Smack the system and give your dreams a new reason......

                                I am angry beyond words and expressions. I, being a citizen of this country have been royally ripped off my basic right to book a train ticket thanks to the sick reservation system. I have been in front of my computer for the past 1 hr trying to book a train ticket for my father under Tatkal which hides available seats if I want to book tickets in prior. My father had to travel on an urgent basis and hence the struggle. I tried for an hour only to read the red flashing message "Regret Waiting List". My anger grew no bounds. When I logged in for the first time, it showed there was availability in abundance and within an hour it regrets for the waiting list. It rises questions regarding the efficiency of the one for whom I voted standing in the queue in the hot sun after carefully listening to one's promises. I pay my taxes and bills on time for the fear of my facilities being cut. Just a second. Facilities? What facilities am I talking about? I go to a restaurant to give my mum a day off from her kitchen and the govt charges me and names it VAT.I buy a car and want to go for a long drive and the govt. charges me the toll gate fare. I want to switch on my fan after I come from a hectic day at work, and the govt. sacrifices my power to the white shirt clad politicians as they have to watch porn in the Assembly. Not just that, I end up paying the electricity bill. I grew up learning that 70% of the planet is filled with water. I end up finding bacteria in my mineral water. Isn't time we change the pledge and rewrite it as "I am proud of its rich heritage but ashamed at the way it's being plundered". How I wish The British still ruled over us. We could have fared far better than what we are now. A school teacher who has to   educate the future generation has to retire by 58 but the old nags have no retirement to eat the Nations's wealth. An effortless job where in one needn't prepare a resume and give interviews. All one needs to do is sit and eat other's prosperity. And last but not the least, my very own existence might be at stake if I use my constitutional right. I am supposed to bear this in silence and still praise my country and its varied corruption and never ending injustice to a common man.

                             This is for all the aspirants who are appearing for the administrative exams. I don't want you to feel what I feel now. Rather use your pen and soul for tomorrow's exam and show the nation and its leaders what you can do for your future generations. If its me today, remember it can be anyone of you tomorrow or in the very next hour. Its your country and don't let its future rot in the hands of illiterate selfish old nags. Take things under your control. Show the world that you are the one who can bring changes for a better future. Dream big and administrate bigger. Prove the reason for your existence on this planet. Let not your journey from the cradle to the grave be just another one....Good luck!!!

Don't wait to watch your dreams turning to a pile of memories!!!

                                                 I was embarrassed  as he was looking at those pics in the album. I was so fat, dark and had a tummy too big for my size as a kid. Not that I've grown up to be a beauty now, yet somehow they embarrassed me and the pics were not pleasant to watch. My cousin has come home as my mum wanted  to  celebrate his birthday at our place. She often called him her eldest kid. I never felt jealous though I was being ripped off my first born rights. He was like a true son to my mother. Career has always kept me away from my duties and responsibilities but my cousin has never forgotten to be at my mum’s side even at the dark of the night. My sister was passing comments as how I looked as a kid. He just said ,” I've known you like this and I carried you in my arms since you were a kid”. That was a relief! Knowing that someone has been with you since your dark or rather embarrassing days  makes a lot of difference. I have to add that this maternal cousin of mine has been my favorite brother. No wonder for all the traits he has, mum considers him an apple of her eye. His own parents call up my mum if they have to advise him. Over the years, he has never failed to  appear with a birthday cake on my mum’s b'day which also falls on the Christmas.  

                                               Today, after lunch, we sat for a conversation which was quite different from the usual ones that brother and sister have. He spoke at a length about the Bible, the dreams he dreamt of and how things went against his favor in the eleventh hour. Everyone in the family knew that he wanted to set up his own business as somewhere he believed that he wasn't cut out for 9-6 job. He wanted to be with his parents and wanted to be at their side during any hour. Mocks could be heard around but I always blessed his guts as no one would be ready to forsake a promising career to be awaiting an unseen situation which might need his presence. He has been my inspiration and my favorite brother. Amid protests he started his own business and as usual put his heart and soul in it. As he spoke I was expecting a happy story. As much as he spoke, he explained how things went wrong at the last moment turning the tables against him. He said, “ I felt that someone was working against me”. If it wasn't for my mum who has seen him going through all this, I would have rubbished it off.  All through this, he has never let himself down. He has his spirits in place and of course, his dreams tightly held to his chest. I was curious to know his next step now that every tide is against him. He quoted the Bible,” If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? " I knew what he had in his mind. He was talking about  dreams being heard by God who wouldn't turn a deaf ear. My brother isn't definitely a mediocre who ignores the fact that God helps those who help themselves.He has been playing his cards well and has been trying his best and am confident that he would make it big one day.

 

                                         As I've always said, everyone dreams. However very few make their dreams come true. Life has never been guaranteed trouble free. Rather a life which comes as a non stop entertainment doesn't inspire us. The struggles we face and the manner in which we revolt back to normalcy defines our strength. Dream,  face the struggles and emerge as a winner! Just don't live to see your dreams turning to a pile of memories... 

It's never late....

                                      

You can never dream without learning how to.......

                                        " If  I am going to make this", I thought to myself- "Nothing can stop me". I was in the train going home for Christmas. I tried reminding myself how my day started. I missed my flight as the cab I booked arrived 45 mins before the flight was scheduled to depart. Hope against hope, I rushed to the airport only to be told that my flight has departed and there is no other flight to my place for the same day and it was already Christmas Eve for me to extend a day. I could feel the warmth of my tears on my cheeks out of sheer anger and my stupidity. I went to the railway station to be told that there is a train up to another city which is like 4 hrs away from my place. I bought my ticket and rushed to see that the train was just about to start. The coach was full and at the mercy of the T.C I could secure a berth for myself in the A.C coach. Just about to relax, I over heard a conversation which means that the train will arrive at the city only at 7 pm which means the connecting train to my native would be around 10 pm dropping me 1/2 hr away from my home town by 1 am. I recalled my conversation with my mother saying that I would be home for dinner. Forget about dinner, I said to myself. I can be home for Christmas' breakfast. Things were getting out of my control as there is nothing that I can do at this point in time. After cursing myself for the umpteenth time for missing my flight, I laid my head on the window and said to myself-  " If  I am going to make this", "Nothing can stop me". My brother arranging his friend to pick me up at the station to draw the curtains on a peaceful note draws my saga to an end.

                                     This might be a small incident but recollecting the pain and tension that I put my family in, it is worth mentioning. I dream a lot of my ambitions and goals in my life and I decided that my life is too precious to let it go by missing my flight or taking a late night train. I was determined to never take things in a light manner and started practicing detailed observation to the facts that I've been missing all this while. And yes, things are looking better now. My approach towards life has changed and I respect my life and this incident which taught me the importance of living to dream.

You never know when inspiration strikes!!!!

                                        If there was one death that hurt me and disturbed me, it was my maid’s. There are 3 women  who shaped my life – my mother, sister and my maid. My mother always told me that she has been there  since I was born. She must be in her early 30’s when I was born. I grew up playing with her as my mother was a working woman. She bathed me, fed me and played with me while my mother was away at work. Never once did she teach me anything wrong. She went on to bring up my brother and sister the same way but she was always closer to me. She herself never had any kids. The first time I was put in a hostel and I came home for holidays, she waited for me anxiously and touched my face and continued to bathe me. I was a teenager then. I somehow liked her affection and always brought her something or the other when I came home during my vacation. I joined my medicine and used to give her few medicines when she had health problems. She had this look on her face which used to make me feel very happy. She was obviously very proud of the fact that the child whom she brought up has become a doctor and is treating her now. During all these years, never did she stop her routine of oiling my hair and bathing me.  During the years, I taught her how to write alphabets in English and she used to learn with interest. Once my mother told me her story. She ran away from her house while she was pretty young and married a man of her choice. She obviously eloped with him. She bore hi m no kids but her husband never once complained. She brought up his sister’s kids and she was an affectionate lady. My mother always used to gift her saree for the festival and a day later she used to tear it into half and get her kids stiched something o f it. I used to wonder why but over the years I realised that she was giving to her kids out of what she had.  I started working and whether I set my tith aside or not, I always had  certain amount for her set apart.  I was kind of addicted to her presence in my family. After few months, her husband passed away and I could clearly see that she was grief struck. She would no longer cheer up. She used to complete all her work in silence and long lost was her smile but never her affection. She still used to oil my hair and bathe me. I wanted her to come off with me to the city and all she would do was to give me an affectionate smile. My mother asked her to stay with us in our house. Even she agreed. Later, my mother rang me early morning one day to inform me that my maid has passed away. She passed away with the grief that her husband was no more. It took me a while to understand that she was no more. Over the years, the time I spent with her remained as sweet memories for me.  Its been almost 3 years that she has passed away but she has always been there in my memories. Now when I turn back and think of those times, I realise that she helped me grow as a good human being. Her never fading smile and the way she took care of me all through those years helped me believe in humanity. Today, I proudly state that my maid has been one of those 3 women who inspired me.

                          Many times in life, people come in your life, make a mark with their existance and leave with their trace. Its up to us to decide as how to draw inspiration from them. We might not realise their importance while they are still with us. Atleast drawing  inspiration from their presence and moving on to realise our dreams would be a better way to pay a tribute to them.

Don't drench your dreams in the pour of your sorrows.

                         After dinner, as usual I sat with my friends for a normal chat. I could feel an uneasy pain at the back of my head radiating to the front of my face. I knew what was coming forth - a migraine attack, one of the very few things that drained me. I went back on time for 24 hrs and thought as what might be the reason for this pain. I could think of only one sin - getting drenched in the rain by mistake. Unfortunately, am poor at meteorological stuff and I was only steps away from my place when it started pouring. In a haste to reach my place, I got drenched. The result - migraine, an unbearable pain. My parents didn't spare a single neurologist in the process of getting me cured. Nothing worked out. My sober life has curbed down my headaches but couldn't get them off my head forever. I couldn't sleep the whole night and began to wonder a show silly things can spoil the joy and happiness of our short lived life. Until few hours back I was a picture perfect - an energetic gal and a small step resulted in me lying on my bed sick.

                      That's  how life is. At times we falter to differentiate between our dreams - a dream that can breathe in a new lease of life in us and a dream that can drain us. It would be fantastic if we could swap our sorrows woth other's joys. But fairy tales are far from reality. We are responsible for our mistakes and ought to either correct them or carry the baggage for the rest of our l ives. A silly mistake can lead us through unexpected troubles. It's very important to identify which dream gives you the moments that take your breath away.

Rainbow of Promise!

                                     It’s been a long time that I attended my mother church. I've decided that the Christmas season is the best time to attend the mass and experience happiness within me. While through the mass, the Father was delivering his message. He was talking about “Noah’s ark”. As a child, I thought that Noah built the ark the same way I used to make paper boats. What always fascinated me about Noah’s story was the dove which came back with an olive branch. It was an indication that the earth is dry and fertile enough for human living and cultivation. In fact, this dove was like a weather reporter for Noah and his people in the ark. The dove has remained my favorite bird since then. But today, am listening to something new. A weather forecaster—a rainbow. After the flood subsides and Noah leads the way to earth for a new beginning, Lord God repents for what he has done to the man kind and as a covenant between Him and the people, He creates a rainbow as a sign that never would there be any massive human disaster on the Earth. The rainbow is a sign of promise that God has given to the human kind. The rainbow has been placed between the clouds so that God can remember His covenant with His people.

                                     Life is exactly like a rainbow. We experience sorrows and pain and this is quite   enough to   devastate our confidence. At times, it seems that the pain is never ending. You feel the pinch every second and that limits peace in life. You feel that amid of a busy crowd, you are the only one who are at a stand point. Everyone seem to be running after their dreams while you are lost and drowned in our misery. The time you invested, the memories attached to it, the pain you took every moment to take a step towards what you loved might be futile and that is like a stab on already wounded heart. And when its time for you to take a next step towards another journey, you are all hurt, down and low on confidence. You might tend to lose even your self-esteem. You are skeptical about every decision you take and every inch you move. You look at every direction for a possible guidance and you tend to be more confused. But remember – “Too many cooks spoil the broth”.

                                    Never forget the fact that every cloud has a silver lining and I call it a rainbow. A rainbow of promise that if you can clear the moist off your eyes, all you will see is the a bright rainbow. A rainbow of Promise- promise of good things, hope and joy. I accept the fact that when you are upset and sulking in your own cave, you might not be able to just walk up to the window and open the door for the sunlight at night. You need to wait for the dawn. The dawn to break the darkness and fill your room with the sunlight. Sometimes, the wait might seem too longer. However, there is a season for every activity under the heaven. Lord led the Israelites through the red sea, deep forests for years. But when He gave them, He gave them Manna and a land of milk and honey.  All you need is a stable heart and confident mind that only you know what is best for you. Trust your instincts and take the step forward. Never let the pain in your mind blind the view of hope and your dreams….

Breathe in Perfection!!

                 “If you don’t mind me asking, may I know how long have you been in this business?’ ”22 years” he answered without even looking at the direction from which the question has come. No wonder. It was showing up in his work. I met this man half an hour back when I walked into his courier service office. I bought a star and wind chimes for Christmas and wanted to send them home to surprise my sister. It took me less than 10 mins to choose them but it felt that I was in this office forever to send them home. I was watching them struggle to pack my items. I sighed and relaxed in the chair as I knew that I will have to skip my lunch.This man was working on his computer while the other staff was busy trying to pack my items. He saw them for a brief moment. He walked slowly to the desk and gave a long glance at what they were doing. I was growing impatient. The man asked one of the office boys to get a cardboard. While I was still wondering as what he would do with a cardboard, the office boy came back with a thick cardboard. I was curious now. The man carefully cut the cardboard in the shape of a folded star and taped the cardboard at the edges. He covered the bells of the wind chimes with a paper and put the wind chimes in the “star shaped cardboard pack”. This was interesting. He was so involved in what he was doing and I could see the passion with which he was packing the items. When he replied 22 years, I looked around in the room I was sitting. There were many trophies which he won over the years. “I shall try my best and lets hope that the courier is delivered undamaged.”I looked at him and there lay on the table before me a neatly packed cover which had my items in it. I thanked him profusely and all he said was “Welcome my dear”.I was happy that would be delivered safe as they were taken care of “safe hands”. Though my sister called me later to tell me that two of the bells were broken, I didn't feel bad as I knew that this guy was absolutely amazing in what he did. Had it been someone else, my items would have been delivered in a bad shape.

             That’s how life and dreams are! Life throws many surprises. It’s upto us how to realise our dreams with perfection. We need to ensure that our dreams have a safe landing- from our minds to reality. Passion and dedication is what you need to have to dream and breathe in perfection!