Happy In-Dependence Day...!!

Today the tricolor proudly unfurls itself on rooftops, in front of offices, in hands of children, on cars, bikes….in our hearts. 364 days a year we are constantly on the move. Our hectic lifestyle leaves us with little time for thoughts about “Our country”. Except for occasional comments on the politicians, on the government and on the sorry state of events, we hardly ever think of “India”. But today is that one day, when every Indian, in every part of the world, proudly stands up as the National Anthem plays, has tears in his eyes as Lata Mangeshkar’s “Aye mere vatan ke logon” reaches their ears or the soulful melody of A.R Rahman’s Vande Matram strikes a chord in every heart. This is one day, when the India, in every part of the world, comes together for sure.

We have grown….grown as a country. Today we have the power to make our voice heard. Today, the whole world sits and takes note of the power we unleash. We stand together against atrocities, stand together for justice. We know we should vote, we know how to fight recession, we know “vegetarianism” is a good thing. We are “going green”. We are giving the world its first “car for the common man”. We have “Chandrayaan-ed” to the moon on our own and are now aiming for mars. Being "gay" is no longer a crime. We are doing and accepting it all!!

But somewhere, it is the coming today of all the “I”s that makes the “We”. Today, I wish I was one of the “I”s. I wish I had done something to make a difference to the world, even in a small way. I sometimes get this really big urge to go out and do something worthwhile. This feeling of being useless is certainly not a good one. The feeling of dependence on Independence Day is certainly ironical.

p.s. Happy Independance Day!! Cheers :)

BLACK n WHITE

I have been often told (and I have often read) that colors can truly reflect your mood and to an extent, even your personality. It’s probably just clairvoyance that makes one believe in such things. But, as much as I try, I can’t refrain from observing this strange inking, this new fetish that I am developing, for anything to do with black and white.

Actually, this is not something that’s entirely out of the blue. I have been quite fond of blacks (especially as far as my wardrobe goes) and the difference between then and now seems to be the fact that, these days, I simply have to lay my hands on anything that’s black (and/or white). From my new pair of shoes, my bag, a huge part of my wardrobe to my blog template, black rules the roost!!

It’s not something I consciously do. Yet it happens all the time. You know, I sometimes feel it is because I have always tried to see life in shades of either black or white. If things are good, I am on a high. If things go wrong, my world shatters!! It’s like I live life in extremes. But, no more… not when I have been suddenly exposed to this huge palate where I can fill my life with as many colors as I want, coz at the end of the day, the painting on the canvas is gonna be mine. I have suddenly come to terms with such a massive plethora of options; changes that I am no longer scared to make. It like when a person is learning to swim. You try once, you go under the water, gagging, taking in a lot of it. Second time, you manage to surface a lot more and gradually, you just learn to stay afloat. The meaning of a lot of things have become clearer now, my priorities are finally set right again and so, it high time I emerged from the gloomy world of blacks and whites to something that better defines life.

p.s. I have been really trying hard to find a good template for my blog (okay, Dave has been trying equally hard). As soon as I (read: we) get a good one, the black shall be given a befitting farewell :)

p.p.s V sent this to me.Liked it. So thought of posting it here.

“No one can tear you down, unless you give them power over you to do so.

No one can hurt you*, unless you let them.

No one can deflate you, without your permission.

No one can tell your truth, without your okay.

No one can make you angry, unless you give them that ability.

No one can define you, without your authority.

And likewise, no one can inspire you, inflate you, teach you, encourage you or motivate you unless you bestow upon them that power.

Doesn’t it sting, a bit, knowing that all the pain and all the suffering you ever caused yourself was self-inflicted? Of course, you’re causing that sting, too. Maybe you had to experience the pain and suffering to get to where you are today.”

Happy Friendship's Day :) :)

Its been a year since my last “friendship’s day” post (read: this) and well… frankly… I still stick by what I had to say then. Yet again, this one year has seen friends come and go and each time, without an exception, they have left a mark behind. As bookish, immature or filmy it may sound, I believe that everyone comes into your life for a reason; either to help you in some way or bring about a change in you (always for the better). We never really register their importance immediately, but once they leave we do gradually figure it out. And for those who don’t leave, well…they are your friends for life. There might be just a handful of them, but they are the ones who are always there.

All said and done, I really wish misunderstanding, confusions and other such things never existed, coz the extent to which they can complicate things is UNIMAGINABLE!! Sometimes, situations and choices in life get so entwined with one another that it becomes truly messy to try and sort things out. But if there is something I have learnt in the past, it is how important it is to clear this mess. I have tried to ignore such situations in the past and have tried to just move on, as if these people didn’t exist. But I guess, I’ts not as easy as I thought it would be. And it is certainly wasn’t the bestest of my decisions. I am perhaps admitting this to myself for the first time, but I guess it is high time I did. I have lost a few and now no more.

Happy Friendship's Day!!!