Writing from Mohali....
Uncertainty prevails!! Sitting in Mohali office of Swaraj Tractors, I wonder what's going to happen next.
Someone might just wonder how come I am writing in Office time. But sometimes, your mind is really cluttered with thoughts and you need some place to vent them out. For me, the blogger has always served as that space to vent out my thoughts... however weird they may be!
After deciding to shift here, last one month has been full of stress - uncertain environment, people behaving in a very interesting way!
Good part is that, I am in Mohali now and will soon shift here - officially... This is a wonderful place with lots and lots of clean air to breathe and lots of greenery around! A complete contrast to Mumbai, Chandigarh-Mohali come as a pleasant surprise to me.... This being my first stay in North India, I am looking forward to a great quality personal life here....
Team is nice, young and fresh! I guess it would be fun to work with them...
What more - I hope to write more, read more, work out for a better health and spend moer quality time with family! Work will always remain an integral part of life, but how do I balance it with personal life is the key to good life!
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Running with time...... are we missing something called life??
I know it's been too long since I've really written something. But as the title of this post suggests, I have been competing with time..... trying to control it...... but lately I've realised that we can never win it....... instead we tend to miss the seemingly insignificant but most important moments of life..
I just read an email sent by a friend. It was a story about a world famous Violinist..... the story goes like this:
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning, this man with a violinplayed six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people wentthrough the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-agedman noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a fewseconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping,continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started towalk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look atthe violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning hishead the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent -without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was norecognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in theworld. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seatsaveraged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organizedby the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people'spriorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playingsome of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . .
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
Life is really very small....... I know we get trapped in the rat race of living... but do we really take time to appreciate the beautiful moments that life brings us every time? How many of you have lately, smelled a flower, taken a deep breathe, wondered about the clouds, listened to the birds...... or said a 'I Love You' to your life partner??
Think about it.... there's so much to do in our entire day..... but we spend all 24 hours worrying about a better house, a big car, a fancy living......... and what not...... can we not just stop by and acknowledge the beauty of life??
One weekend, go on a long drive, see the trees, the rivers, or a setting sun, or an afternoon reading your favorite book while listening to your favorite music, or just a walk on the sea shore, or a simple dinner with family at home, maybe meeting your cousins and reliving your childhood days.....
Believe me, it's just too lovely...... I did it this weekend. I met my relatives, I had a blast with my cousins... we recollected our childhood days when we would play in sun all day, climb that old tamarind tree....put up stalls in Navratri, or simply play pranks :).... I also went to a fort today..... and could not stop imagining how beautiful it would have been, how beautiful it is still today.......
Don't get trapped...... just stop for a minute and think, is this all that you really wanted?? When you retire and sit back, what would you like to think of??? What would it be, you can always think of when you're stressed and want to relax....
It's not late...... world wouldn't stop if you slow down a bit...... but for your people it will mean heaven if you give a bit extra....
Have fun..... Life is good, go out and make the most of it!!
I just read an email sent by a friend. It was a story about a world famous Violinist..... the story goes like this:
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning, this man with a violinplayed six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people wentthrough the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-agedman noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a fewseconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping,continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started towalk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look atthe violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning hishead the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent -without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was norecognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in theworld. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seatsaveraged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organizedby the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people'spriorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playingsome of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . .
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
Life is really very small....... I know we get trapped in the rat race of living... but do we really take time to appreciate the beautiful moments that life brings us every time? How many of you have lately, smelled a flower, taken a deep breathe, wondered about the clouds, listened to the birds...... or said a 'I Love You' to your life partner??
Think about it.... there's so much to do in our entire day..... but we spend all 24 hours worrying about a better house, a big car, a fancy living......... and what not...... can we not just stop by and acknowledge the beauty of life??
One weekend, go on a long drive, see the trees, the rivers, or a setting sun, or an afternoon reading your favorite book while listening to your favorite music, or just a walk on the sea shore, or a simple dinner with family at home, maybe meeting your cousins and reliving your childhood days.....
Believe me, it's just too lovely...... I did it this weekend. I met my relatives, I had a blast with my cousins... we recollected our childhood days when we would play in sun all day, climb that old tamarind tree....put up stalls in Navratri, or simply play pranks :).... I also went to a fort today..... and could not stop imagining how beautiful it would have been, how beautiful it is still today.......
Don't get trapped...... just stop for a minute and think, is this all that you really wanted?? When you retire and sit back, what would you like to think of??? What would it be, you can always think of when you're stressed and want to relax....
It's not late...... world wouldn't stop if you slow down a bit...... but for your people it will mean heaven if you give a bit extra....
Have fun..... Life is good, go out and make the most of it!!
Thursday, 26 November 2009
My encounters with nature!!
Recently, I went to 2 places - Girgaum Chaupatty (people may wonder, what's so new about it) and Mahabaleshwar. And I am going to write about something specific which I experienced there.
Scene 1 at Girgaum Chaupatty
I and Harsh (my husband) went there after office, just to have some air (can't call it fresh really!) and some open space to walk about.... after some time, we settled ourselves onto the beach, sitting there in sand. The sea was only about 30-35 feet away from us. We could see the waves coming, slowly and gently. And then just a wave here or there, which would make more splash. So while we were talking, I paid attention to the sound of the waves...... and I became more attentive to what Harsh was saying. And at that very moment, it reflected on me (as it always does), proximity to sea always makes me introspective, more sensitive, more thoughtful, overwhelmed with emotions...... it has a magical effect on me. I just tried expressing it in words, but I couldn't. I think this is the effect - whenever I am close to sea, the experience is always - beyond words....
Scene 2 - at Mahabaleshwar
We had been to Mahabaleshwar 2 weeks back. And we saw the weather changing from a mildly hot, sunny day to a cloudy atmosphere, then to dense fog where visibility was not more than 5 feet. I found it quite amazing and wonderful - it just gave an insight - never underestimate nature - it has power enough to weaken you, to shake you from roots..... to teach you, to help you learn and grow....
Wondering again, as to what I am trying to say??? Well, it's just that, I am urging you all to pay attention to nature's way of communicating with you. In doing so, you start communicating and connecting more with yourself - something that you probably miss out on doing, in this rat race.
Connecting with nature can provide you a good way to connect with yourself. Try it to believe it!
Scene 1 at Girgaum Chaupatty
I and Harsh (my husband) went there after office, just to have some air (can't call it fresh really!) and some open space to walk about.... after some time, we settled ourselves onto the beach, sitting there in sand. The sea was only about 30-35 feet away from us. We could see the waves coming, slowly and gently. And then just a wave here or there, which would make more splash. So while we were talking, I paid attention to the sound of the waves...... and I became more attentive to what Harsh was saying. And at that very moment, it reflected on me (as it always does), proximity to sea always makes me introspective, more sensitive, more thoughtful, overwhelmed with emotions...... it has a magical effect on me. I just tried expressing it in words, but I couldn't. I think this is the effect - whenever I am close to sea, the experience is always - beyond words....
Scene 2 - at Mahabaleshwar
We had been to Mahabaleshwar 2 weeks back. And we saw the weather changing from a mildly hot, sunny day to a cloudy atmosphere, then to dense fog where visibility was not more than 5 feet. I found it quite amazing and wonderful - it just gave an insight - never underestimate nature - it has power enough to weaken you, to shake you from roots..... to teach you, to help you learn and grow....
Wondering again, as to what I am trying to say??? Well, it's just that, I am urging you all to pay attention to nature's way of communicating with you. In doing so, you start communicating and connecting more with yourself - something that you probably miss out on doing, in this rat race.
Connecting with nature can provide you a good way to connect with yourself. Try it to believe it!
I am back!!!
First and foremost - my gratitude to my colleague in office, for inspiring me to write - for motivating me to leave everything and hit the blog!! My sincere thanks to my friend Harleen who actually gave me that stream of thoughts - something which I always look for before blogging. Didn't get it? Confused?? Ok I am making the matters simpler.
I haven't blogged for... how many weeks... I don't remember. And I did have some topics in my mind, but it was this particular conversation with Harleen which triggered the thought process and ignited me to be back with a bang!
I've been married for almost 5 months now, and almost everyone asks me, how's life after marriage -- some people may try and rhyme it with -- how's life after death!!! Well, just kidding!! Then they also ask me, is there anything exciting happening???
And my answer always is, there's nothing exciting like that, but I am enjoying the feeling of being contented, the feeling of not being alone to fight the big bad world, not alone to take care of all problems - pipes leaking, fuses going off, payments, cleaning up and all.... there's someone with me now, who shares every moment with me. And that in itself is such a beautiful feeling.
But while talking to Harleen, I realised that there is so much excitement in this!! I mean, my priorities changed almost overnight, the way I behaved, the way I thought everything changed overnight, and believe me that is the most exciting transition you can ever have!
I remember those days exactly a year back and I am seeing how it is now.... when I look back, I can see how far I have come, how I have changed, and that IS exciting!
I think, excitement is not only your adrenaline rushing all the time - excitement can be felt subtly also, like this, observing changes, savouring those moments, learning some new recipe, or just doing things together - even if it means watching TV! That is so very exciting!
It's just fun observing how your language changes from 'I' to 'We'.... how you make changes to your name, to your details in office, to the way you carry about....... everything!!
And, I only pray to God, let this feeling of excitement last forever....
Yes, it is exciting... life after marriage is exciting!! Change is exciting!!
I haven't blogged for... how many weeks... I don't remember. And I did have some topics in my mind, but it was this particular conversation with Harleen which triggered the thought process and ignited me to be back with a bang!
I've been married for almost 5 months now, and almost everyone asks me, how's life after marriage -- some people may try and rhyme it with -- how's life after death!!! Well, just kidding!! Then they also ask me, is there anything exciting happening???
And my answer always is, there's nothing exciting like that, but I am enjoying the feeling of being contented, the feeling of not being alone to fight the big bad world, not alone to take care of all problems - pipes leaking, fuses going off, payments, cleaning up and all.... there's someone with me now, who shares every moment with me. And that in itself is such a beautiful feeling.
But while talking to Harleen, I realised that there is so much excitement in this!! I mean, my priorities changed almost overnight, the way I behaved, the way I thought everything changed overnight, and believe me that is the most exciting transition you can ever have!
I remember those days exactly a year back and I am seeing how it is now.... when I look back, I can see how far I have come, how I have changed, and that IS exciting!
I think, excitement is not only your adrenaline rushing all the time - excitement can be felt subtly also, like this, observing changes, savouring those moments, learning some new recipe, or just doing things together - even if it means watching TV! That is so very exciting!
It's just fun observing how your language changes from 'I' to 'We'.... how you make changes to your name, to your details in office, to the way you carry about....... everything!!
And, I only pray to God, let this feeling of excitement last forever....
Yes, it is exciting... life after marriage is exciting!! Change is exciting!!
Monday, 14 September 2009
Questions questions every where
These days, only questions keep popping in my mind as if there's a popcorn machine in my head...... and there are so many moments when i feel ecstatic about doing something small, but in a positive direction and then the will to get up after every small failure or a mistake.... these days I keep wondering, have I always been like this??
I do not know what I should call this, but I tend to have gone in an introspective mode.. where I write down my one point lessons, where I make every effort not to procrastinate, and I put in every little cell of mine in a constant run of being better... every time with each second passing by.
Friends, I am enjoying this phase a lot.... and many of you will agree that every person encounters such a phase in his/her life.... and then suddenly, after all the introspection and reflection, there comes a beam of light.... dawning thru that little crack.... giving you the hope for future.... a lovely future.
Enjoy your life every moment, for every moment is unique.... there's no xerox machine with Time!!
I do not know what I should call this, but I tend to have gone in an introspective mode.. where I write down my one point lessons, where I make every effort not to procrastinate, and I put in every little cell of mine in a constant run of being better... every time with each second passing by.
Friends, I am enjoying this phase a lot.... and many of you will agree that every person encounters such a phase in his/her life.... and then suddenly, after all the introspection and reflection, there comes a beam of light.... dawning thru that little crack.... giving you the hope for future.... a lovely future.
Enjoy your life every moment, for every moment is unique.... there's no xerox machine with Time!!
Friday, 11 September 2009
6 W & 1 H....... no more so
All 'Quality' people out there...... you knew about 6 W & 1 H........ ever heard this???
And am sure, all the married and 'single but not available' men are going to agree to this....... ok... i am not giving you a shoulder to cry on..... but giving a reason to have a hearty laugh :) :)
If Columbus had been married he might never have discovered America because of the following:
Where are you going?
With whom?
Why?
How are you going?
To discover what?
Why you?
What do I do, when you are not here?
Can I come with you ?
Coming back when?
Dinner ghar par hi khaoge?
Mere liye kya laoge?
It seems you deliberately made this ....
Don’t lie....
Why r u making such programs
You seem to be making a lot of such programs
Why?
I want to go to my parents place
I want you to come and leave me
I don’t want to come back....
I will never come back....
Why are u not stopping me....
I don’t understand what is this discovery chakker?
You always do like this.....
Last time also u did like this....
Now a day’s u always seem to do like this.... [ I loved this one]
I still don’t understand what else is balance to be discovered...
Keep smiling :)
And am sure, all the married and 'single but not available' men are going to agree to this....... ok... i am not giving you a shoulder to cry on..... but giving a reason to have a hearty laugh :) :)
If Columbus had been married he might never have discovered America because of the following:
Where are you going?
With whom?
Why?
How are you going?
To discover what?
Why you?
What do I do, when you are not here?
Can I come with you ?
Coming back when?
Dinner ghar par hi khaoge?
Mere liye kya laoge?
It seems you deliberately made this ....
Don’t lie....
Why r u making such programs
You seem to be making a lot of such programs
Why?
I want to go to my parents place
I want you to come and leave me
I don’t want to come back....
I will never come back....
Why are u not stopping me....
I don’t understand what is this discovery chakker?
You always do like this.....
Last time also u did like this....
Now a day’s u always seem to do like this.... [ I loved this one]
I still don’t understand what else is balance to be discovered...
Keep smiling :)
Thursday, 23 July 2009
A brush with fear!!
This is a real life incident...
It was 9:30 pm on 8th July. A woman was standing near an ATM center in the main square of Varca, Goa... while her husband was inside the center withdrawing money...... he came out, counting the currency and lo!!! it started raining heavily, out of no where...... as heavy rains lashed the small, sleepy village...... suddenly all the lights went off and a lightening flashed across the dark sky.... giving that old church at the square an ominous look.... the main square of the village, which 2 hours ago was so crowded, now wore a deserted look....... not even one human being or an animal could be seen anywhere..... and in that darkness, stood both of them.. the woman scared to her death, praying that the rains stop and power gets restored.... but probably God had also pulled up a blanket and slept cosily in heaven..... coz suddenly the man started laughing....... louder and louder..... the woman was scared even more... she couldn't really understand if he was the same person whom she called her husband....... with no signs of the nature or the Electricity Board of Goa being kind to the poor couple.. they stood quietly.... the woman frozen on her feet and the man still laughing out loud...
10 mins went by like this.. in darkness and stillness... and then the Rain Gods showed some mercy by slowing down.... the woman pleaded to her husband to start the bike immediately and take her to their hotel... still smiling, he turned the key and the engine came to life!! As they again started their journey back to their hotel, leaving behind the shadows of the darkness, the woman calmed down but still an iota of fear lingering in her mind and praying to God, they managed to reach their hotel....
The woman heaved a sigh of relief, got down from the bike and walked into the hotel, hand in hand with her husband with a new confidence... as if nothing had happened 15 mins back!!
I am sure each one has had such an experience, at least once! Sounds so familiar, isn't it? When the devils in our own hearts take over the senses, it becomes difficult to fight them off and then when you are out of it and look back, you realise what have you conquered.
Conquering your own fears is a great victory. So next time you are afraid of doing something, go ahead and do it!!!
Keep smiling!! Keep Conquering!!
It was 9:30 pm on 8th July. A woman was standing near an ATM center in the main square of Varca, Goa... while her husband was inside the center withdrawing money...... he came out, counting the currency and lo!!! it started raining heavily, out of no where...... as heavy rains lashed the small, sleepy village...... suddenly all the lights went off and a lightening flashed across the dark sky.... giving that old church at the square an ominous look.... the main square of the village, which 2 hours ago was so crowded, now wore a deserted look....... not even one human being or an animal could be seen anywhere..... and in that darkness, stood both of them.. the woman scared to her death, praying that the rains stop and power gets restored.... but probably God had also pulled up a blanket and slept cosily in heaven..... coz suddenly the man started laughing....... louder and louder..... the woman was scared even more... she couldn't really understand if he was the same person whom she called her husband....... with no signs of the nature or the Electricity Board of Goa being kind to the poor couple.. they stood quietly.... the woman frozen on her feet and the man still laughing out loud...
10 mins went by like this.. in darkness and stillness... and then the Rain Gods showed some mercy by slowing down.... the woman pleaded to her husband to start the bike immediately and take her to their hotel... still smiling, he turned the key and the engine came to life!! As they again started their journey back to their hotel, leaving behind the shadows of the darkness, the woman calmed down but still an iota of fear lingering in her mind and praying to God, they managed to reach their hotel....
The woman heaved a sigh of relief, got down from the bike and walked into the hotel, hand in hand with her husband with a new confidence... as if nothing had happened 15 mins back!!
I am sure each one has had such an experience, at least once! Sounds so familiar, isn't it? When the devils in our own hearts take over the senses, it becomes difficult to fight them off and then when you are out of it and look back, you realise what have you conquered.
Conquering your own fears is a great victory. So next time you are afraid of doing something, go ahead and do it!!!
Keep smiling!! Keep Conquering!!
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