Thursday 20 June 2013

Its Raining Memories ....

As usual I woke up early in the morning, got ready with my favouriate track suit and jogging shoes, grasped the keys and left the house for a healthy jog just to stay young for some more time. While jumping down the stairs and out of the apartment a thought ran through my mind if I am doing it just to keep the kid in me alive, why not do it the kids way.... I turned back home changed in shorts and hood and yeah this time no shoes at all. Remember the kids way... Now started on the route towards my jogging track. I had just started and to my surprise felt something. Yes it had started raining.
It started with small droplets turning to the bigger ones and before i could realise it was pouring heavily.... exactly the way I loved it. Now with every step the water splashed higher and I was enjoying it....

As I continued with my jog, every mile stepped deeper into the memories of childhood where we would draw a countdown for the rains to start.
We would pray God to send the rains soon and we will not eat chocolates for a day.... ;-) . We would wait like anything for the clouds to burst, wait for the splashes, for the mud forts, and most important for the boat fights....

We had just come back from the school and being a part of the konkan area it rained heavily there. As soon as we entered the house we would become the best multitaskers in the world. Getting fresh, eating, changing, keeping the stuff in place(as we were disciplined kids) and without forgetting grabbing the keys of our cycles. We would complete all our tasks without running back for and in the least possible time. On our bikes(engineless and pollution free) we would go all around the town, splashing water, slipping, dropping, racing, skidding and doing all the stunts we could. Everyday atleast one would get the chance to hurthis knees or arms or chin atleast... But we would adore the marks as they were our worthiest possessions and it would also declare who was the strongest.... The kids way, more the injuries, more braver...!!!!

Today was the rainy sunday, and the sandday the way we used to call it.
Our day to play with the mud, making clay forts, splashing mud on each other was our faviourate. Every time we would grab on somebody and dig him in mud. After the play it would become nearly impossible to recognise us even by our families. the game always ended after somebody complained about us at our homes or we being dragged by our families. I remember an incident when my friends dad dragged another boy considering him as his son and we laughed over it the whole season. Ohh Childhood .... I miss you...!!!

It was 15th august, our day to come home early and go fishing. We would spend the whole week preparing our fishing rods, and everytime improving its efficiency :-). The best part of this was to distract each other from getting any fish. We never got any fish but by chance if somebody grabs a chance on a tiny little fish we all would fight over declaring it be his own. Ohh those fights, they too were so full of love and innocence. Those ponds and the fishing rods they were our best finds. We would spend hours spotting fishes in the pond and competing on whose pebble hopped the most times on water. I dont know if todays kids even do that. We would only return home after dark. The acrivities we did were so innocent, simple and outstanding like our age.

Paper boats and their races were a fad in our childhood. We would have tournaments on paper boat
races. The one whose boat would survive the waves and the splashes was the winner. We just didnt make simple paper boats but also tested them for their efficiency and their stress bearing capacity. We would name our boats and also plant a sailor in our boat. Everybody had his own design and they could be recognised, they were trademark boats. Noone had the right to copy anybodys design and we played the tournamment with all the rules and regulations. The races used to be more entertaining than the F1 race.... We would work on strategies for days to win the game, so childish yet challenging. I wish my kid plays that too and dont feel it as old fashioned as many of todays kids think of it to be... :-(

Remember the last time you got wet in the rain, Am sure there are some thoughts running down ur mind and theres a sweet little smile on ur face... Some great body has so rightly said "The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.". So let your memories rain, njoy them and share them with me too. You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too.

Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain. And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.
I pray today Into each life, some rain must fall...
Happy raining....!!!!!!!
Happy memories....!!!!!

Monday 17 June 2013

My CoTravelers

This post, I dedicate to all my co-travelers whom i meet during my journey. Now the journey is not always big or to a distant place, many times it is when I am traveling to office/college or back home or just going from some place to another at a distance as small as 3 kms and as large as anything.

I meet these different people many times leaving an impact or stimulating a thought making me think and at times also leaving me enveloped in a soft unknown bond. Our life is not only made of people we know since ages or with whom we share some special bonds, but also of those who meet us on some turns on the journey of our life. We need not know them, but they leave us thinking about us making us search our own self.

I was in the first year of engg and our college timing was 10A.M to 6P.M. Both the timings had great rush in the bus and I enjoyed the maramari we did to to just get into the bus.It made me strong and learned me various tricks to get into a bus with anymuch load u r carrying. I remember an incident from that time when one day I had to stay back a little late in college. The clock struck 7:50P.M.
when i left the college gate and when I was walking towards the bus stop which was 750mts from the gate a bus passed me. I saw the bus going and suddenly woke up to realise that it was the 2nd last bus which took me to my home and the last bus was at 10:30P.M. As soon as the thought crossed my mind I started running behind the bus, a completely overloaded run where i had my bag with my notebooks, 2 books from the library, 2 journals, a roller which contained my drawing sheets, a drafter, an unmbrella, my tiffin box, and some small stationary. The bus ran faster than me but i had to catch it anyhow if i had to go home. I ran and ran and the rain started pouring. I still ran accumulating all the left over energy after a hectic day. In some time i realised theres a boy running alongside me. I dont know who he was. while running he just snatched the things i was carrying in my hand the drafter, roller and the umbrella(closed) and ran more fast. Before i could understand anything he was running ahead me and i started to chase him without any thought of catching the bus. But I remember it was the fastest run i ever ran in my life till date. While chasing him I saw him catching the bus, he was almost there banging on the bus side to make it stop as it was leaving. I ran more hard to catch him this time and not the bus. The bus had moved ahead but took a sudden stop and he opened the door. I had reached the bus by then. He just handed me my stuff and almost lifted me into the bus and went away. I got the bus because of him that day and was feeling terribly guilty of thinking of him as a thief for robbing my stuff. I never saw him again for the next 4 years until I studied there. I searched him everywhere, enquired about him but never found anything about him. He came as an angel for me that day and I couldnt even thank him for his help. But from that day onwards I helped those who ever tried to catch a running bus in whatever way I can. I couldnt meet him ever in my life but thought my deeds would repay his help. May God Bless Him!!!!

That day i was returning back to work after a vacation spend home for 2 days. I had the monday early morning bus. As the trip was not preplanned I had no time to book the tickets. And the deadline had crossed over to book the return tickets. So I had to travel without reservation and found not to my

surprise that the bus was completely packed. And as i was returning from home I was fully loaded, you know how parents are....;-) .It was a journey of 550kms to be covered standing. I was preparing up my mind for the journey and had almost covered 170kms standing with a hope that my legs bear my load for the journey. The bus had stopped for a tea break and I took some time to rest my legs. I also adjusted my baggage to some comfortable place. The bus started back on its journey and I heard a man calling out for me. I saw him he was atleast triple my size or more and at my age too. He was traveling with his 2 grandchildren. I went to him and he offered me a place to sit but i saw there was no room to adjust. But he insisted. He took one of the kid on his lap and asked me to adjust with another. It was so human of him. But due to his size we were not able to adjustas they had some luggage in the leg space. What he did next not only shocked me but filled me with awe, respect and guilt. He stood up and said You sit with the kids I will stand up. You know I am a grown up man and I have had my luxuries for life. Now its ur turn kiddo. And when I was not ready to accept he sweared me on him to accept the offer. He stood for the next 200 kms until the next halt. And then I sweared him back to sit down and assured him that we can adjust. I said him He has had his struggles for life, now its our turn oldie. He smiled the best smile I have ever seen in my life and we sat through the remaining journey striking a balance between the luxury and struggle. I was so moved by him that when we got down at our destination(luckily it was same:-)) I touched his feet and seeked for blessings that I bear the courage to help others even when I am in problem. He stopped me from touching his feet and hugged me saying You are new generation kids, you should do it ur style not our oldies style. He blessed me to grow big as much I wish and still bear the innocent nature and selfless attitude. He taught me a beautiful lesson that day, It is not in the size or strength that you can help somebody but in ur desire to do so... I loved him and will remember and pray for him throughout my life. May God bless him with the strength to fight his life.

This part that I am sharing with you is very special to my heart and has played a very important part in shaping my life what it is today. I met her when I was returning from a failed interview. It had been a series of failure for me, no job due to recession and family problems. I was writing my depression out in my diary while she was sitting beside me in the bus. I wanted to go away from everything, but i couldnt as i had responsibilties. She read through whatever I wrote in the diary and when she said that I didnt like that at all. I hated her for intruding in my privacy. But she started narrating me a story of a young woman actually irritating me. She got over my head, cos i wasnt in state to talk to anybody or even listen to. But she didnt stop and went on. The lady in the story was a poor, uneducated and young girl who was married forcefully to a man very much elder to her. She was just 10 and he was 33. He had been married before twice. After marriage she went through almost every sort of torture that existed all physical and emotional. I will write about her torture in some other post, cos a short description would do injustice to her sufferings. But she survived all that. Later on when she grew up she had 6 children, 5 girls and the last one boy. He didnt even work or earn anything. She earned them the bread by working in farms. One day when she returned from work she found 2 of her girls crying with fear and pain, two of them tied up and the fifth missing she enquired about what had happened. But none could speak a single word. Then she heard some voice from inside the house and ran to see what was happening. She almost died on seeing what was happening in front of her. A man whom she knew was raping her daughter and her father was standing there encouraging the man to do so. Not understanding what to do she just ran out took a big knife that was used for working in the farm and in a fist of anger cut off the head of that man. She did not spare her husband too and cut him into pieces. After realising what she had done she took her children tied up her important stuff and ran away, to a place where nobody could recognise her. There she started a new life, worked whole day and went to night school, also admitted her kids to school and got themselves educated. Made her children strong by values and strength. Today 2 of her girls are working one as a teacher and the second as accountant, the third was about to start her own beauty parlour, fourth one was studying to become a nurse and the last 2 kids were in school. She made it despite all odds and lack of strength. The lady in the story was sitting beside me, narrating her life in bits and pieces but still joined to
make a complete jigsaw puzzle. She asked if I can do this , Why cant you??? Her question gave me the strength to stand up again and fight. And Yes I did it, today I have a freelancing firm of my own, work for an ngo, have adopted a girl and doing every bit of work i can do... Today I can say that I didnt undergo that much struggle as she did, but I have achieved something and keep on encouraging every fellow human being to get up and work on his dreams.

This post was a small tribute to those who knowing, unknowingly shaped up my life and showed me its worth. I never knew these people but I met them on the journey and they helped me catch up the right bus of life. Just share this story if u like it and lets help us and others and to shape up a good life... As Zig has said it "You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want in life.". It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person-kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely. Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water -it will make ripples throughout the entire pond. Never underestimate the difference you can make in the lives of others. Step forward, reach out and help. You never know that might shape up somebody's life.

Being a man or a woman is a matter of birth. Being a man or a woman who makes a difference is a matter of choice.

Thursday 13 June 2013

HOPE

Third and the last part of the series is HOPE. Yes the flame which lightens our lives endlessly. Hope is the thing that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at-all.
Today I will share with u a story shared by my friend which has also given me hope to do what i do and be what I am. Enjoy reading....






Just yesterday, I was sitting on that old tattered park bench by the swings, when an old man with a mongoose hanging off his chin (at least I'm sure his beard was related to one) plopped down beside me and started humming a tune. Hmm-dum-dum-bah-hmm-dum-dum. It was a joyful tune and a beautiful hum I will admit. Unlike his clothes which were worn down a point past needing news ones. The shaggy holes only gave away his second layer of overused hand-me-downs. At least he was smart enough to wear layers.
It was a chilly fall afternoon. Dreary with rain clouds hovering, ready to explode, exposing themselves in a very brave way. The knit cap that he wore looked like it jumped right out of the 1800's and needed more than a patch to help its look of pity. Despite his ragged appearance, he was soft. As he hummed in his low baritone voice, the wind blew a few more half turned leaves off a tree near by. I couldn't help but sit back and enjoy the odd moment.
I folded my arms and crossed one leg over the other, avoiding all hints of invitation. This tattered old bench is usually a quiet, peaceful, thinking sanctuary for me, and I wanted it to remain so. He continued to hum the sweet tune over and over relaxing my arms. I began to slink into a more comfortable position. It wasn't quiet, but it was peaceful. I could think just fine to his melody. So I shut my eyes soaking in the deep, silky sound, letting it carry me into a daydream.
Seconds later, a giant pile of leaves appeared. It looked like someone had spent hours collecting them, piling them as neatly as leaves can pile. Still dreaming, I licked my chapped lips and rubbed my palms together trying to fire up warm friction. I gazed at the orange-yellow, green-yellow, and red laced leaves. A smile awakened across my icy cheeks and the sweet urge to be a child again raced through my body. Thoughts tore at my brain. Oh, how nice it would be to have that childhood energy again, to never need time just to relax. I took a deep breath allowing the brisk breeze zoom up my nostrils turning everything inside into miniature icicles. I stretched my arms back like a track star and threw my body into a lunging run. The wind rattled my face and picked me up into a soar and when it quit I found myself emerged in orange, yellow, and red. The neatly assemble pile was now flying into the air like a million down feathers released from a blimp. I lay back with my arms outstretched and began to swing my arms and legs making an angel.
Then the humming stopped. I glanced over at the old man hoping he wouldn't notice my abrupt reaction. He looked back with a gentle smile lined with creases. Cautiously, he reached inside his disintegrating shirt and pulled out a book. It was an old Bible that looked like it had been on a journey right back into the Old Testament. I sat still, while he kindly excused himself setting the Bible next to me. I quietly followed his steps as he walked out of the park, toes hanging out of his boots.
Confused, half wondering if I was still daydreaming, I looked down at the beat up Bible. When he clearly had disappeared around the corner, I picked it up and opened it. On the inside of its soft leather cover was an envelope. Written in the most beautiful script read, "Everything has a season, it's time to change." What I found inside was more astonishing that the angel-like penmanship. A single maple leaf, yellow-brown around its edges, two hundred dollar bills, and a note.
"It is better to have a little and give a lot, then to have a lot and give a little. I trust you will know what to do with this and I hope life's changes are a blessing for you."
I placed the envelope back in the Bible and walked home. I won't tell you what I did with the money, but I will tell you that the experience changed my life, opened my eyes, my mind, and my heart. It is inaccurate to judge someone by the clothes they wear or the tune they hum because neither will give you true character. The old man, tattered and soft, showed me compassion and gave me hope. Two of the best gifts I could ever ask for and will ever receive.


Every night we go to bed,
We have no assurance to get up alive in the morning,
But you still have plans for the coming day that too with an alarm to wake up on time,
That's hope....!!!!!!

Here is the end of my series of 3 stories to inspire your living. Enjoy reading, and I think I have helped a bit... Never deprive someone of help, it might be all they have...



Have CONFIDENCE, TRUST yourself and never lose HOPE

P.S:: I don't know the original source of this story but i have shared it just the way it was shared to me with a friend. I thought it would help u so sharing it. HOPE you enjoy it and work on it.

Monday 10 June 2013

TRUST

The second part of the series is entitled trust. Yes trust, a very heavy word and even harder to implement on others as well as self. Today I am going to share a cute little story of  a daughter and her dad. Enjoy reading....



Once the little girl and her dad were crossing a bridge. The bridge was very narrow so he got kinda scared and asked his daughter "My little Princess, please hold my hand tightly while we cross the bridge, so that you don't fall down.". But she refused and asked him to hold her hand. Puzzled on his daughters reaction he asked "Whats the difference??". "There's a big difference." replied the girl.

"If I hold your hand, and something happens to me, there are wide chances of me letting your hand go off. But Dad if u hold my hand, no matter what happens but you will never leave my hand. I trust you Dad ".

The true essence of any relationship is not in its bind, but in its bond. Love cannot live without trust. And as rightly said to be trusted is a better complement than being loved. The more you trust your intuition, the more empowered you become, the stronger you become, the happier you become.

Trust yourself then you will know how to live. Trust should be like the feeling of a one year old baby. When you throw him in the air, he laughs, because he knows you will catch him.
That's TRUST...!!!

Monday 3 June 2013

CONFIDENCE


This time I am going to share with you a series of 3 stories telling the success mantra of life. Hope you like it. The first part of my story is about CONFIDENCE.

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot. Its all about this. Hope u like it...


There was a business executive who was deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. Worries and thinking of suicide he sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

Suddenly an old man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you," he said. After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I think I have met you at right time."

He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying, "Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time. All the best for your journey towards success."

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come. The business executive was in a state of shock and astonishment on what he saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

"I can erase all my money worries in an instant and take the business to a new level!" he realized. But
instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought. With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check and new found confidence. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.

"I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He always keeps on escaping from the rest home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller."

And she led the old man away by the arm.

The astonished executive just stood there, stunned and shocked once again. All year long he'd been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.

Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after. 


That's Confidence...!!!