Small things are the ones which make big differences...

Small things are the ones which make big differences...

Crossing miles...then and now!

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.”  

 - Robert Louis Stevenson

During those childhood days holidays always meant travelling which in turn always meant travelling by train. Tickets would be bought way in advance and we would start counting days!!! The night before the journey would generally be a sleepless one! Early morning Mum would pack luchis and sabji enough to last us for three days! The long wait for the train at the station would be so painful until we saw the train marching to the platform slowly, emitting white smoke and hooting! The sight would at once bring forth a skipped heartbeat and make me soo happy...As we boarded the freshly cleaned train, we would start eyeing the snacks and the crisps in Mum's biig shopper bag but were not allowed to touch them before the train began to move!!!

I remember waiting with baited breath for the feriwallas to come and display the various products from their kitty. The colourful drinks, the different eatables, the various kinds of toys, stationery, knick-knacks, comic books, magazines...everything seemed to be so attractive, so real and near-fetched! The journey itself would be so memorable...the train would meander past the green lands, the grey mountains, the sparkling rivers and the thatched houses! Mum would ask us to look out of the window, feel the warm air, witness the last orange and purple strokes of day light on the grey clouds.

 

It used to be beautiful...

Of course time has changed...and so have I. These days whenever I have to travel by train, I feel a tinge of disappointment within me! Who has the time to spend an entire day travelling when there is so much more to do? Why go on a tired and gruesome journey when I can reach a destination in a jiffy comfortably by air!

Train journeys now seem so long and boring! I get restless every time it takes longer than usual for the train to leave a platform. I dread the smelly washrooms in the train and deny myself of water through the entire journey! Sometimes when Mamma calls asking how far I have reached, that's when I look out of the window...because I have no clue...I was busy catching up on movies on my laptop! I do not talk to my co-passengers unless they do...and generally give them a cold shoulder if they get too chatty!!! The jhal muris and the bread omlettes do not leer me any more, in fact they give me jitters!!!... I bring my own salads and sandwiches neatly wrapped in aluminium foils!!! And at night, after a tiresome week at work, I sleep...

But I know this...

In the middle of the night when everybody else has drawn their curtains, turned off the lights and gone to a deep slumber (some snore!!), the noisy children have at last snuggled close to their mother...pass the dark long corridor and find yourself at the door...The train must be pacing real fast through an unknown land, through the dark meadows...you can see nothing except for a few speck of light at a far distance...You feel that you are the only one awake in the world, riding away from the hustle bustle of busy life into a eloquent peaceful paradise!

Or get up early morning...when the first gleam of sunlight have hit the horizon, when the train is rejuvenating at a junction after an incessant sprint...the chaiwallas have just opened their bundees, the smell of fresh boiling tea lingers throughout the platform. Step down and enjoy the serenity of being in a far unknown amidst strangers!

The train journeys do not stop marveling us...giving us those same reasons to enjoy a ride...again and again...The feriwallas, the scenery outside the window, the platforms and the co-passengers have not changed a bit!

We have...

 

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: Memoirs of a novice Blogger...

Some candid confessions! Fresh from the desk of a novice Blogger! Catch my latest content 'Memoirs of a novice Blogger' on youmelifeetc.blogspot.in! Cheers! Shayoni :-)

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: Memoirs of a novice Blogger...: For the past few days I have been searching for inspiration...Many of you bloggers might not agree with me here but I tell you...the job of...

Memoirs of a novice Blogger...

For the past few days I have been searching for inspiration...Many of you bloggers might not agree with me here but I tell you...the job of a Blogger is way too difficult! Sometimes I find it extremely challenging to write...to write about something which does not move my heart or stir my soul! Yeah it true...emotions need to flow for me to pour it out!
Some days I make all attempt...cancel my evening hangout with friends, take a quickie slumber, freshen up, grab a cup of coffee and switch on my laptop! My fingers eventually find its way to log onto Facebook...ohh no wait! I stop myself! "Get a grip girl! You are a blogger! Better behave like one!" I open my blog, scrutinize the layout and design and promise myself to come up with a better and customized one...ONLY after I write something! I create a new post and then...I start thinking! I stare at every possible objects in the room, try to think about anything interesting that might have happened over the past few days...I think hard...The itch to scribble increases, I write ramdom stuff...and delete and rewrite...I find them oddly pathetic and plain jane and before long I chuck my blogging plans and catch up on the last season of The Big Bang Theory!!! Past midnight...guilt drizzles in! I feel like killing myself for wasting half a day and not coming up with a content!

And then not to mention, the peer pressure!...my co-bloggers often ask me about what's cooking in my mind of late and sometimes all I say is, "Ummm...you know I have been really really caught up! Haven't had a chance to sit down at it! But I'm planning to...yeah...very soon...a superb thought has just struck me!"

And then...my Whats app status immediately changes from 'Online' to 'Last seen'!!!

Also there are my readers. Talk about them? I love my readers. A two thumbs up for my dearie friends who are extremely dedicated when it comes to reading my pieces....no matter how bad they might be! Some share the links on their fb timelines...How sweet! Some goes like, "Wow! Shayoni! What a content man! You are too good a writer...Why not try writing a book now!" (Lolzz...are you serious?) There are a few who take time to read, analyze and give me invaluable opinion. I find inspiration in what they say! Sometimes appreciation from unknown readers make my day! I check my daily visit graph. A soaring steady line makes me really happy. I feel proud of myself :-)

Then my Inner Goddess takes charge! " Heyy ", she says, " Chill! Slow down! You ain't a professional! You are a blogger by choice! You do, not an excellent but a somewhat ok job! Never give up, don't get pressed if you don't get enough food for thoughts all the time, just relax and keep writing!"

Phew! I heave a sigh of relief!....

Heyy...now that you know the blogger me better, don't go about shunning my blog altogether coz thats gonna make me feel real real bad! Just know that how much ever bad a blogger I am, whatever you say, whether you like my blog or not, I am grateful to you guys for atleast taking the time out to read and ponder over my scribbles! And I love and appreciate every single thing that you say to me...Pardon me! I am a novice blogger but I promise to give my best and resort to becoming a better blogger with each passing day! I will try and make you happy..which in turn will make me happy too! After all, happiness is life...isn't it? Tada!

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: Rumination of a bride...on her wedding day!

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: Rumination of a bride...on her wedding day!: The pink and the orange drapes, the golden marqee The smiling gerberas and the glittering lights Everything seems so perfect, so serene,...

Rumination of a bride...on her wedding day!

The pink and the orange drapes, the golden marqee

The smiling gerberas and the glittering lights
Everything seems so perfect, so serene, so beautiful

As I stand infront of the mirror, I see not me
But a shy bride ready to embark upon a new journey
The tangerine sari compliments my peach skin tone,
The carefully handpicked gold jewellery twinkles all over me
My hair dazzles with sheen!!!
Have I been this beautiful all along? I wonder...

Amidst the hussle and the celebration
A soft heart deep inside beats fast
It seems like it is a bit scared, a lot hopeful
"The groom is here!" shouted someone...
My heart skipped a beat, How will he be?

My Prince in his shining armour
Would he keep all the promises he made?
Would I be always treated like a Princess?
Would he love me, trust me, believe in me...
Would I have my happily ever after?...

Will I ever get to be my daddy's little girl again?
My sister's sweetheart, my mom's best friend

As I tiptoe out of my room, I take a look back...
One last time...everything will remain as it is
Except for me...
But I am not going anywhere, not alone
From now on, my memories will be my shadow
Nudging me, guiding me...

My life will change from tomorrow
My name will change too...
My soul gives a soft bellow
Every step I take...I get closer
to my future

Friends rush to be by my side
They walk me by
I see my mother wipe a tear
As she catches a glimpse of me

Countless faces fixed upon me
Numerous wishes fill my way
They marvel, wish, bless me
A princess that I feel I am...
I beam...yes! It's my day!

I walk down the aisle...and find him waiting
His hopeful eyes find their way upto me
I see him...I blush...
Crushing on my man...all over again
He winks and smiles...
"You'll do great baby! It's gonna be ok"
His eyes seemed to say...
I'll hold your hand and never let go
"Together we'll make it happen...you and me
Will build a world of us!

I catch his confidence
in sweet mutuality...as always
I feel no longer afraid, nor anticipate
Coz I know we'll be
Together forever and never apart
In mind and thoughts, in soul and heart!

The Perfect Imperfection!

The other day in my school I noticed a roly-poly cute child wandering in search of the venue of the afterschool tennis class. As I guided her, I pressed her cheeks and exclaimed how sweet she was! To my dismay, she replied , "No Ma'am! I'm not sweet! I am fat!"

I was taken aback! Such a small child with such low self-esteem! How come she felt this way? And then... this realization dawned upon me. It's not only the little girl! Many of us, at some point or the other suffer from this inferiority complex regarding our physical features!...a feeling that we are not enough good-looking or an apprehension with certain body parts or plainly when we feel we do not have the perfect features or a perfect skin-tone!!!

There is always something about us that we'd like to change...don't we? And I'm no different. I hate my nose coz I feel it's way too small as compared to my face! And my eyes?? Even a generous use of Maybelline Colossal cannot make them stand out! Phew! And my pale complexion makes me look like a white ghost in most of my pics (Lol!) . Gawwd! I lust for Nicole Kidman's nose oh so badly! :-P

My sister has always had problems with her curls! She gets all worked up and upset everytime she has to go to a party as she is never able to style her hair easily. The curls have become a source of constant worry and she just cannot stop whining and grumbling! Her aim in life is to have her straightened with her first salary! Personally I feel she looks great with those lovely jet black maggi like hair rolling down her face like waves. She looks too cute! Her hair lends her, her personality and style! But she'll never believe me!

Supermodel Cindy Crawford once said, "Even I do not wake up every morning looking like Cindy Crawford!"

Most of us crave for physical attractiveness, a standard that we subconsciously set for ourselves in our minds and constantly compare ourselves to this virtual image! The inspirations are drawn from other people we see or meet or know, or from page 3, posters, tv, movies and magazines! As we repeatedly compare, we deject ourselves and feel constantly low and demotivated. We start hating ourselves for who we are and forget to respect our body and mind! When we look at the mirror we do not like what it reflects! Some of us punish our body in the most impossible fashion (read usage of expensive creams and lotions, erratic diets and surgeries) denying it of all the care and affection it demands...Net result? We either gain the perfection or we don't! Either ways, and let me ask you this, does this bring about any change in the way you are loved by your near and dear ones?

The answer is that it doesn't! Coz they already love you for who you are irrespective of how perfect you are!!!

What we tend to forget is that our physical flaws become our individuality, our identity and our uniqueness. A scar or a mark denotes strength, a physical feature explains legacy and a bulge simply denotes prosperity! Every physical flaw is a sign of experience, accomplishment, and most important, what we perceive as ugly in us could actually seem attractive and praiseworthy in the eyes of others! You will realize that you will be known and appreciated for who your are!

“I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.”

How do you think it'll be if everybody had perfect features and looked gorgeous and possessed the most striking skin tone? Wouldn't we all lose ourselves amidst the crowd? Would we still appreciate beauty and uniqueness as we do now? And who can tell me what yardstick we use to measure how beautiful one is?

The first thing that one should do is to love oneself as one is! (Since I am saying this let me also tell you that even I have finally come to terms with my small nose and kind of errrr started liking it a wee bit now! No matter what, it's staying for good! lol)

Nothing's perfect, the world's not perfect. But it's there for us, trying the best it can; that's what makes it so damn beautiful.”


Love your flaws! Love others flaws too... And never never forget to love yourself! Only then, the others will love you!

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: The Perfect Imperfection!

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: The Perfect Imperfection!: The other day in my school I noticed a roly-poly cute child wandering in search of the venue of the afterschool tennis class. As I guide...

LOLing over Coffee !!!

                                        Coffee!!! Aaahh...

The favourite drink of the civilized world! That one word which is an immediate cure to my boredom, my worries, my trivia and my mood swings!

Either it is "Black as night, sweet as sin", or it is a "Rich frothy creamy chocolaty delight"...Well!however maybe, coffee pleases my taste buds and tingles my soul!...and I cannot help but sing love songs for coffee! The smell of freshly ground heaven...it makes me a poet, a philosopher, a confidante, a dreamer and a lover...all at the same time! (Wao!!!)

How can I explain the power of coffee in such a few words? ...You meet, greet, lounge, converse, laugh, drool, discuss, rejuvenate and fall in love...over Coffee! One serving of cuppa, which has the power to stir the World, uniting it and enveloping it into a delectable smoothie of pure bliss...

"I like my coffee with cream and my literature with optimism.” - Abigail Reynolds

Be it a chatty afternoon with my girlfriends or a cosy evening with my beloved or tete-a-tete with an ex collegue, I'm always up for coffee and I cannot have enough of it...(Gosshh! Bless the man who invented it!!!)

  "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." -  T.S. Eliot

Some coffee facts for the knowledge seeking souls! The vast majority of coffee beans in the world comes from two species of coffee: - Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta. More than three-quarters of the coffee beans sold in the world are a variety of Coffea Arabica, while the bulk of the remainder is Coffea Robusta, which is also known as Coffea Canephora!

Now here's some medical benefits!...Coffee when taken in moderate quantity can lower the risk of a variety of cancer and heart diseases, improves cholesterol health and reduces muscle stress! A cup of Black coffee with no sugar contains NO calories!!! (How cool is dat?)

"Coffee makes us severe, and grave, and philosophical." - Jonathan Swift

Additionally, I have listed down some tried and tested benefits (read more relevant yeah!) for you guys! Coffee can:

• Make you happy instantly
• Can get you a job!
• Help you in sorting out your differences with yourself and others
• Make you more productive at work
• Give you more tolerance to endure smarty pants and jerks
• Give you a slight innocent harmless little kick  ;-)
• Make it easier to hit on your crush!
• Help you turn strangers into friends!
• and...Make you fall in love!
• and also, at times, in a single glass you find all the four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat! (Irish coffee...anyone? ;-)) Bazinga!!!

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love! Ohhhh!

Wherever coffee is grown, sold, brewed, and consumed, there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation! Now if that's not reason enough to LOL over Coffee, I donno what is!!! ;-)

I'm done writing now...it's late afternoon and I feel like brewing some coffee... so I'm rushing to my nearest café...Till then, spill the bean...Love Coffee! Drink Coffee! Share Coffee!....and keep LOLing!!! :-) :-)

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: My tryst with the Luxury Labels!!!

Small things are the ones which make big differences...: My tryst with the Luxury Labels!!!: I have always been a keen observer (if not always a blind follower) of Fashion and Trends! I love  extravagancy, beauty and magnificence......

My tryst with the Luxury Labels!!!

I have always been a keen observer (if not always a blind follower) of Fashion and Trends! I love  extravagancy, beauty and magnificence...and it's needless to say that I find utmost comfort in turning over the glossy pages of Vogue and Elle every now and then ;-) and lose myself in the dreamworld of labels!!! The ever famous Blair Waldorf (of my favourite TV Series Gossip Girl) once said, " Those who say money can't buy happiness did not know where to shop!!!"..I did not believe her...trust me...until the other day I glanced through some of the top International Fashion Magazines in my library! (oh my!)...and pondered over her thought...well ;-)...

   

How much I am awed by the amazing photoshoots on those magazines...the models holding up the products or wearing them, their face exuding pride and gratification. Their skinny sculpted built, complemented with perfectly done make-up radiate vanity and persuasion. And boy! Am I impressed? Those models make me wanna shun pizzas and chocolates forever! Looking at those mesmerizing photographs, I can feel the touch of a designer leather or a rub of cashmere against my skin...aaahhmmazzingg! The World of Luxury labels seems like a glimpse of heaven, the models, angel in disguise...beseeching me with all its grandeur and ardour ...ooooooo!!! Sometimes to me, these magazines become a source of deriving utmost comfort during times of leisure, disappointment and mood swings and make me wonder, how many months of salary would I have to save to afford a pair of Fendi stilettoes or a Chanel Handbag!!!...Hmm...well...let's not go there ;-)

                     

I remember my first luxury buy...a 50ml  Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue which I had bought with my first salary. I had longed to buy it for at least 2 years before the tiny bottle of elixir landed in my palms. It's strange that such a small glass bottle could change your life for good and take your world by storm! In three days I had become the most famous girl in office and had already inspired a handful others to buy it!!! Oohhh la la!

But many a times, like many of you I have had to tussle with the pronunciation of some of the International Brands and boy! I have been utmost conscious while articulating them (at times I have googled, checked the phonetics and practiced articulation in the bathroom mirror early morning;-))... I mean how on earth would I know that the Italian brand BVLGARI was actually pronounced as bull-ga-ree!!!! I remember the very first International Brand I got acquainted with was Louis Vuitton but I never knew how one could pronounce it until I started watching Star World! ;-) Similarly, I mean how could you ever imagine that Yves Saint Laurent should be said as Eve - son- lo-ron !!!! Even worse is Dolce & Gabbana...I'd rather say D&G instead of Dolchee -ey -Gab -bana ! Poof!!!! Dear Italians, what have we ever done?? And even if you think you have heard the word Chanel, beware, it is pronounced not how you think but Sha-nell !!! Oh Dear God!!!

Have you ever seen those pwetty little red apple like perfume bottles lined in the Shopper Stop stores? Well...those Nina Riccis are amazing fragrance...the first time I had seen them, I could never muster up the courage and walk upto the seller, coz I feared that I will be made fun of if I did not pronounce the name correctly...sigh!

But that hardly discourages me anymore...In my secret notebook, I do have the pronunciation written down for some of these fashion brands for my reference. Sharing my little secret with you...lol! Check them out! U'd thank me...won't you? ;-)

Breguet - Brey-gay
Boglioli - Boh-lee-oh-lee
Calvin Klein - Cow-in Kly-in
Cerruti - Sheyrootee
Dior - Dee-or
Givenchy - Zhee-vah-shee
Gucci - Goo-chee
Hermes - Er-mez
Lacoste - Luh-cost
Longines  - Lawn- jeans
Louis Vuitton - Loo- ee, Vee -tou
Paco Rabbane - Puh-co-ruh-bon
Roberto Cavalli - Row-bear-toe. Ka-volley
Versace - Ver - satchey

     

So here's to all you wee-bit materialistic people and brand slaves out there...my content is dedicated to you guys! The next time you wanna shop, or maybe window shop or simply chit-chat about the Luxury Labels, pronouncing them correctly should be the last worry on your mind!!! So common people...be impulsive, love brands and shop till you drop!!! After all, we'd rather like to see our money safe in our closets infront of our eyes rather than keeping them in the bank!!!  Don't we? ;-)

Happiness & Shopping!!!...Bliss...

My Kolkata...

I love my city. I love Kolkata!There's something about my Kolkata which keeps me wanna snuggle up and live here for ever. Located on the eastern side of the country, cradling on the banks of river Hooghly lies my favourite place in the world. My city is my birthplace, my identity, my dream and my hideout. A seven year stint away from my city has evoked in me a strange warm love and affection...and even after spending the most part of my life here, I still cannot have enough of this city!

Everytime I travel back to Kolkata, the first glance of the Howrah Bridge fills my heart with pride, nostalgia and excitement! Each time, the city looks charming and inviting as ever! I can't help but marvel at it's rustic beauty and vintage grandeur...It feels as if I am about to explore Kolkata for the first time :-)

The early morning drive on Red Road has always been a one of the best drives I've ever been to...the mesmerizing Victoria Memorial looks beautiful and serene. The lush greenery of maidan can put the Irish countryside to shame. You might even notice beautiful horse driven carriages riding across this road and you can hop into one if you like.

If you are the mushy romantic type like me, take a boatride along the river Hoogly...the experience will linger with you for ever and ever.

How much I love strolling on the streets of Gariahat picking up knick knacks and bargaining with the vendors. I still can't do without buying at least scarf when I pass by the irresistible street stalls selling colourful garments, shoes, jewellery, handbags and décor items! The enthusiasm of the hawkers are infectious and trust me if not the impulse, their eagerness to sell their goods would make you wanna buy stuff from them!

Spending quite afternoons in the Oxford Store, the Starmark or the Crossword is the favourite pastime of the bookworms and the intellectuals, who are often termed as 'Aatels' ( lol ) and behold, you will not find any Calcuttan who cannot strike a conversation about anything under the Sun!!! That's what we do best!!! Talk!

I love trotting on Park Street with friends on a Friday night, not being able to decide where to dine in because the Chicken Tetrazzini of Mocambo would always pose a stiff competition to the Chello Kebab of Peter Cat or the Biriyani at Arsalan! Plus I also get to boost my knowledge of high-fashion and trends as I watch the hot girls and the cool guys ramping on the roads, lost in their world of FB and Whatsapp!!!

Sitting on the pavements of Vivekananda Park sipping hot chai and debating over Literature and History with my childhood buddies still remain as one of the most important task in my To Do List.

Many of my non Calcuttan friends might not be familiar with term 'Adda' and trust me it is a crime! In Calcutta adda forms a major part of our lives. An adda can happen anytime, anywhere among people of any age!!! Although CCDs and Baristas can found in every nook and corner of the city, youngsters still turn to the very old Coffee House for some realtime bonding over coffee!!!

If you have ever been to Kolkata you will notice quite often on the dukans, along the chai bandis on the benches strangers getting together and chatting up!...politics and football still raking as the most talked about topics!!! And if you ever happen to ask for help, be it on an unknown road or in an unknown destination, mark my words...at any point of time there will four different people to help you ways through, some of them even willing to walk you down till your destination ( lol )!!! Such is my city :-)

An afternoon tram-ride across the city is a must! The tram paves its way slowly across the roads, often twisting and turning like a lousy reptile making their signature ting-ting sound...Oooohhhh!

And how can I forget the famous yummy lip smacking fuchkaas!!! Those crispy fried hollows filled with alu kabli and imli water along with a pinch of lemon juice has absolutely no match in any part of the world...I swear!

Come September-October and you will find Kolkata dolled up in the festive grandeur. The first sight of Goddess Durga's eyes being rendered life by the artists of Kumatoli brings along a surge of happiness and hope. Durga Puja is celebrated across the city with pomp and vigour and it's fun to go Pandal Hopping with friends and family, dressed up from top to bottom in new clothes. All kinds of work come to a standstill for those five days and the overwhelmed Calcuttans throw themselves completely into the celebration!

The ever always tussle between the supporters of Mohunbagan and East Bengal, Bangals and Ghotis, Ilish and Chingri, Uttam and Soumitra and Hemanta and Manna would remain with the bangalis for ever and ever...and yes! we are not bengalis but Bangalis...It's true that we are lazy, our weekends are longer than weekdays, we make a mess while speaking hindi, we are emotional about Sourav Ganguly and Mamata Banerjee...but hey! where would you find more friendly people than us?

Don't believe what I say? Come to Kolkata and spend a day or two...or even better...make sure that you have a 'Bangali' co-passenger on your way...you'd know exactly what I mean ;-)

The Story of Little Kitty <3!

Many years ago when I was a child I had befriended a deserted kitten in my backyard. It mewed all day, maybe wanting to reunite with its mommy but all my frantic search to find her was in vain. I wondered where she was and how she must be feeling that her baby was missing! The little kitten was weak and scared. Bringing stray kittens at home was a strict no-no therefore I built a lil hut for the kitty in my backyard. I fed it milk and bread both times a day.

My neighbourhood pals became a part of the search party however there was no trace of the Mummy cat whatsoever. We decided to make a small house for the baby kitten and although it showed little signs of recovery, it was still not able to purr and hardly moved from one place to another. We took turns to guard the little one. It seemed like all of us had found a new reason to live...little kitty was friendly with us and looked like it enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed to be with it!!!

I still shudder at the thought of that day. It was barely a week after I had found the baby kitten. It rained heavily all night. The thunders and lightning battled with the dark sky as we slept peacefully in our rooms. When I woke up the following morning, the kitten was the first thing that flickered through my mind... I felt a jolt...I ran down the stairs and rushed to the back yard. Perhaps my friends had gone through similar emotions...I saw they had already gathered at my back yard. But instead of gathering around kitty's small hut they were standing at the end of the backyard! I was panic-stricken...and to my dismay...as I joined them, I saw...kitty lying on the ground...totally drenched. Its fur was shrivelled and curled against it's skin and there was no doubt that it was out in the open all night. But why would it come out of it's hut when it's raining?? We had no answer. My sister ran home and brought a bowl of hot milk. We rubbed it's body with a dry towel, held it in our hands to give warmth....but to no avail...

Little kitty was breathing it's last...No matter how hard we tried, it did not respond...We cried our hearts out but to no avail. The mummies and the daddies were summoned for emergency help. They tried to revive it...yielding no positive result. Little kitty left us for heavenly abode.

That day I vowed I will never ever keep any animal for a pet ever again for the rest of my life!!! I will not befriend them, feed them, play with them or show love. Kitty had ditched me. I felt cheated, betrayed.Why did it have to leave the hut and get wet in the rain all night? I did not know...

As always, the tragedy was soon forgotten and each of us resorted to our normal course of life. After more than almost two decades when I think about this incident...I do not feel bitter anymore. Perhaps my grown up conscience tells me that there was nothing more that I could have done to save the little animal and  it was supposed to be meant to happen that way.

There are certain unfortunate incidents which occur in our lives and more than often we tend to over-evaluate our performance and reason what we could have done to make things not the way it turned out to be! We tend to blame ourselves, feel miserable and shut ourselves completely out of the rest of the world!!! For some of us this could be a temporary phase but there are many of us who bear the burden of guilt all along their lives!

You know it's easy this way! What is difficult is to accept reality as it is and not look for a reason to justify it. Look out for those moments which made you happy, gave you reasons to live amidst those sad and unhappy ones...Happiness and sadness are two intertwined emotions. Each emotion cannot be felt in the absence of the other! We must experience pain and agony to appreciate joyousness!

Let go of the burden, abandon the pain, shun the agony…what you will be left with is a better and happier YOU! And if you are happy, you will make your near and dear ones happier! Dig out your happy times, relive them…watch old photographs, read old diaries, bring out that old rusty souvenir box or simply close your eyes and reminiscence…you will feel magical!

When I trace back to little kitty I only love to remember those few lovely afternoons I spent playing with it. It puts a smile on my face...! I will cherish every bit of time that I spent with the cute little sweetheart! I will forever keep the happy memories and will always turn towards them from time to time…

Happiness & Sunshine...always! Much love.

A second Childhood...

It is said that the body ages but not the heart and the mind. Oscar Wilde had said that the tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young!!!

Don't we feel the same way when we see a group of old enthusiasts getting together to effectively handle a social cause or taking up responsibilities to run an administration or simply walking at the park in the morning at 5km/hr!!!!

More than often we tend to ignore these indigenous beings who have shared both happiness and agony with life and have gained the invaluable experience over the years. While the Old Age homes are brimming with the old members of the families who have renounced their family or should I say have been renounced by their families, the young are facing roadblocks and tricky situations in many aspects of their lives not knowing what to do.

In India approximately 80% of the voters are 60 years and above who fall under the category of senior citizens.  A psychological study says that since senior citizens don't have a say around their respective families at home, they always exercise their right to vote wherein they can at least express themselves...this shows how much we have ignored our elderly figures at home.

What these sweethearts need is attention and to be respected for their age...they are like small kids, the moment we take our eyes off them, they would crave for our attention and do all things possible to gain it back.

Sometime it is difficult to control their emotions, anger and thinking however if you treat them with the same affection, love, care and patience that you show towards your kids, its quite an easy task. 

Remember they have given their life to us when we were kids and knew nothing. But what did we do for them?  When we grew up with all the best education, knowledge and experience of life they offered to us to become what we are today, all we did was just ignore them declaring that they knew nothing about life and concluded what they did was nothing more than a mere responsibility which any parent would do!!!! And the moment there is a difference of opinion,we never hesitate to ridicule their thoughts and tag the situation as a "generation gap".

If you have watched 'Lagey Raho Munnabhai', you would have a fair idea. In the movie Atmaram's son grows out to become too posh for his father and his simplicity and sends him off to live in an Old Age home inspite of being the proud owner of a plush and spacious apartment. And sadly, the count of people like Atmaram's son is growing exponentially. We have become extremely modern and we hardly have time to sit by their side and listen to their share of the story. We feel that this exercise would be a total waste of time!!!
But what we do not realise is that it is not them, but us who need them more that they need us.

The most blessed are the ones who had their grandparents in their lives. A lot of us must have had some of the best moments with their grandparents. I am proud to proclaim that I am one of them. Right from the time I was a toddler, my Grand-ma has been my best friend. From tolerating my childish tantrums to making yummy snacks for me in the evenings to teaching me the first notes of sa-re-ga-ma, she's been there for me, all the time. It's been a few years that I have lost her and even today, I miss her....a looooot!!!

The senior citizens are an asset to their families as well as to the nation. They are the ones who really have been there and done that! Instead of leading perhaps a miserable life in loneliness they can be serve as the best resource to teach the underprivileged in the villages. Elders are the back bone of Indian culture as they are the link who pass on the legacies which has been followed by ages.This way they will not only find another reason to live and smile, they will feel that they are important to us and are actively involved in shaping the society as much as we are.

It is our responsibility to help them walk the final lap of life and help them touch the finishing line with a smile and satisfaction, make them feel that it was worth living a life for such a wonderful family.

Their one blessing can do wonders in our lives, a happiness which may not come even after becoming a billionaire!!!!

A few days ago I was reading a beautiful article on Facebook about a lonely old lady who was admitted in a hospital for a long time before she passed away. Soon after a nurse had found her belongings and in them found a poem written by her during her stay at the hospital. Many thought that she was nothing more than a piece of flesh and bones and did not grieve when she was no more.

  

When they read her poem....the feeling was magical, everybody who read it instantly got a taste of LIFE!

Incase you have not read the poem, here it is for you.

" Crabbit Old Woman" 

What do you see, nurse, what do you see? 
What are you thinking, when you look at me- 
A crabbit old woman, not very wise, 
Uncertain of habit, with far-away eyes, 
Who dribbles her food and makes no reply 
When you say in a loud voice, I do wish you'd try. 
Who seems not to notice the things that you do 
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe. 
Who, unresisting or not; lets you do as you will 
With bathing and feeding the long day is fill. 
Is that what you're thinking, Is that what you see? 
Then open your eyes, nurse, you're looking at me. 
I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still! 
As I rise at your bidding, as I eat at your will. 
I'm a small child of 10 with a father and mother, 
Brothers and sisters, who loved one another- 
A young girl of 16 with wings on her feet, 
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet, 
A bride soon at 20 - my heart gives a leap, 
Recalling the vows that I promised to keep. 
At 25 now I have young of my own 
Who need me to build a secure happy home; 
A woman of 30, my young now grow fast, 
Bound to each other with ties that should last; 
At 40, my young sons have grown and are gone, 
But my man is beside me to see I don't mourn; 
At 50 once more babies play around my knee, 
Again we know children, my loved one and me. 
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead, 
I look at the future, I shudder with dread, 
For my young are all rearing young ones of their own. 
And I think of the years and the love that I've known; 
I'm an old woman now and nature is cruel- 
Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool. 
The body is crumbled, grace and vigor depart, 
There is now a stone where I once had a heart, 
But inside this old carcass, a young girl still dwells, 
And now and again my battered heart swells, 
I remember the joy, I remember the pain, 
And I'm loving and living life over again. 
I think of the years all too few- gone too fast. 
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last- 
So open your eyes, nurse, open and see, 
Not a crabbit old woman, look closer

See Me....
By: Phyllis McCormack