Why blogging?

Have been reading a lot of blogs off late - maybe due to sheer boredom or lack of any meaningful work at office. I'm awestruck/amazed by the imagination, creativity & language proficiency of bloggers who are less than half my age. There is so much talent around - i feel extremely belittled. Anyway, I'm happy that i have started blogging slowly but surely at the rate of atleast 2 posts a month (plan to double that number in a few weeks time).

I'm on blogger since November 2007, however i haven't written anything much in the past  3.5 - 4 yrs. I started off on blogger, as i was highly impressed by a blog written by a friend's friend and at that point in time, writing a blog was the most in thing to do, hence joined the bandwagon. On the second thought, somewhere deep inside  i was confident that i could do this.

However, i neither had any refined thoughts nor the time to write anything worthwhile, hence apart from 3 posts(1 in 2007 & 2 in early 2008), i haven't written anything. I forgot about my blog completely in 2009 and 2010. Then came May 2011 and i suddenly remembered my blog one fine day. The reason - i'm still trying to figure out - was it post natal depression, nostalgia (missing my maiden home, parents, sibling, friends ,Mumbai, life before marriage), nothing much happening on the career front except for the fact that i'm employed, general boredom or whatever?  I don't know.

Though i'm not sure of the reason, i decided to revive my blog & become an active blogger. I'm certain about one thing - It rejuvenates me, makes me happy.  When i visit my blog & write a post, it's like meeting my best friend, with whom i can be completely myself. Someone to whom i can pour my heart out without the fear of being judged or misunderstood.

Happy Onam 2011

I like Onam..

In fact i like all the festivals, just because of the simple fact that it brings people together.Its the time for caring, sharing, food, colours, sweets, joy & happiness. Right from Shankrant, Ganesh Chaturti to Diwali & X'mas, festival add colours to our life. It's a welcome break from the mundane activities that we do day in - day out for our survival. It breaks the monotony & boredom of routine life & helps us to spend some quality time with people, keeping aside all the trivial differences like caste,creed, religion & most importantly ego hassles & petty politics!!

Happy Onam!! -  whose following me anyways :P..guess I'm wishing myself ;)

Motherhood

Completed 6 months of motherhood & it feels great!!
6 months back on 3rd March 2011, My heart skipped a beat when at around 8.45pm, i heard from my gynaec that its a beautiful baby girl - my bundle of joy. Then had a glimpse of her for a split second before she was taken away by the nurse. I experienced a wide range of mixed emotions in a matter of few seconds that's practically impossible to express in a few words. Aaliya entered my world  & changed it completely


Having a baby makes you realise -

• That you are in this world for a much bigger purpose than getting educated, having a career, earning money.
• That you are not the centre of your universe, your children are.
• That love at first sight does exist.
• That its possible to love someone selflessly 
• How much your parents love you?

• That the joy of giving is sweeter than the pleasures of receiving!!

Reflections...

"Life is the best teacher" - remember this proverb written on my primary school's blackboard many years ago as "Thought for the day", and ever since then have heard it, read it and have said it thousands of times without giving a serious thought about what it really means. Now two decades later and after everything that i experienced  between then & now, i fully agree that - life is the best teacher and she teaches me something new everyday.She not only teaches but also ensures that her students never ever forget the lessons learn't.

Some important lessons that i learned are as follows:

• It's not important to have thousand friends, it's important to have few real ones with whom i can be completely myself.
• Only change is constant - either embrace it with open arms or resist it, the choice is mine.
• Everything happens for a reason - a good reason
• Everything is relative.
• We are more often driven by our insecurities than our desire.
• All unknown things are not bad & all known things are not good.
• All those who smile, wink & agree with me are not my friends and all those who oppose me are not my enemies.
• People are neither black nor white - they are grey, some darker shades & some lighter ones.
• In life, we are fortunate if we have handful of people who genuinely loves us because all others would only be interested in manipulating & using us for their self interest.
• Love & support parents, they are irreplaceable - no one in this whole world can love me as much as they do.
• It's not important to please/impress everyone - being real &doing things that i believe in, is much more important.
• Hard work, sincerity & honesty are priceless virtues, which matters in the long run.
• At times i can feel lonely even in a crowd of familiar faces.
• There would always be some people around me, who may be more fortunate, richer, smarter, prettier, intelligent and capable than me and its fine.
• No matter how much i plan my life, i will never get it 100% right.
• Life's unpredictable, it can change overnight.
• Life is not a competition, its fine to not be the best at everything i do, all the time.
• Failure is not a crime - its just an event like success.
• Money is not everything but it's still very important inorder to lead a comfortable life - money matters!!
• To count all my blessings & being grateful to God for everything i have, many are not as fortunate as i am.
• I'm unique and there's no one in this whole world like me & God wants me to remain that way.
• Reverence for God is above everything else as only he is real in this superficial world.

& the learning continues!!

We learn to live!!

Some unanswered questions...
Some unfulfilled dreams....
Some unattainable goals...
Some unspoken desires...
and in the midst of all these life goes on.... at times challenging our beliefs, values, attitudes, perceptions...
but always surprising us with unexpected twists & turns

Through joy & sorrow, excitement & anxiety, delight & regret, we learn to love, care, share, accept, adapt, learn, unlearn, relearn, compromise, tolerate and sacrifice.

WE LEARN TO LIVE!!

pitter patter rAiNdRoPs...

Wow! its raining!! :)

Its the first rain of this season.Monsoon has finally arrived in Gandhidham, Gujarat. This is something that i have been waiting for since the past so many days...welcome relief from the scorching heat that we have been experiencing since mid April...

Rains bring back some pleasant memories except 7/26/2005

• Listening to raindrops as its hits the window pane.
• Joy of getting completely drenched in rain with friends while returning back from school & contracting cold on the very next day - "I told you not to" expressions from mom.
  
• Trying to float paper boats in muddy water.
• Going for shopping/trekking with friends on a rainy day despite the angry looks/reprimand from elders.
• Relishing on Roasted American Corn (Bhutta) from a roadside vendor.
• Relishing on bhajias/pakodas, vadapav & samosas from roadside vendor despite all scolding/reprimand from mom.

Really miss those day...when life was simpler, having time was not a luxury & rains were meant to be thoroughly enjoyed by being completely oblivious of the surroundings, people around & other trivial concerns....

Hate...hate!!

lost my temper over a particular incident yesterday & it really made me think about the things that i really hate ..that pisses me off completely, makes me furious...things that i really can't stand..

& here's the list & essentially in the same order....

• People taking too much interest in other people's personal life & trying to assume whats wrong /not wrong (or i must say judgmental)
• Unjustifiable & Unnecessary comparison
  
• Unnecessary advice from random strangers
  
• Snobs
  
• Liars
• Stereotypes
  
• Stupidity