We need to IMPLEMENT our solutions

          The other day, I came across this post of my friend on FB (Facebook, if you happen to belong to one of the the pre-human civilizations like Homo Sapiens, Homo Erectus and the like) expressing how extremely frustrated and irritated he was with the 'Traffic condition in Pune' and how he abhorred even the idea of venturing out in the city or traffic-prone areas during the peak hours of traffic. As soon as I saw that post, I was somehow compelled to 'Like' that post of his and ended up commenting on the post adding my own ingenuous experiences on the traffic condition on the city and bitten by this habit of mine added a '+1' in front of my comment, I promptly added one. However as I posted that comment of mine, it somehow struck me,"Dammit! I already know the problem. Even he did. In fact all of us do. What we need is not a reiteration of the problem by different people, maybe even in different languages or possibly in different characteristic styles. We need a solution!"
          Thats when it also struck me that it was not even the solution that we(I) are(am) looking for. All of us know a way out of the solution to the traffic menace in the city. All of us know that following basic traffic rules would save us a lot of time and effort. All of us know that we would not like someone to sneak through the signal when the light turns from Yellow to Red or maybe even Green to Yellow and we are at the receiving end! We scream, shout, yell and blurt out all sort of negative human and inhuman emotions that we possibly can when someone tries to do that. We may also choose to incessantly blow our horns in disgust and disrespect for the action performed for such a Rule-Breaker. On further prodding myself to pursue that line of thought, it occurred to me that when we ALL know this, where does the problem insane and unruly traffic scenario occur? And, mind you, by ALL I do mean you, me as well the Rule-Breaker. Not one of us does not know the Do Not's on a Traffic Signal. But, somehow, for some reason, we are tempted to 'Challenge Our Limits' if I can put it that way and speed up when the signal turns from Green to Yellow. Just to check whether we can make it to the other end of the signal (On a serious note, I wonder whether reaching across SAFELY is ever the motive of such an action). We try to make it as if our entire life depended on this One Moment, as if we were to win an Oscar, if not the traditional Filmfare, for achieving such a remarkable feat, as if getting to office EARLY is truly an excuse that pushes us to take such a drastic step and as if we are Over and Above the Law if we happen to make it to the other side without being caught by the Traffic Police. 
          Fact is, even the Traffic Police is, to a great extent, intimidated and daunted by such a beastly act that he treasures and values his own life far more than the 'Fine' that he may collect by getting hold of one such Rule-Breaker by putting his own life in the 'Line Of Fire' for this reason. One prime reason, as I see it is also mob psychology, which greatly infects our entire country. If the person right ahead of me has broken the rule and jumped the signal, there is no reason I perceive that would not entitle me from benefiting from such a a privilege and the reason why I should not cash in on it. If he is a Citizen of India, even I am one; even he has a License, even I have one; If he has a PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate, even I have one; If he has all the valid documents, so do I; If he has not been caught jumping the signal, WHY SHOULD I BE CAUGHT? Is this the way young or old educated and literate Indians think? Is this why we are called good followers and bad leaders all across the world? Can we make a small difference here by bringing about a shift in perception, a change in mentality? Can we contribute and do our bit in making this city and this country a better and harmonious place to live in? The answer is - Yes, we can. But only if we choose to. And choose not only to THINK but also ACT. Walk the talk as they say.
          I also symapthize and agree to, to some extent, with such Rule-Breakers that it is very tempting to sneak through along with the last few vehicles esp when the Signal changes its color primarily because I was once a victim of this 'I-want-to-rush-through-this-signal-as-if-my-life-depended-on-it' syndrome. But after some self evaluation, I realized that when I do not like it being done to me, why do I do it to others?

"Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you" 

- The Holy Bible

          It is then that I decided that I knew the solution all along, what made the difference was how I IMPLEMENTED that solution to the Real Life scenario. We all know the solutions to this traffic menace - Follow the Traffic Rules, Follow Lane discipline, Yellow light is meant to clear the Signal Intersection Area and that No New vehicles can enter the Signal Intersection area after the light goes Yellow, Red Light strictly means 'Stop'. These rules are intended to make travelling and commuting a beautiful and enjoyable experience and not act as a stumbling block in the process of commutation, as we always perceive. Simple basic rules one can follow and the traffic situation that threatens to jeopardize the entire commutation and travelling experience would be cease to be a problem an instead become Pleasant Adventure. Lets all strive to make the changes we wish to see. One step at a time. 


So, until the next time then, Adiós and Que te vaya bien ("Good Bye" and "Take care" in Spanish).

Creativity starts with a Belief

THINK...When you were still a kid,
Think when you were a kid, everything is possible.
You put the blanket over your back,
Then you became a SUPERMAN.
You take your mom's broom and ride on it,
Then you became a Witch.
You climb up the tree not knowing that you might fall,
And you simply MADE IT!
You just had an idea and made it happen,
Because You BELIEVE.
You were then creative with strong self belief.
As you became an Adult, things started be be a little Different.
When you failed in your exam, you thought
'I will NEVER be able to make it!'
When you have a brilliant Marriage Proposal, you thought
'Maybe its NOT just the right time yet'.
When you want to start a Business, you thought
'Maybe its just NOT that easy'.
When you are ALREADY in the business,
You hear someone say 'Do NOT take the risk'.
Then you have a brilliant idea that
can create more jobs for poorer nations,
Can provide better living for more people,
Can make OUR nation proud,
Can help the growth of our nation
And can create a better world.
And you said,'I am NOT sure'.
You are still creative BUT with more doubt.
Then years later you hear someone had the same idea as yours.
What makes him DIFFERENT from you?
His ACTION. He put his idea into reality.
He's the most promising 'Creative Young Entrepreneur' of the Year.
His action won him THIS recognition.
Then you start to think,
'How I wished I had taken ACTION years ago'.
Think, when you were a kid,
If that idea came by when you were still a kid,
Could you have taken ACTION???
When back then you strongly believe...
It is NEVER too late..
You just need to have an IDEA to make it happen.
You still CAN, if you BELIEVE..

Creativity starts with a Belief

How busy are we really??

I was struck by this question recently when I came across a friend of mine whom I met after a very long time and he promptly asked,"Hey how are you? Where have you been all these days?No reply to mails, messages...Seems you are totally cut off from all of us.."

Strange as it may sound, I replied in the affirmative saying,"Don't ask ya...I was way too busy..." And at that very moment I realized...How busy am I really?

Am I really so busy to not be in contact with ANY of my friends?
Am I really that busy as to not even have the time to analyze the bigger purpose of my existence?
Am I really so busy that I do not have the time to pursue my favorite pastime hobby?
Am I really so busy that I am unable to extend my help to those lesser privileged/blessed than me?
Am I really so busy as to not keep track of even my family matters and their concerns etc.?
Am I really so busy that I have lost count of the number of hours I have spent doing nothing and still calling myself busy?

Well....That certainly needs some thought to be put into...

Current mood: thoughtful

Living your dreams...

This is a question that every one of us face once in a while either when we are in an introspective mood or when we sit and start analyzing the things that are happening in our lives and our reactions to it.

As someone has rightly put it,"Your life is not governed by the challenges or problems you face...It is more governed by the way you react to those problems or situations.

More often than not, we face a dilemma in choosing one option over the other when facing a problem of plenty. When we do come up with such a situation, we are at loss as to what to choose and what to leave out. And what if the one we leave out turns out to be more fruitful and satisfying than the one we choose. Worse even, what if we make the wrong choices and end up in a greater ditch than ever before. All these doubts keep coming up in our minds and eventually for the FEAR OF FAILURE, WE QUIT!

Quitters don't win and winners don't quit they rightly say. If you have to be someone different, or rather if you wan't to live the life of your dreams, you have to start risking. Risking failure that is.

If you do not risk failure, you will never be able to nurture and nourish your true potential and you may probably end up repenting the rest of your life cursing yourself for not having taken that one BIG decision...The one life changing opportunity life presents you with and you are unable to cash in on it.

Live life with no regrets. Learn from your past mistakes but don't keep harping about them all your life! As the Fastrack tag line goes, MOVE ON...

So until the next time, Stay Hungry Stay Foolish.:-)

Current mood: contemplative

My first night adventure....

It was a Sunday night and there seemed to be strange silence outside. I stayed awake for a long time and couldn’t get proper sleep in spite of giving a hard try. I was trying to reading a book when I looked up and I saw someone passing along the window. I mustered enough courage to go and see who it was. As I looked out of the window, I saw a person with a large frame jostle around the corner. My heart started pounding heavily against my chest and I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline rush through me. Funny as it may sound; I was excited and scared to death at the same time.

Simply put, I think my "Fight - or - Flight" response may have been activated because sure felt like running back into my house, shutting the door tightly and forcing myself off to sleep for the sheer reason that the mysterious figure did look very intimidating. But curiosity got the better of me as I was overtaken by a powerful urge to make sure that the thing/person I perceived to be dangerous and harmful may well be something else. At least I was hoping so. As I mustered more courage, I rushed into my house to fetch a torch and a stick. I guess I did that for self defense since I was not particularly good at Martial Arts or any other perceivable form of self defense. As I locked my door and set off in search of that mysterious figure, I took one last look at my wristwatch, which I wore at all times of the day and the night, just to make sure I’m not too late for my late night adventure. It was well past midnight and I was reminded of the encouraging quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight

But, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night”.

The last phrase particularly set me off in an irky sort of a way and here I was defying all rules of sanity setting off in some direction in search of a mysterious figure just to find out whether my fears and concerns were valid. I set off in the dark, battling the strong urge to rush back home and sleep, it occurred to me how chilly it was. I clutched my shawl tightly and continued marching in the direction of the disappearance of the ‘mysterious figure’. As I turned the corner I saw footmarks over the railing of my house fence and subsequent steps that disappeared into the grass that had grown due to the heavy rainfall that happened frequently owing to the topography of the region that I lived in.

As I ventured further into the dark, I was struck by a sudden gush of cold air, which almost made me breathless and I was thrown off my feet into the dark. I heard distant cries in the distance bellowing unrecognizable faint sounds. I gathered my energies to offer help to the distressed trapped in the clutches of the wicked ‘demon’ that had crossed my house a while ago. With great difficulty I managed to move my limbs which felt numb due to the heavy cold outside, just to realize that my knee had been badly bruised and blood was oozing out of the wound that I had sustained in the gamble.  In the background of the foggy night lightly illuminated by the moon shining overhead, I saw the same shady figure digging with a weapon that looked like a shovel and throwing wet mud in the air as a lady lay presumably unconscious on the ground nearby. I assumed so as I felt that she made no effort to make a move or escape from the clutches of this monster she was with though one could tell from a distance that she was alive and breathing. She just lay there motionless and limp. Never had I in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be facing such a situation in my life and I was naturally not prepared for it. But I decided to put up with the fear and anxiety and try to help the victim in every way possible to survive. I don’t think the butcher/assassin saw me lay there in excruciating pain or rather seemed to be unruffled by my presence. I was more inclined to believe the first option since it provided me some solace just knowing the fact that at least I was safe and unseen. I clutched hard on a stone that lay nearby and decided to make a move since the assassin seemed to be pretty busy digging the mud and get done with the task at hand.

I decided that I ought to move fast as the monster was giving finishing touches to the equally monstrous hole he had dug in the ground to possibly bury the lady. If something had to be done, it was now! I made up my mind, said my final prayers to god to just be there with me and with the stone clutched tightly in my hand, I ran the final few steps towards the assassin, who now had his back towards me. For one tantalizing moment, I sure hoped that this was all a dream and that I would wake up shortly panting and gasping for breath. But it wasn’t. With one final blow on the back of his head, I did away with the murderous assassin. Or so I thought. Slowly blood seeped through the cranial opening of the assassin that I had unintentionally created. I could not move and felt the numbness in my body as I stood there gasping for breath and still undecided whether I had done the right thing in hacking one person to death for the sake of another. Humanity sometimes comes in the way on sanity. Just like it did the other day.

“I am Sorry MOM”

As  I got up today, I felt the smell of fresh coffee. I woke up to see a
cup of coffee with some biscuits kept at my bedside table. This reminded me
of home. The old school and college days, when mumma used to wake me up by
serving a steaming cup of coffee. The aroma, the taste, so refreshing,
still so fresh in my memories.  A sudden thought hit me, “I was in bed, so
who prepared this coffee for me? Is it a dream?” I pinched myself and that
hurts, which meant I was not dreaming. I walked out of the room with the
cup of coffee, in search of my roommate. I asked him whether he prepared
that for me, and the answer was YES.


I was relaxed but somehow my heart wanted him to say NO. A no because I
wanted to be in a belief that my mom prepared it for me. The whole scene
reminded me of mom, and I missed her at that moment. I got ready for the
office and all set to leave, when I noticed a lunch box kept at dining
table just for me. I thanked God saying, “Finally he (cook) turned up”. I
took the box and left for office. On my way, I was thinking about those
days, when mumma used to cook my every meal. All her possible ways by which
she could stuff her  son. I could not remember any single day when I slept
without food. Maggi, chips, biscuits, all junk food was banned and I always
cooked maggi when I was sure that mom was not around. But now, I no more
enjoy cooking maggi for myself. Almost every day I eat it, not because I
like it, but because I am left with no other option at times.


This very thought brought tears to my eyes and I decided to call up mom. I
reached office and gave mom a call. The first thing she asked was, “Is
everything alright?” I was speechless. And I thought, how the time has
changed. When I was with her, I used to nag her by calling after every hour
when I was out with friends. In those days she never asked me what was
wrong, as she knew that it was my habit. My call at this point of day to
her means that I am in trouble. Time has changed, she is still the same,
its me who has changed. But I continued my conversation saying that I just
called up to ask how she was, and how are things going on with her. And we
continued our conversation. Then suddenly an ice-breaker came when she
asked, “Don’t you have any work today?” I was shocked and asked her why she
asked that, in reply to which she said, it was almost 30 minutes, I have
been talking to her.


I hurriedly ended the conversation saying I have to attend a meeting. I
lied to her and deep down I know, she knows that I lied to her but what
else can I do? The lady with whom I used to have endless conversations,
sleepless nights of gossips… has all ended. I am so occupied with my new
life that I forgot to spend few hours with her.


I roll backed the time and thought of every single day that I have not
spent with her. This made me realize that there was not a single day when I
was busy, busy in a sense to neglect my mom. The lady who gave her whole
life just for me, I could not even give her the time that she deserved. I
remembered how I used to tell her about all my daily happenings and how I
always failed to ask about her day. It left me all in tears. I missed her
and missed her to core.


I was feeling ashamed, because it was a cup of coffee that made me realize
her presence in my world.


We all are here, away from our family, living with our friends, who are our
new family. We spend our lunch time with them gossiping about what’s going
in and around, weekends, shopping with them and even festivals as most of
us are staying too far from home. And when we call home, we are in a hurry
to hang up as most of are BUSY. Are we really that busy?


Think of the lady whom we have left back at home. She still misses her
son/daughter at the dining table, although most of us enjoy our meals with
our friends and colleagues. She still waits all day just to hear her
son/daughter’s voice at the end of the day and we, we spend our time on
phone with friends


Is it really that we don’t have time or is it just we are too busy with our
new life?


I apologize to all the mothers in this world and thank them for what we are
today………….