power. The power lies within us; we can help ourselves and no one else.

Don’t you think that we must learn to depend on ourselves, develop a winning attitude within us and build confidence which we help us break through all the problems. Some of us are fortunate and some are not, it just that we have to endure and learn.

We all live and learn from each other, what matters - how well you live to win the game of life. Remember life is too short, so the healing of hidden self will find its way, just have a positive attitude and the rest will all fall into place.

Liars Or People Collectors !!!!!

I have met several pleasant and exciting people in all these years, and most of them are the same till now, no change. But I have met quite a few, who are great at the first instance, and once time has moved, and we have managed to develop a friendly relationship amongst each other, they have changed. They no more seem to be the same. They start behaving completely different and do things which they once had made fun off!!!!

I always, thought that maybe I am missing something, or maybe I am thinking it to be otherwise. But when I gave it a more closer look , I realized there are growing number of such people on this , not so perfect world.( or maybe they always existed and I did not notice them at all !!).

Lately, I have come across a lot of them, who seem to be interested in everything you   like or do, just to become your friend. They tend to give you a feeling that, they are exactly the same type as you are and guess in a way gives a feel good factor of feeling in return as well. The amazing thing about the behavior of such people is that, when they meet someone else they do exactly the same thing. Their interests, likes, dislikes, etc match, they are ready to do even things that they have disapproved before (right in front of you!!). They behave in such a different manner, that I wonder and stay dumbstruck.

I agree that one should not stay in the same rut all the time and when needed adapt to the change as well. It’s ok to an extent. Adapting to new changes and changing according to the situation is not wrong, I second it. In today’s fast moving world, it’s a necessity to accustom yourself with the changes as fast as you can to thrive and survive.

What makes me wonder , is these people  I apparently call my friend, do I actually know them ? , if they are only doing and saying things just to make me happy who really are they?  whether or not any of discussion or common interest which I shared with them  or I had in common ( which I wonder now !!! ) are real at all . Are these people some pathological liers, who have never told the truth about anything since a very long time or they actually are aware of whom they are and what are they doing!!!

Or maybe they have actually started believing that everything that they say or do is real!!!!