Shefali and her invincible Fighter Spirit!

Shefali  is a mother of 3 beautiful children, a maid by profession but more so a real fighter.

Yes, we were very lucky to have Shefali working for us as a housemaid.Although I have had limited interactions with her ,that too only on weekends when I am at home but she has inspired me beyond words with her unwavering commitment to work.

Today was her last day at work as she is finally moving to her homeland , West Bengal.

Parting with her was not easy for us because she was a beautiful human being.

This lady who had a troublesome , abusive , alcoholic  and a good for nothing husband ,  was singlehandedly bringing up her children by working hard as a day time maid.Her work always and I mean "ALWAYS" spoke of PERFECTION.She had set her bar for perfection at a much higher level than what was expected from her.She would never even leave a speck of dust in any nook or corner and would always leave the house spick and span!.Her dedication towards her work despite of her hardships was really inspiring. Infact, it was astonishing!- I mean how come someone who has all the reasons to crib , cry and curse life can work so meticulously and positively! To be really honest, we never told her what to do.She did everything on her own , more than what was expected and with total perfection! Every day she inspired us with her actions , her smile and her beautiful persona.She truly touched our hearts in the most beautiful way! I believe that's the beauty of human connections.

In fact I must say, everyday as I used to juggle with the questions of "what's my life purpose?", "how do i achieve work-life balance and true fulfillment?" , I was reminded of Shefali and that is when I used to think that unlike me there are many Shefalis  who don't have  the luxury to even think about "life and purpose" ; who find their purpose in everyday living, in moments and in doing; those who have no time and resources to think or plan for their future and yet they set examples of excellence for us.

I think no work is big or small.Life is more about giving your best to whatever work comes your way.Only if we understand this simple message, we will lead more peaceful and fulfilling lives than breaking our heads and spoiling our time in futile thinking!

This also reminds me of a gentleman I came across in a supermarket a few weeks ago. He was working at the gift wrapping section.I went to him to get something gift wrapped and I was almost stumbled to see with what precision he did a simple job of gift-wrapping! I was wondering , if this man is left on his own, he can create wonders! I feel if people like him and Shefali who were born in unfortunate circumstances  can celebrate life with such vigour then we who are blessed with all the comforts have no right to crib at all ! 

Thank you Shefali for making me realize that life will never give us any meaning , we have to give life a meaning and let that meaning bring joy and contentment to us!

In times of distress,confusion and self doubt, I hope to remember and follow the footprints that you have left behind! May your tribe increase! May we all see the Light! Amen.

It wasn't that bad!

Yes, journey to this End wasn't that bad as anyone could have imagined.

I am really grateful that I went through all of this because this experience has changed my outlook about life.Had I not experienced it, I would have missed seeing a real beautiful aspect of life which is all about finding real gems.

I have seen angels appearing in different forms to keep my faith in goodness, in love and in prayer alive! I have truly emerged stronger with a faith that has increased manifold in God-the universal force.

I have got to know who are genuine human beings and who are not.I have got to know people can be toxic too.I have got to know you shouldn't trust anybody.Trust needs to be earned.I have got to know what's most important in life (being true to yourself) and what's not (the world view).I have got to know there is real transformational power in prayer, in patience and in pain.I have clearly seen the coexistence of the good , the bad and the ugly and also the most beautiful. In short, I have seen the duality of life at its best.

I don't want to discuss what happened with me...no point...I think the fact that I am out of IT and happy speaks volumes!

I have no regrets.There is no point in having regrets.I have realized what has to happen , happens.There is no point thinking why?...Like they say, everything teaches you...I have had my share of lessons too. I think there is no point in judging things and situations too much.Things happen and anything can happen.We have no other option but to face it bravely.

All I want  to tell is that I have seen the brightest stars in the darkest nights and  that has really inspired, moved and enriched me in a big big way.

I owe my strength to all the stars of my life who ensured that I reach this End of my life with grace, grit and peace and that's why I repeatedly say, it wasn't that bad!

The most precious gem in my life is my Angel family.
I have realized, nothing is insurmountable if you have a loving family by your side.They made this transition so easy for me that I couldn't have imagined without them.
My family is my biggest asset and my biggest strength.I think the closest that I have got to experience the love of God is through my family.I can never repay them for all that they have done for me and for all that they do.And I believe if you have found one person who you can never repay,  you have found God.I have a big list of Godly family members.I feel completely blessed to have the most wonderful family in this world.

Second,I am again blessed to have angel friends around.It is a biggest blessing.It's so inspiring and heartwarming to know the real beauty of human behaviour.I think in the worst of my times, I got to see the beauty of true friends.I got to see how beautiful a human being can be from the inside.
I got to see how beautifully your friends understand you, how beautiful it is to see them standing by you...how beautiful it is to see them praying for you...how beautiful it is to see them adding hope, light and happiness to your life and last but not the least how beautiful it is to see how much they can hear without you even speaking a single word.The way they trust you, the way they know you-It's the best feeling to know that you are blessed with the best of friends.I already knew I had great friends but today I know they are not just friends, they are angels! I can never express their beauty in words.I am blessed!

Third , I realized the invincible power inside me. I realized I am really strong.I realized if you love yourself enough, then nothing can ever disturb you.I am glad, I love myself and have also realized how that helped me sail through  tough times with much ease and faith.

Fourth ,I have realized that there is so much to be grateful for.The transition wasn't tough for me because I knew in my heart that I am taking the right step and I could feel the universe supporting me every single day of my life.

I have realized living with honesty, transparency and good intention pays.
I have realized life is lived one day at a time and living one day at a time is not that tough.The power of NOW is indeed powerful.
I have realized and felt the power of prayer and presence of God in every step throughout my journey.

This event in my life has inspired me to believe in the beauty of life, to believe in angels and most importantly to believe in myself.

I have realized there is nothing to fear if you are true to yourself.

Last but not the least I have realized it could have been worse but I am lucky!

Praise the Lord!

“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun! Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!” 

Cheers to new beginnings!

What's PERFECT for you?

Have you ever wondered about what is PERFECT?

Normally, generally this is what we say and hear in relation to what is PERFECT:-

" This is the perfect dinner I have ever had." or " What a perfect timing!" or "What a perfect place, perfect dress, perfect job, perfect partner, perfect speech, perfect company, perfect coffee, perfect massage, perfect words, perfect this and perfect that." I think everything perfect is basically the perfect feeling that we experience with all these things and mostly it's when we experience life in the most desired form.

But have you ever heard, " Worst is perfect."?
Well, I did. Last Wednesday I had invited a speaker for a lecture series who had been my student, some three years back.This person is not an ordinary person, he's truly extraordinary! He started his entrepreneurial venture while he was just an engineering student, today he is involved in quite a few ventures and social causes along with working in a senior post in a reputed company.

This man, while he was addressing the students said something that only an accomplished  person can say,only winners can say.He said, "If you are going through a bad phase, it's very good, if you're going through one that is worse, it's even better and if you're going through the worst of times, that's just PERFECT! "

He explained it by telling that he was the one who flunked his std 12th exams.He said he literally was about to jump from the train while returning back home with his result. He said he was literally one feet away from taking that jump, which because he couldn't gather enough strength , he didn't take for which he is very grateful today.

He said, his life has always been a big mess which he takes as a blessing.The company that he joined, deputed him to a new plant and his friends were retained in the old one.At first he got excited by the idea that he's been deputed to a new plant, it must be even better than the old one but when he landed up there , he found it in complete mess...nothing was structured properly ...no organization ...nothing...Initially he felt like crying but eventually he realized that because he got to work through the mess , he literally got to learn and grow in the process.This learning would not have been possible if he was retained in the already established old plant.

After he finished telling his own experience, he told the story of a boiled frog as a reminder for everyone that one must always welcome change and be ready for it.
Here's the story:-

Suppose you want to boil a frog. How do you do it? You could place the frog into a pot of hot water, but as soon as it feels the heat, it will jump out. So, what can you do? Put a pot of cool water on the stove and then add the frog. Not sensing danger the frog will stay. Next, turn the burner on low to slowly heat the water. As the water warms, the frog relaxes. The warmth feels good. As the water gets hotter it acts like a steam bath draining away energy and deepening the frog's relaxation. The frog becomes sleepy and has less and less energy while the water is getting hotter and hotter. By the time the frog realizes its danger, the water is beginning to boil, and it is too late to take action. There is neither time nor energy left to do anything. The frog perishes in the boiling water.

What is the moral of the story? Be vigilant. Don't let unexpected change creep up on you. Don't become a "boiled frog." Pay close attention to what is going on around you, so that you can notice when the "water" is getting hot. 

I didn't know but I must admit, his words had a healing touch.All of us will feel that because all of us go through good and bad patches in life.And mostly a bad  phase is when people show you sympathies and emphathies for your sorry state and all you get to hear is forget it as a nightmare or this too shall pass and similar stuff all pointing to the fact that you're going through worse-bad luck! With due respect to all the wellwishers , sympathizers and emphathizers because most of  these are the ones who are there with you when things go wrong, who help you come out of the bad phase,  I must say, there are hardly few who say- "This is to make you strong.We are proud to see you strong.You are making us proud.Stay brave.You'll emerge stronger." I wish we have more of these "hardly few" who inspire us in our journey to be stronger.This man was one of those.It is all a matter of perspectives after all.

Now we understand what it means when it is said, "Worst is PERFECT".It is indeed a blessing in disguise.Someone has rightly said, " I've never met a strong person with an easy past."

PERFECT is not always what we want at the moment...somethings are PERFECT in the hindsight.
So if things don't seem perfect now, remember it will seem perfect after a while.

Stay Strong.Be stronger!

A Small Step

Well, after a long hiatus, i am back on my blog and that makes me really happy :) because writing indeed is my fine tuner.

There are moments when I feel nothing is going right, when self doubt grips me and negativity surrounds.
It's then by God's grace i can still hear a voice trying to reach me- "Come on, girl! It's not that bad.It's all how you take it- Start counting the reasons that makes you smile."
And I feel so blessed that amidst all the fuss and  furore ,  I can still hear this guiding voice.


I realize there is no point crying over spilt milk.
I realize there is meaning in having no expectations.
I realize my happiness is in my hands.
I realize silence is golden.
I realize there's so much to be thankful for.
I realize life is lived in small steps.

And this blogpost is a small step that I have taken to remind myself that  I will focus on taking small steps in love, in peace and in gratitude.Amen.

Gulmohar Talkies

This post is an attempt to understand and present my silent yet communicative interactions with a ‘Gulmohar’ tree which almost touches my bedroom window (not to mention, now my heart too) and is a constant companion during my evening walks.

I have seen this tree through all the changing seasons and it continues to have a nothing short of stunning influence on me. There are times, when this tree stands bare branched for months, times when it blossoms with scarlet coloured flowers and is decked up with refreshing green leaves and times when all that adorned it with pure beauty, flourished and bloomed on it, begins to fall apart and eventually leaves it all alone...But the tree, irrespective of being WITH or WITHOUT continues to LIVE.

I often wonder about its state of mind during all the phases and also ask it about its feelings... and... there’s always one answer-“I am ALIVE.”.

I am always gladdened to see its waving branches with smiling leaves and flowers and feel sad to see it bare-branched, but in some ways it has a special power to always inspire me to LIVE life as it comes.

The most surprising element was that this year it remained bare-branched for a much longer duration of almost two months than the usual time. We could see other Gulmohar trees in the compound blooming with leaves & flowers, but this wasn’t showing any signs of flowering and its bark and branches started appearing wrinkled and lifeless. What the eyes could see was indeed disheartening.

Everyday, during my evening walks I used to pray for the tree and ask mamma if it has really died and she would always say, “In all likelihood-Yes!” We were apprehensive that the tree might soon get felled down by the authorities and this made us feel sadder as it was now a part & parcel of our lives.

But the theory of uncertainty proved its validity like it often does and one fine day(almost 15 days back) we saw few branches of the tree decked up with green leaves –it was completely amazing and heartening to see something which was least expected but deep down inside always wished. And now it’s all blooming and smiling with flowers again! :)

I have no words to express my happiness to see it bright and blooming these days-Feels awesome!

My admiration for the tree has increased manifold, now that I’ve observed it pass the test of time with its grounded and ‘Never say DIE’ demeanour.

I have a habit of pouring my heart out to it during my evening walks and it always gives me company by silently listening to me. Sometimes, all you need is someone who is willing to lend you an ear and just be with you and my Gulmohar tree is one such friend I feel blessed to have.I just pray to God to give me enough strength to pass all phases of life with ‘Gulmohar’ like poise & power!

Three cheers to my Gulmohar tree!:)

Thought of the day: Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers. –Rainer Maria Rilke



Life's like that!:)

I had wished to capture one of our Lonavala trips in words, because it is one of the best experiences I have ever had. I am glad for having made an attempt to express my feelings of that trip through this post.

So,here it goes…

One Sunday evening as it was raining moderately outside, each one of us was busy in our own world of preoccupation, basking in the pleasant weather. I was comfortably reading, ‘The art of choosing’; Mamma had just woken up from her siesta; Manu was relaxing, watching TV, when out of the blue Babba proposed his idea of going for a drive to Lonavala. Well, at the outset, it was a tempting idea, but it reminded me of our globetrotting experience on Friday evening, when seriously we all sat together to plan a trip for 3-4 days including the weekend. You won’t imagine we started off with deciding on Goa...then Kerela...then Ooty...then Pune...then Dubai...then Malaysia...Yes, we did a lot of globetrotting -dreaming or you may say we were actually living in our dream and this dreamy adventure lasted for just a couple of hours ending with the decision to relax at home in the weekend .Well, it was an amazing experience. Infact, you know we were really happy with our ultimate decision because we were actually feeling tired after so much of vicarious globetrotting and hopping. Seems, the only reason we couldn’t work our plan out was the incorrect timing!

Coming back to Sunday evening...

So, when I heard Babba proposing this idea, I was not very sure if this would materialize, keeping in mind the Friday experience...but then, within half an hour we were all out on the road...Life is truly unpredictable at times or is it most of the times? It seems, this time we got a green signal from our dear friend TIME, but again who knew it will turn out to be a completely different experience than what we had planned or imagined?

As you know we had set out for a drive to Lonavala with the sole aim of enjoying our drive in such a pleasant weather, some sightseeing accompanied with a tea break in between or on site and had planned to be back home by dinner time. But there was a lot more in store...Yes, even this time our plan didn’t work fully...but God’s plan did as always and it turned out to be a dazzling adventure.

Our drive to Lonavala was simply majestic! We drove with rain splashing all over, amidst the lush green surroundings, listening to nostalgic songs along the way and switching over to radio in between. Truly revelled to our heart’s content. It was lovely, especially because all four of us were together after a long time.

But as soon as we stepped into Lonavala, we got stuck up in a traffic jam, that seemed never ending and thunderous heavy rains, that it felt impossible to go back to Mumbai .So, we decided to stay back at Lonavala over night. First we got lost in that traffic, came back to the same spot from where we had started, but then, we could take the lane which was earlier closed when we first came at this point. As we treaded on this path, we went higher and higher up the hill with no signboard of any resort or hotel. It was already night and at times we were the only ones on the way. All through the way, the journey was pleasant, but now our excitement had dropped a little as we didn’t know if we would be able to find some place to rest for the night or we’ll have to go back down the same route. As we were all together, we were not worrying, but were anxious as to where will we end up? Finally we saw a signboard of ‘Upavan’ resort and we followed it, but in between we saw another resort named, ‘Cloud 9’ and just drove through its gate in respite; quickly went to the reception; took a cottage for the night. It was raining heavily at that time and the people at the reception appeared lousy from their behaviour. They said there’s no room service facility and we’ll have to come over to the reception for dinner. I somehow didn’t feel at ease in the beginning, but as we entered the cottage, got a nice feeling. Then a helper boy came from the reception and we requested him to get tea and dinner to the room. Finally Manu (my brother) went along with him and they got everything to the room. That was really nice and we could feel the kind hospitality. Then suddenly the lights went off. It was a very silent place. Babba was overwhelmed with the experience as it reminded him of his days spent in the forest rest houses. This place was inhabited by moths and they were catching fancy of my parents as it brought alive their nostalgic past and suddenly they started talking about nature and its vivid exhibition (I was silently listening to their Nature-talk, pondering why there is so much of disconnect between nature and our generation?...All our parents are so well versed with Nature and its offerings…). In the mean time, tea and dinner arrived and soon came the manager and the light. Tea was very refreshing and the dinner was so satiating. We loved having it and then decided to go to sleep as it had already been a very adventurous day. Both Babba-mamma asked us to listen to the sound of nature. I could hear the crickets and God knows all strange- strange sounds which were not at all strange to my parents…and so the night fell on us till we woke up to a beautiful rainy day. It was early in the morning and we set out for a morning walk. Walked in the rain amidst the lush greens, felt the freshness on our faces, couldn’t stop admiring the beauty of our mother nature. It was a breathtaking experience…an experience that touched us, inspired us and reminded us that life is a precious, beautiful gift to the soul which must be savoured to the fullest. I have to admit, it was a thrilling experience and I loved it on the whole.

Life’s like that, isn’t it? And no matter what happens, let’s re-affirm that everything happens for a reason and happens for the best. There are times when you have to wait for a long long time to get an answer and times when the answer appears even before you consciously frame the question. Undoubtedly, there is an answer for everything under the sun…but everything evolves in its own sweet time. So, let us entrust full faith in life and may this faith become stronger and stronger with each passing day! Amen.



That’s the way-NaniWay!:)

These days I am lucky enough to enjoy my Nani’s company. Her presence, I tell you, is so comforting, amazingly inspiring, full of motherly warmth and simplicity. Every word uttered by her speaks WISDOM. Every act of hers reflects LOVE &GRACE. Her life exemplifies the significance of TOLERANCE, FORTITUDE, RESPECT, ENTHUSIASM and FAITH. Her way of life is PEACE &SIMPLICITY.

Whenever I am with her, I realize that life is made up of moments; those moments which are spent for and with our loved ones. We are here to live together through thick and thin, joys and sorrows, success and failure, trials and triumphs. We are here to celebrate our togetherness which can only be done by first of all accepting and understanding each other.

And then what I find most inspiring is her lively and fearless SPIRIT. At her age, it is truly inspiring! An 82 year old lady, who has lost her eldest son and recently her husband, is as strong and confident as Strength and Confidence can ever be perceived! She is a  Living Goddess for me! Enjoys every moment to the fullest. She has no complaints and her unconditional love for life is worth seeing and highly inspiring!

You know, I feel so great to see her in such a good physical and mental state at this age. She is perfectly fit! I admire the fact that she still leads an active life.Yes, to a great extent it is a result of living in a place like Almora-which is so pristine –It is indeed a Nature’s paradise! But to a greater extent it is the result of her WILL, DETERMINATION and LOYALTY towards LIFE! Her way of life personifies her love for life which is so unconditional and pure!

You know, somehow I feel growing old is a choice. You can grow older in age yet remain as young as ever or you can grow old even when you are young at age! The choice is yours!

My Nani is beautiful inside and out! She is a perfect blend of tradition and modernity.

It’s truly said; those who live for others live forever! May her kind increase! She’s the best!

I wish to follow my NaniWay! ...because that’s the way-NaniWay!!! :)

The best things are NOthing! :)

This post is wholeheartedly dedicated to all the NOthings which make my Life a Joyous Ride-a wonderfully enchanting experience!

Well, needless to say, I simply love doing NOthing, an amazing amount of NOthing!:)

Since last to last September, i.e. Sep 2008, I have consciously started feeling that the real pleasure in life lies is in doing NOthing!:)

Let me try to present the wonderful NOthings that make my life beautiful. But before that, did you notice the word interplay? Yes! They are no things; they are experiences worth experiencing-All thanks to GOD for this wonderful creation called Life.

My list of NOthings

• The first feeling you get when you open your eyes to a promising new day, everyday!-Isn’t it simply awesome!...First and foremost there ‘s a feeling of being greatly blessed for having got an opportunity to experience a new day accompanied with a feeling of wonderment about all that it has in store for us!-isn’t it?-it’s the same feeling you get whenever you climb through life to a new level or position-be it getting promoted to a new post, joining a new school, shifting to a new place, getting a new microwave (Yes! Even though you had it earlier, new is always new and everything creates a new experience !:)...),a new car, a new mobile, even a new broom or a new hairband and how can I forget a new book!:)...Right?:) and there’s an endless list to it.

• Having your first cup of tea in the morning! It’s something I really look forward to as soon as I get up in the morning and love it even more when the whole family has it together- with biscuits and rusks...and sometimes even a piece of cake or ladoo or mithai!-It’s simply divine!

• Going out to the balcony and saying a hi to all the plants-Well,I love it, but I should also admit that sometimes I even miss it. But mamma does it on a daily basis-very fondly! The moment she gets up, she goes to the balcony, spends some quality time with her plants and yes! also with our kauwa and tuk-tuk(Crow and the squirrel).I have started loving this experience all because of Mamma-watching her spend time with plants always leave me amused and now even I have started loving it. And then there are two Ashoka trees +there’s one more tree bearing orange coloured flowers (I don’t know its name!) which almost touch our drawing room and bedroom windows and add to our merriment through their silent and refreshing presence. In Bombay, it is truly a blessing to have them around! :)

• Reading the newspaper! I simply love HT’s Saturday edition, especially all the DO! Pages and Yes! Cafe is something I never miss. I love the celebrity column in it...sometimes there are good interviews to read too...and the bollywood gossip tops it all-something I hate and love too:)...but yes! I wish the editors of HT read this-I am not very happy with your columns these days-in the main newspaper! Everyday after I finish reading it, I end up saying –It was all crap! And I get a nod from mamma on this! Well, I still love you HT, but let’s try to improve for the best!:)

 • Cooking!-anything from cutting and chopping to baking and cooking!-I love it all! I find cooking to be one of the most therapeutic activities in the world! –Simply love it!:)

 • Eating!-Well God! Give me a hug for creating this experience!-It’s one of the best activities in this world which is simply an out of this world experience!:)

Although my diet is less(sole intention of writing this is because next time if you meet me don’t judge me on the quantity I have ,but the quality experience I get in eating!:) ), but I love eating...simply relish eating!...I have a big sweet tooth. My built speaks for it and I am eagerly waiting for a day when I will not have to think even once before eating all the super tasty, richy rich delicacies !:) Anyway, I am still not that strict with myself:)...but there was a time when I was and used to treat myself dreadfully...It was one fine day when one of my hostel friends asked me to accompany her for an icecream treat and I just agreed to give her company through my presence but not in having the icecream and then she couldn’t resist her outburst and her words still ring up in my ears.She said, “Bhavya,teri aatma tujhe kosti hogi,tu kaisi ajeeb hai!”...and then I realized...i was really being harsh on myself...and then as I went to Pune,I was lucky to be in the company of all food lovers and since then I have started treating myself well:)

• Chit-chatting is something I love doing, especially with my near & dear ones (and mamma is my all time available company!...I know she has to bear it-has no other option!:) ). Although I must admit, there are times when I wish to speak with strangers or people I have formal relationships with, but just for the sake of maintaining the so called decorum I have to control myself!:)...Sometimes I feel it is indeed important to be formal and reserved at places where one ought to be....but at times I also feel that sometimes we just become over-formal!...but all izz well! :)

Note:- I love talking but not on phone.I have still not figured out why I don’t like talking on phone!...that doesn’t mean I don’t talk on phone...because you have to-there’s no escape!:)

• Reading-Wow! Again,I simply love it! As Tai calls it, it is one of my fine tuners!:)

If you want to travel fast and love the experience too,I recommend you read a book! I just love books and dream of having my own library someday! There is still so much to read...I wish I read well and read all the best books...that reminds me I have already taken too much of time in reading Little Women...I should hurry up and complete it soon. ‘Little Women’ is a wonderful classic! Mamty! Thanks a lot for lending it to me. Mamty recommends it to all the girls and women(I could never understand the difference! I still feel like a girl even when I have been included in the women club!...how does it matter!:)...) and I join her in this campaign! I hope all the girls (women too!:) ) are listening!:)

• Listening to some good music or watching a real good movie like Jodha-Akbar, Sound of music, Enchanted, Pursuit of happiness, Jab we met, DDLJ, 50 first dates, serendipity, finding neverland, the water horse, Gone with the wind...and so on...Well, to be honest I haven’t seen many films and don’t know music...Music for me is anything that touches my soul-lyrics matter a lot to me(but then I don’t remember them!:)) But I love it! : )...and yes,I have never been a TV addict, but since last few days I have started watching a very nice serial-Sasural genda phool-it’s really very nice, very natural and I look forward to it everyday!...I am also following Indian Idol these days and I love it too! Love watching movies on Tata-sky and that reminds me to see Kites tomorrow on Tata-sky-Yes, you’ve heard it right!-I was surprised too, to see it available so early on showcase movies. Lets see how it turns out:)

 • I love cleaning and rearranging my room(any room!), my bookshelf, my closet...simply love spreading and appreciating bedsheets and bedcovers on the bed. Simply love turning my Archies calendar for ‘Thought of the day’, everyday. Simply love sitting and watching everything around and appreciating its beauty!

• I love travelling too and more of travelling on the roads by car and thanks to my adventure loving babba, we have done a lot of travelling through our car. We have travelled from Ahmedabad to Almora-Nanital and back by our own car-just to cite an example. I will always remember those good old days!:) and here! I hear babba asking me to go for a drive!-what a coincidence!...yeah...I am always ready!...Let’s go!!!:)

 • Shopping!-be it window shopping or real shopping –It’s a real therapy! And buying vegetables-how can I forget that-especially from a sabji mandi-it has its own charm! I love buying fruits and vegetables from a sabji mandi or grocery shopping from Food Bazar or Spinach or any retail outlet.

and there’s more to come...see you after sometime! :)

Happy Sunday!:)

And we’re back!!!

Had a splendid day, full of NOthings!...We drove to Anushakti nagar to chacha-chachi’s place. Had lunch with them, played MIKADO (I loved it and chachi has promised to gift me one!).It’s a lovely game. There’s a magnet stick with the help of which you’ve to pick up all the coloured sticks one by one without touching or dropping. It reminded me of my Pune times-how much we had all enjoyed playing UNO at Bhavyabaleshwar!...hehe...I did some driving too and loved it again. Today was the first day when I drove our car in Mumbai...I had joined driving classes in A’bad but somehow couldn’t continue it and then Babba got posted to Mumbai and so it just kept on getting delayed....but finally I’ve joined driving classes once again and I am confident enough to hit the highway soon! :)

Lets get back to our list of NOthings:-

• Writing-I love writing, primarily for my own benefit. I always need a to-do list handy-can’t work without one. Pen/pencil and paper is on my “must have” list always!:)...I have noticed that when I write things down, be it a thought or any notes I understand them better after writing them down or typing them on the computer or laptop. Second, I think I convey my feelings better through writing than verbal communication-atleast I think that. So I prefer writing an e-mail more than talking on phone. Needless to say,I love blogging too:)

Well there’s an endless list of NOthings and I am feeling too tired to write more. You know Eskimo was the best example of enjoying NOthings in life and then there are many people who have inspired me to realize the importance of NOthings in life. Mamma &Zeal (Yes, Zeal I still remember those days when we were roomies. I can still picture you lying on the bed with your laptop on and you watching Friends and giggling altogether. Zeal, your carefree style and charming presence has inspired me so much that even I have started enjoying life as it is!:) Thank you Zeal! Thank you very much! And the list of people who have inspired (and who still inspire me) me in appreciating and loving NOthings is again too long, but Eskimo, Mamma and Zeal have had the biggest influence on me. They have influenced me by setting great examples.

Now what’s on my mind is my final year project work-I wish it to be a NOthing again!

 Gandhiji has rightly said, “There is more to life than just increasing its speed.”

Let us understand that real life lies in living each and every moment to the fullest and with this prayer, let me close this post.

Don’t push –slow down to an unhurried pace.

Slow me down, Lord!

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace,

With a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me, amidst the confusion of my day,

The calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tension of my nerves

With the soothing music of the singing streams

That lives in my memory.

Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations of slowing down.

To look at a flower;

To chat with an old friend or make a new one;

To pat a stray dog; to watch a spider build a web;

To smile at a child; or to read from a good book.

Remind me each day

That the race is not always to the swift;

That there is more to life than increasing its speed.

Let me look upward into the towering oak

And know that it grew great and strong

Because it grew slowly and well.

ORIN L. CRAIN

Don't you feel ,there is never enough time to do NOthings? One month is over since my last exam and I still have so many NOthings pending even after enjoying doing an amazing amount of NOthing all these days.:)

Let us celebrate life doing NOthings!:)

Please do share your idea of NOthings.It''ll be fun and inspiring too!

Cheers!:)

My STYLE! :)

One day while travelling down the memory lane,

within a second, I reached Ahmedabad from Bombay,

and the very first thing that I came across was my beautiful dame.

As I looked at her, once again my soul cried and my eyes welled up,

refreshing the memory of our departure,

when I heard her saying, “Darling, why are we here? Wassup?”

To which I replied, with a heavy heart, “It’s time to say goodbye, sweetheart”.

Leaving her behind, I proceeded on my way and prayed for her till mid-day.

And ...the other moment, I realized...I was back in Bombay!

Yes, my beautiful dame is my Kinetic STYLE,

the two wheeler that I used to ride.

She was one of the best companions I could have ever got,

who proved to be a WONDERFUL FRIEND and a TRUE MASCOT.

We can never forget her greatest sacrifice,

that she had made to save my brother’s life,

which had led her in the state of coma for a long long time.

There were times when I took her for granted,

and left her in total oblivion,

for which, today, I am deeply disappointed.

So as a tribute to her, I take a vow,

that I’ll take care of all my things,

even if it is just a small bow.

Sometimes I feel, what man-made things are to us,

is the same as what we are to Jesus (God).

Where one is the product , the other its creator,

and no one can exist without the other.

What an amazing beauty is this saga called NATURE!

My dearest STYLE, thanks for sharing with me a valuable piece of this TREASURE.

3 cheers to my STYLE!:)

God bless my STYLE!

Love you so much! :)

3 cheers to Life!:)