Chocolicious !!

They say, its very difficult to forget your first love and its absolutely true.. My first love happened at quite an early age when i was 5. I still remember the very first time when i laid my eyes on it. It was my first shopping trip (duh ! girls can't resist shopping even when they are 5 :).. ). I was walking down the street holding my mother's hand trying to absorb everything around me. My mother was busy in her daily shopping and i was trying to help her out ( yeah at least i thought so) . I was roaming in the shop trying to copy my mother, it was then i saw sitting prettily on a shelf, wrapped in golden paper and red bow, staring at me was my love - Chocolates.. There were so many of them, all in different sizes, shapes and colour. Just by getting a glimpse of her, I started to drool inside my mouth, like a bone-deprived puppy. I could have done anything just to hold her in my hands. I know it is so unimaginable to think that one can become a thieving criminal for the love and passion for chocolates. But that's the power of Love my friend.

The moment our eyes met, our love affair started and is continued till date. Chocolates are a delicious and tempting species which are irresistible. I buy them, as if there will be no next time. My eyes feast on the beautiful bite-size pieces which are wrapped in intricately designed chocolate boxes. It is almost painful to take a bite because they are so beautiful. The skin so supple and soft.

They say, it's a sin to give in to your temptations, but this sin i am ready to commit over and over again.

Nostalgia.. !!

Television, today, has taken the entertainment industry to an absolutely new level. At the time when the big screen is sporting the de – glam look, television is getting high on glamor quotient. Right from the serials to the outfits worn by the actors to the commercials being telecast-ed, everything has become glamorized and the oomph factor has increased manifolds. The West is being completely and blindly emulated and the international appeal has become a must. Suddenly, the real world seems unreal and we find ourselves completely immersed in the lives of Tulsis and Parvatis of television where their happiness has become synonym to ours and their glycerin tears find its way in to our own eyes as real tears. The television commercials, too, have caught up with the trend and the Saree clad protagonist has given way to mini – skirt and bikini models.

Amongst all this unreality of so - called “Reality TV”, we do miss the good old pre-cable days, where the contents were simple and realistic, making our Doordarshan Experience unforgettable. How can we forget Chitrahaar, Malgudi Days, Hum Log and Ramayan, which brought the entire family together, in front of one TV set. Another major contributing factor to this unique TV experience was the Indian Ads which were finest and iconic. They were real, they were rural and most importantly they were truly Indian. These Ads had an emotional connect with the audience and highlighted few of the social issues which were always in the thoughts but never spoken out loud. One such popular Ad was Surf ki Lalitaji, played by the protagonist of then famous tele series Udaan. Lalitaji was shown as an everyday housewife who bargained hard, demanded good quality product and decided for herself whether the product is right and according to her specification or not. This Ad depicted women as a strong decision making force. To continue this trend of social messages, Priya Gold Biscuits featured late Priya Tendulkar, of Rajani fame, in their Ad stating “Haq Se Mango”. Rajani was chosen because she was popular with middle class and was someone who stood for middle class rights. The Ad encouraged people to stand up for themselves and demand what is rightfully theirs.

Such was the beauty of those classic old times that even now when we think about them it brings a smile to our face. It not only reminds us of the evergreen TV cinema but also makes us visit our childhood memories which revolve around these Doordarshan Days.

The grass is greener on the other side !!

When in the morning we pick up the newspaper , sip a cup of coco and sit in the balcony looking at the early risers around we often wonder that how come other people are happy when our life is whirling with tension and problems with no solution in the vicinity. We try to find out the reason for them being happy rather than finding it at our own end. We tend to look at others and always feel that "the grass is greener on the other side." In all this wondering and brooding about others we lose focus of our objectives and forget that we too are "OTHERS" for someone else. There are some other group of people who are jealous of our lives.

Most of us look at the barren land at our end but fail to see green patches of happiness and prosperity which life has bestowed upon us. In the daily hectic routine the problems are always highlighted by us but the small things which should be celebrated are largely ignored and forgotten. Life's not a marathon where we have to run fast so that we can reach the end sooner. Instead its a roller coaster ride where every twist and turn should be cherished and enjoyed. The turns which we have left behind are thing of the past and should not be dwelled upon because they cause nothing but pain and the ones coming ahead should be met with zeal and enthusiasm.

We should enjoy the little drops of joy be it a drive on a windy night or a walk in the park or an outing with friends or family or simply being at home with people whom we love. As they say we live only once so live life to the fullest focusing on not what makes others happy, but what makes us happy. Moreover we should stick to the decisions we make and not get deterred no matter what happens and the instincts or the gut feel should never be ignored. Thus, Grass is not only green on the other side but this side as well.

Expectations !!!

"Our limitations and success will be based, on our own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon"

What are your expectations from the future? Are you excited and thrilled about it or looking at it with apprehension and fear?For most people the future holds too many uncertainties and the fear of what might happens tends to overshadow the ray of light that represents the life they ultimately desire.We all live with an unconscious expectation of ourselves and our own lives. This expectation not only determines what we have in our lives but it also represents what we are willing to settle for. They are a very powerful emotion and the one that very few people ever learn to fully cultivate.

Each and everyone out here expects something or the other either from friends to help them when in need; family to support them no matter what; colleagues to be just in their work; job to give a high pay package; teachers to be fair while evaluating; govt to bring out a healthy budget for common man so on and so forth. This list is endless.

Expectations are strange things and something which is inherent in every relation. Initially we are flexible and ready to accept the person as it is. But as the relationship strengthens,so does the level of expectation. We start hoping a lot from the other person. It is such hopes, which when not met sometimes hampers the very basic foundation of a relation.

In friendship too we expect a lot from each other. Small small things begin to bother when done differently.As we move further in life we begin to meet new people, but this doesn't mean that the importance of the earlier ones are lost. The new people cannot replace the existence of the others. They are merely an extension of our database. But because we have expectations it keeps on nagging at us, in some small subconscious part of our mind. Sometimes it becomes so difficult that you really don't get to know whether to let go of them altogether or just hope they come true.

Though having expectations are nice as it helps us to come out of our existing circumstances to more desired ones, but as we say too much of everything is bad, the same holds true in this regard too. Each and every relation requires space and room for breathing. We should not bind them in our chains of expectations as they will rust and get tarnished to such a point that it will become irreparable.

Dreading the unknown...

It was pitch dark outside as it was a moonless night and the winds were howling. It was raining like cats and dogs. The windows were barred with grill and were banging loudly against the wall. Shadows could be seen forming on the wall giving it a scary look. Cobwebs were hanging on the sides and suddenly a group of bats flew by. My heart was racing and I was scared to death. I cried for help but to my dismay none came. Frantically i tried searching for a way out but there was none which i could find. I climbed the creaking stairs praying hard that they don't break in search of a door or anything that could lead me away from this situation. On reaching I observed that the first floor looked more ghostly, with the paintings staring at your face and the chairs covered with dust and cobwebs. All this was fueling my level of fear and my desire to run was increasing. It felt as if i was locked in a box and the keys were thrown away someplace so that no one can find me. I didn't know what to do , how to get out. I was so helpless and alone. Then as if god heard me and took pity lightning struck and far in the corner of the room I saw something which resembled a door . I ran quickly towards it to check and Yes !! it was a door. I murmured a thank you and started moving the chairs which were stacked against it. When it was done, i tried opening the door and found that i still couldn't. Filled with anger and disappointment i sat down and wondered how to get out. I quickly scanned the room for any other option but i already knew that this door was my only hope. I kicked hard, banged the door with a hammer; tried everything possible i could in the situation , but the door just wouldn't budge. I was tired, scared and thirsty and still clueless. As i calmed down i scrutinized the room once again. The chandelier was antique, the curtains were velvet and the paintings which now looks scary in the dark were indeed masterpieces. The room must have been very royal once and a privy to lot of lavish parties and balls. Amidst all this thinking my fear had completely faded and i started to like the room. A sudden lightening reminded me of my task and i tried opening the door again. To my grave astonishment the door opened easily.

As i walked through the door, I entered the same room again but it was now in a much better shape. The windows were shining, curtains seemed washed and dry cleaned, paintings were all looking beautiful and the eerie feeling which the room gave earlier was replaced by a feeling of hope, warmth and happiness. The sun was bright outside, birds were flying in the garden and everything was perfect as it can ever be. I then realized it was not the room that had changed but my way of looking at it has changed. Earlier i feared the unknown but as my fear subsided i was able to come out of the nightmare to a more prosper situation.

In our daily lives too we dread certain things. These could be the fear of failure, fear of losing that someone special, fear of defaulting or the fear of not being respected and accepted by the peers. When we come across such fearful things we act like pigeons when they are attacked. Pigeons close their eyes thinking that as they cannot see the attacker, even the attacker cannot see them. But we all know its not the case. Turning blind eye to the problems is not the solution. We first need to fight our inner demons and then take on the world. We have to let go of the fear and fill ourselves with hope. Only then can we give in our 100% and achieve the pinnacle of success.

Trust!!

I came, I trusted , I was betrayed..

This is a very general phenomena which most of us have faced at some point of our lives. If we look at the surface why trust anyone? The risk is too great and the pain is too high. So why take a chance? Certainly we all have asked such questions, especially after feeling the sharp blade of hurt in the violation of our trust. We all have walked down a dark street at night in an unfamiliar city with an uneasy feeling; each footfall behind us seems menacing and we quicken our steps. We tend to look over our shoulder time and again, hyper-alert for any danger lurking in the shadows. This is the same thing we experience with Trust when we walk down the unfamiliar path, meet new people, depend on others for certain things and not know what lay ahead in future.

Somewhere along the journey called Life we have experienced betrayal leading to us becoming a little jaded in our view to the world. Initially we trusted every one we knew but as our experience grew, the little voice inside us raised caution with every decision involving trust. Hence, we discovered no one is immune to the pain of mistrust. Like walking down the dark street has taught us to trust but also told us to glance to and fro looking for the possible signs of trouble. Similarly, we need to find trust amongst the various faces of betrayal.

We cannot expect to achieve closeness with people unless we are willing to allow others to understand what we are like on the inside and unless others trust us enough to grant the same privilege. Trust hold life together. Families, marriages, friendship and even economies are based on trust.

This trust - mistrust battle is an ongoing one and continues to rage within us. Something within us wants to trust and something within wants to distrust our trusting judgment. We don't want to be cynical every time, yet we are suspicious of everyone around. We should know when to trust and when not to. We have to learn to differentiate and not allow few acts of betrayal overpower the other acts of trust.

The Unspoken

It was the spring season. The sun was shining bright, sky was clear with a light shade of blue, the trees were loaded with fresh juicy fruits waiting to be plucked and the meadows - full of ripe crops to be harvested. A cool breeze was blowing. People as usual were doing their daily chores with full enthusiasm. Amongst all this, far in the corner of the central park, a young man roughly of the age of 26 - 27 years was sitting. He carried a look of sadness and seemed dazed as if in some another world. Upon a closer inspection, hint of tears could be seen in his eyes. A lump was forming in his throat and he was trying hard to control the stream of salty water. After calming himself down he picked up the soggy piece of paper which was tightly clutched in his hand. It was the 5th time he was reading it and still couldn't believe; his Father was dead.

He opened his bag and took out a picture of his father. The picture brought back the memories of the last time he saw him. It was somewhere around 2 years back. Fresh out of college Mike wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. His father being a business man criticized it. They had lots of fights and arguments and in the end Mike decided to leave to chase his dreams. He could still clearly remember the fuming face of his father, standing at the doorstep. It was a deep shade of red. After Mike became successful he became so busy with his life that he never got the chance to go back and visit his father. The visit was always postponed to the next available opportunity.

Suddenly, the phone rang and its shrill sound interrupted the stream of thoughts. It was his dad's lawyer who wanted to give a letter which his father wrote but could never post. It was the last piece of communication from his father. The letter said " I am sorry son that i never believed in you and in your dreams. But now upon seeing how successful you are i can only say how proud i am of you. Hope you achieve whatever your heart desires. My blessings are always with you. Love you".

At that point of time Mike wanted nothing more but to hug his father and tell him how much he loved him and how sorry he was that he wasnt there for him. He regretted all those times when he hated his father for not supporting him and the times when he couldnt be with him. A feeling of helplessness was slowly creeping in. Mike wanted to go back in time and undo all the wrongs. He wished that he had said the unsaid and not left the unspoken feelings behind.

In our life too we refrain from telling our loved ones how important they are and how much we love them. Life is short and very uncertain. You never know when the person you love the most is not around anymore. So share all your feelings with your loved ones and make them feel significant. Say the unspoken words so that you dont regret in future.