Life – that indiscernible thing

You think you have it figured out, and you start to get into your comfort zone, conveniently putting away all those deliveries. The crowd is cheering; the fielders are getting ample exercise. My time has come, you think. And then, you get a googly. You don’t know where it came from or how it dodged your bat, you just weren’t prepared for it. That little span of time when you forgot to pay attention, that flicker of carelessness when your eyes wandered from the ball, it cost you your wicket. And then it’s somebody else’s turn. You stand there bewildered, stubbornly refusing to accept the umpire’s decision. The opponents are cheering, the crowd is booing, and the finger is up. The odds are all against you, you are outnumbered. You grit your teeth. It’s a long walk back to the pavilion. This isn’t just an ODI innings. This is life.

But all the while, it is important to remember, life is just a game. You win some, you lose some. You have critics and you have fans. At the end of it all, there’ll always be another game to do better at. And when you do, this present failure will be forgotten. You’ve just got to use your resources to the best of their abilities; prepare the game plan, and just make the best of today’s game, irrespective of whether the opponent is a world champion or an underdog. Give it your best, and forget the rest.

It is also important to not forget what games are meant – for fun and entertainment. So if you aren’t enjoying the ‘game’, it just ain’t worth it. Problems will come, but they come only to make the game more interesting, just like the occasional sword wielding enemy in a video game. If he weren’t there, how in the world would you feel proud about reaching the treasure! So fare well in the game, but have the most fun time doing that.

MY DATE WITH AN ST BUS

Don't you just love the ST buses in Mumbai? The way they clank and rattle over every tiny pot-hole and look like they are going to completely fall apart the next time they hit another speed breaker?
Well, the first time I was blessed with a ride on an ST bus was when I joined my new college. You see, my previous college was just a hop skip and jump away from my home and hence there wasn't any traveling involved as such. But after my junior college I decided to shift to a better known college at the cost of a bit of traveling. So my friend, already enrolled there, gave me this deal, "If you go by a BEST bus, you'll get there in 30 mins. But if you catch an ST bus, you'll get to a bus stop nearby in 10 mins and with 5 mins of walking you should be conveniently at the college." I thought that the idea was absolutely ridiculous. I mean how can a mere change of buses that more or less take the same route make so much difference in my travel time? But little did I know that I would be so wrong!
So on the third day of my college I get to the bus stop exactly 20 mins before my first lecture at college was to start. As I approach my bus stop I see an ST bus standing there patiently waiting for all the passengers to alight. I take one look at the bus then my watch and make up my mind. As I board the ST bus I am welcomed by the conductor yelling at me for not closing the bus door behind me. Normally used to traveling in a BEST, I was quite unaware of this little tradition. Within 5 mins I realize the catch in an ST bus ride. So an ST bus will take you to your destination in almost half the time as a BEST, but you are going to have to sit with the machhiwallis and the bhajiwallis with their tokris practically on your lap! I'm awed by the fact that, while almost all the passengers in the bus are struggling to get a foothold, the conductor is always comfortably seated on a seat next to the window, strictly reserved for him. I'm also amazed as to how the roadside romeos in the bus manage to whistle a song at the sight of a girl when everybody else is desperately struggling for oxygen! The bus then jumps over a pot-hole and suddenly it feels like an earthquake in the bus. It stuns me so much that at that point all that matters to me is to get to the college 'alive' rather than on time. Suddenly it strikes me, "Oh, so that’s why the ST buses are so enclosed with doors et al. It's so the passengers don't fall out of the bus during these mini earthquakes!"
When my bus stop finally comes, I'm quite literally thrown out of the bus by passengers who are relieved at getting some extra space in the bus, no matter how little. But I've got to admit that all in all, I quite enjoyed the ride. The kind of enjoyment you get out of bungee jumping.

Miseries galore

Sometimes in life, you think you have it all sorted. You manage to stagger to your feet and stare the world in the eye. But in the flash of a lightening, the earth is whisked away from under your feet, leaving you flat on your face, staring up at the world, with mud on your tongue, wondering when and what you did wrong ...

DADDY CARES!

So many times in our lives we question God, wonder if he is really there, accuse him of not being considerate enough, try to provoke him to make his presence felt, all the while overlooking his presence an arm's length away. On my way to work today, I was busy cribbing and complaining about how unfair life has been the past few months to me and the people close to me. I was lost in a shadow of hopelessness, wondering where God has been when his children, who have committed no wrong have been going through all this turmoil. This day is going to be no different from yesterday, I thought. Now that it has started on such a sour note, it's going to be sour throughout. I was only at the bus stop for 2 minutes when my bus came, a nearly vacant bus that came to halt right in front of me. I got in; still unaware of this little thing God did to cheer me up. As soon as I stepped in, I caught sight of a cute guy sitting a couple of seats ahead. I looked at him, he looked at me, I looked away and moved ahead and found myself a seat. Not a big occasion, but it got me smiling. And then I spoke to God, "Alright, I'm on to you. I know what you are trying to do. And I am thankful". That dude must have been going about his business as usual, but even he didn't realize that there was another reason why he was on that particular bus. It just goes to show that we all have a purpose for being on this planet. Not one, but billions of purposes, most are really small and insignificant, like the one mentioned here, while others are life changing.

 

It is wrong to question God and accuse him of being uncaring. The truth couldn't have been farther. It isn't him who is uncaring; it is we who are ignorant. You ask God to show up and prove he exists; well he probably has an inflated ego himself (so now you know where you get it from). But just like a parent, he is ultimately a slave of his creations. So he tells you, "You need cheering up? Look I made that dog chase his tail, isn't he adorable? No? Umm, hey look up, I painted the sky your favorite shade of pink! Still doesn't do it? Okay, hey, remember the time you and your friends sat on top of Parsik hills, singing songs and throwing stones on train tops! That was a fun time, wasn't it?" And so on and so forth. That's how he does it. Little amusing things during the day, unexpected acts of kindness, nature's beauty, fond memories, etc., these are all his teeny weeny ways of brightening up our day. But we! Amusing things = stupidity; acts of kindness = acts with ulterior motives; nature's beauty = 'dodge that bird before it poops on you!', and fond memories = life is so busy and rotten now L. *SIGH*  I sympathize with the poor chap sitting up there, tirelessly trying to convince us that life is REALLY not as bad as we make it out to be, and that there is only one person we can count on to make us happy – ourselves.

 

So, moral of the story, look for the little things and believe that God cares, and that life is unfolding just the way it should. J

When shall this dog have his day?

3.30 PM on an idle Wednesday afternoon. I am sitting in my office, cursing the IT department for not fixing the server thats been down for hours now. After a stroll, a nap, a few games of spider solitaire, and some Coldplay tracks, I'm out of options to amuse myself. I cast a casual glance outside my glass window and catch sight of a stray dog having the heartiest time rolling about in the lawn. It makes me snigger.

 

The dog looks so very happy and content, without a care in the world. I cant help but envy him. I wish I could just lie flat on the amazing green lawn and let the blades of the grass scratch my back, without attracting any attention of course. I laugh at my silly thoughts.

 

But it gets me thinking, when did happiness stop being about rolling in the grass, catching butterflies, shouting contests, and Sunday morning Duck Tales on Doordarshan? Mmmmmmmm ...

 

Whooops, my sweet stroll down memory lane is rudely cut short. Server is back up. Snap back to reality. Buhbyee doggie (you lucky *&^%$#). Its back to business. 
 

 

Hrmphhh

Ooook .. so I see that people visit my blog, read my posts but nobody bothers to leave one lousy comment! But I still keep writing :( .. So readers (if there are any at all), please leave a comment. ANY comment will do, but comment. I work better with feedbacks you see, selfish as that is :). So just click on that little tab called 'comment' below every post and write whatever.

I MOVED MY CHEESE

Another time, another place,
I’ve come somewhere far away.
Leaving all I knew behind,
New avenues hoping to find.

It was cozy, warm and familiar,
But there was a hurricane brewing somewhere near.
The comforts made me restless and stricken,
The familiarity reminded of treasure lying hidden.

So I tossed away my bean bag life,
Donned my sailor cap and took my stride.
“My New World awaits”, I said to them,
“Columbus didn’t stop at India” and I went.

Now the New World feels like a different planet,
It’s conquered but why did I ever want it?
Home feels like light years away,
Did I have to insist on holding sway?

While I was busy, cursing and questioning,
Clear as water came the reasoning.
What doesn’t move, will sit and rot,
But a rolling stone will gather no moss.

Unfamiliarity is always intimidating,
Give it sometime and it will sink in.
The alien wind will become your own,
The novelty will go and this will be your home.