Gazing up….twinkle, twinkle little star !!

Many a time, even words fail to describe the splendor of the skies; from the time the sun rises to sets; the breaking of the dawn and the whispering of the moon in the night. Though tonight, what has kept me in awe of are, the night skies. Sitting on the lawn and gazing up, the skies are speckled with glistening dots arrayed randomly and in patterns.

Today Orion winked above, and so did Little Dipper!! Though what makes it most fascinating to watch the night sky are the two favorite stars of the navigators and sky-watchers, are the Polaris and less commonly known, Sigma Octantis. Both are never together but, the best part is that, either one of them are always there to give a hand.

And for an experimental photography, I tried out a star trail. Unfortunately, it’s not yet perfect, but it’s fun. It is supposed to look something like the shot below.

Getting immersed in the skies is fun. Think of the large number of explorers, adventurers, hikers; think of the known and unknown, the skies have a lot to teach us.

Especially the belief that we can always find our way back even in the stormy seas and the windy days.

All we need to look for are our familiar indicators, our goals, dreams and hopes; and the people who love us and have put their faith in us, and then eventually get back on track.

And that’s what I say, Life and the skies are all about!!

Enjoy the starry skies !!

Discere non iudicare….to be so or not to..

Earlier when people used to say, “Oh he’s from the big city !! ” or that she’s from a small town in the Midwest, little did I realise that , these words of introduction or greeting were laced with sarcasm.

And that’s when I thought, this is the minus of people living in the country. They think that city folks don’t know a damn thing about life. On the flip side of the coin, city dwellers classify the new town folk as naive and vulnerable. After all life begins in the city. Well, my thoughts have undergone a complete make-over.

For whether you are from the big pond or the small one, some need to simply comment or criticize. No matter where life takes you, big cities or small towns, you’ll inevitably come across small minds. Many who think they are better than you; may be they are but that doesn’t mean that you are not good enough!!

Many who think that having loads of green paper and tons of material things, or being pretty or popular automatically makes you a worthwhile human being. And that name and fame is what makes life worth it.

And society would judge on these things, at some point or other. But the truth is nothing matters, unless you have a strength of character, integrity, and a sense of pride. And if you’re lucky enough to have any of these things, never sell them. And don’t ever sell out yourself.

And on meeting someone for the first time, it makes sense not to judge them by their place in life. For think of yourself in their shoes and think of being at the receiving end. And more surprisingly, you would never know, that person might end up being your best friend for life.

So next time, it would be worth the while, to step in and simply say a how do you, minus the comments and minus the sarcasm. In short, learn not to judge, Discere non iudicare.., because life is more than opinions and self-importance. Life speaks of true character, friendship , a lot of beautiful moments and memories, and more…..

Meanwhile, have a great evening !!

 

Skating by…

It’s been nearly two whole weeks since I have last posted. Kind of a first, since I have never stayed off the blog for this long. Well, who do I put the blame on ? Shuttling between duty hours and my pre-post graduation preparation; time has been flying, leaving me stranded . That’s when I wish I had lived on Venus, but that’s too long a day ( 243 earth days per day) and the years would never go by. So here I am now, immersed in books and coffee and not to forget the white coat !!

Coming back on track, the only way to cut on time was to run around without actually running around ?!! Kind of weird, but do you remember that dusty old pair of shoes with wheels on the base !! I found mine hidden in the boxes up in the attic, not worn out with the laces in tact. Great, it’s time to get back on them. And with the entire ensemble of the knee and elbow pads, running from one block to another, especially during duty hours is like a whizz !! Practically that never happens, when I have to stop by and talk to ten different people on the way. Yet it feels great to be back on skates!!

It’s fun, to put on the full gear and dash across the streets, like in childhood. The only problem is that I keep on falling, but that is “the beginner’s block”. Thankfully, the felt pads never let me down.And even with the falls, getting around on skates is worth it.  Honestly, I can hardly remember the last time I ran on the lawn, chasing  and getting chased ( don’t count the family gatherings, I’m mauled by my nieces and nephews, and the rest of gang of cousins !!). The perks of technology, doesn’t make up for the lost time of fun, frolic and leisure.

But think of it, it’s time to put the laptop away and get some fresh air. Time to get some physical activity done ( exclude the laundry and the morning hustle-bustle). And now, I wonder where my skipping rope went ? That’ll be another hunt so I’ll settle for my skates now.

Getting those muscles back into function, was there any game or sporting event that you were crazy about in middle or high school days, and that you haven’t done for a long time ?!! And this doesn’t include the spectator part !! I have along list starting with the throw ball and volleyball nets. Gym is fine but it get’s boring at times. Maybe May is the time for some community play and matches !!

Have a great week ahead !!

What the sunset says…

“Come watch with me the shaft of fire that glows
In yonder West: the fair, frail palaces,
The fading Alps and archipelagoes,
And great cloud-continents of sunset-seas…....  Thomas Bailey Aldrich ; Sonnet Miracles”

And that’s the beauty of sunsets. I don’t if it’s common these days, but my grandma often used to say, “Every time you wake up and ask yourself, What good things am I going to do today?, remember that when the sun goes down at sunset, it will take a part of your life with it.” 

True, for me sunsets define an end to the day and brings all the happenings to a close. It’s like the perfect time to reminiscence about the good things of the day, indulge in a little bit of nostalgia and loads of wishful thinking and slowly get geared for the next day.

Yet if there is one phrase that always echoes in my mind, it’s the words “Never let the sun go down in your anger.” If there is something left unfinished or unsaid, something that keeps on nagging your mind or anything that’s needs to be said and done with, before sunset is the rule. Afterall, isn’t it worth to have one peaceful night ?!! Sunsets do have a healing touch, we only need to find the time and see it.

Deviating from the philosophical bent, I have been fascinated by sunsets ever since childhood. Maybe it’s the play of colours or simply the sun saying goodbye; yet it has always had a profound effect on me. After witnessing a whole sunset, from the ebbing of the bright rays to the hue of colours and then the dusky darkness; Nature has found a way to keep man in awe of her. And brings time to a standstill. Speaking of sunsets, today mine reminded me of Emily Dickinson’s “The Coming of Night”, though not of the countryside, but of the fiery city skies.

So what are you – a sunrise or sunset person ? Or a bit of both ?! Or none !!

 

Try to catch one…

What do you do when all that comes to mind is…

“Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day”

Courtesy to my next door kid who wanted to hear Perry Como’s lines over and over again, which is what got me thinking ( which is when some would ensure that the emergency numbers are at hand !!)….And so let’s talk about stars !!!

And this brings me to the big question, what would you do when you catch one? And the even bigger one, do you believe that you would get one ?

Consequently, this is what my pessimist side said…

“Catch a falling star ?!! What nonsense !! They are just asteroid like bodies that enter the earth’s atmosphere and then burn to bits..that’s what they are, rock…dust..ashes !! Beside when they fall they create craters too, real big ones!! And at the rate you spent looking up to catch one, you would end up slipping. Don’t tell me that I didn’t warn you ahead…!! Rainy days and dust..they all become muddy. And even if it’s a star, it’s so bright that it would burn your pocket and hand. Do me a favor and quit thinking, just don’t get me started on the nonsense of believing in silly stuff !!” .…There, one part of me got quashed !!

Then steps in my ever so bright side, the thoughts of the “hardly ever-present optimist”…

“Sure stars do exist and when you get one, don’t let go. Use it and save on it but don’t waste it nor miss it. Let its light burn, so bright so that it would make a difference in your life. Life has lots of falling stars ( here, Mr. pessimist snorts !!), try to catch, all of them or at least most of them.”…Great, I’m pepped up but directionless I feel..

Finally to the rescue, my realistic thoughts crowd over;

“Falling stars are beautiful. No, that would be an under-rated, they are actually spectacular. But the beauty lies in how you use it. And that depends on your purpose. On what you seek from life. On what you define your life to be. On till where you are willing to go, even if it means as far as your journey takes you. And that starlight of what’s left is more than just for a rainy day. It’s for you to brighten it and pass the light. You may not always be able to do that, but when ever you can you must.

The best part being, to lessen your dark days with the star-dust that you have in your pocket. Most important, look up once a while for the stars but don’t forget to look ahead and behind too. Use the stars and the star light to guide you. And when you catch a falling star…smile, use it and treasure it.”….

And that is the what the most practical and realistic side of me says…

So, what do you think of “falling stars” ?! And most of all, do you believe in them ?!! What would you do with your star-dust – save it or use it, or a bit of both ?!

 

Thank you for that smile…

It was during my clinics yesterday, when I saw ” the smile”. It was a beautiful one, for I knew the person had their own crisis going on, yet in spite of all that, that smile reached out and made an old lady among many others, smile.

It feels great to be at the receiving end of a smile. Especially when you have your own personal arising; on seeing a perfect smile, the genuine one; somehow the load seems lighter.

And that was what I witnessed yesterday, the perfect smile.

The smile that taught me that we all have our own problems, and so do others. The smile that said that we are not alone. The smile that spoke of hope anew. The smile that made someone happy.

We are not the only targets of bad luck or misfortune, everyone is. But in the end, it doesn’t matter. 

What matters is whether you passed on the smile. And whether you made someone smile today ?

Finding a fresh start…

It’s what we all need for a new beginning and a fresh start. A ray of hope which slowly glimmers on surface and then ultimately, it lights us from within and gets us going.

We all need new starts ’cause every once a while, we get stuck and that is quite common. Yet it’s the process of “getting unstuck” that makes us who we are, or rather that determines us what kind of person we are or will be.

Why am I rambling on about this ?

From what I have seen over the past two weeks is that, in trying times it’s so easy to fall back and to quote, “let fate take its course. There’s nothing that I can do about it any more.” 

Honestly, it’s pretty easy to come to such a conclusion, for nothing is our doing. It’s all a pre-destined course of events. Right ?!

But in reality, is it so ? If we do so purely believe in fate and its course, then why even try doing anything ? Are we trying to hide our fears in fate ? Is destiny just a cover for our misgivings and fear to try again? Or are we just sitting back dazed and giving up, when we haven’t even tried? Is that known as fate ?!! We might as well do the puppet show of basic living and then walk off. Then what’s the difference in being human. Where is the fire and where is the spark of life.

By believing in something and going for it, is what our very existence demands of us. Yes, fate does take its “due” course but that doesn’t mean that we just sit back and let it take its course. In that case, there would be no progress at all. There would be nothing to look forward to in life.

We need to find a way between fate and our dreams and somewhere the two roads will meet. No matter how parallel the roads may be, there’s always a way around it. We just have to make up our mind and heart, and in the process of finding our dreams; may be fate would step in, to either lend a hand or to stay in the shadows. 

So once decision taken this Easter, is to hope and to believe in oneself. Fate does have a role to play in life but it doesn’t necessarily define us or our days on the journey. It helps us make the tough decisions but to find a fresh start depends on us and is our sole responsibility.

Meanwhile, Happy Easter !! May this year be one of love, peace, joy, happiness, grace, salvation and hope.

It’s not always worth it, on the other side…

These are a few of the snippets of a conversation with one of my friends who had called earlier today evening.

” Don’t you think it would be better if I just quit this job and migrate and find another ?”

- Why? What brought on that idea all of a sudden. Last week you sounded like you were having a blast.

” Maybe it’s just getting too boring…time to change ?

- Whoa !! Hang on a sec. You just started at this new firm last month. Change already ? What’s the real reason ?

” Just like that..

- Somehow I refuse to believe that.

” Well I just spoke to D on Facebook. You remember her. We went to college together. She just migrated to Aussie land last month and she’s got an awesome job. You won’t believe the perks and the pay too !!

- J think twice. It’s your second job in six months. What’s with all the flitting by. True that there is always something better with everything, but hey you have to be steady sometimes, to enjoy the benefits and be satisfied. Why do you keep running to the other side ? It’s not always as pretty as it looks.

“ K, I don’t know. Somehow the other side always sounds more enchanting. I guess I’m just ….

Well, this is not a new situation. I had these same feelings while doing summer jobs. I would end up with one, see how the other was having a blast and needless to say, I switched but believe me, it was never worth it. Today with the complexity of modern life, getting to do something that you like is a blessing.

But once the evil head of comparisons and the thoughts of “isn’t better there” start to arise, what you like suddenly doesn’t seem so worth it any more.

Is it worth throwing a best chance and hopelessly start hunting for another ? To chase our dreams is what makes our life worth it. I would say to walk on and find another chance, if you have a plan or even if, an opportunity or an idea is slowly unfolding. Though, just because someone is better somewhere else, doesn’t equate the belief  that life would be bright or even as what it was on the other side.

They say that, “the grass looks greener on the other side”. But what they don’t say is that, the other side could be a mirage especially if you have the ingrown habit of looking over the fence, instead of looking what lies within your fields.

What will happen when the other side was actually a mirage or simply spray painted green ? What happens when the other side starts to wilt, just because you didn’t water your fields there ? What happens when the grass is actually slushy mud on the other side ?

The one thing to know is that, once you are on the other side it may be difficult to climb over the fence and re-enter your fields. (Unlike, the felines we don’t have nine lives..right ?!)

Instead, find your feet where they are and get them firmly on the ground, water the fields and explore your land and find the beauty and happiness therein. Few facts that life glaringly shows us, is that we always take the good things for granted. It’s only when they are snatched away, we realize that we have been given the best gifts in life. We may cross the fence based with “a green eye” and lots of dreams with no plans, then it may be too late to turn back.

Besides, the sun may shine brighter on the other side of the fence and the grass the best of the green, but let it not scorch you. Sunburns are pretty nasty.

 

 

To rise up…

With the change of season, it’s a sin to confine myself indoors. Which is why, I have decided to quit the gym and instead go for the traditional long walks. The only rueful part, is getting up in the early hours of the morning but as they always say, ‘It’s just the start that needs the push…”

Basically at this point, on re-examining “my crisis” ( It’s a long story..but someday I’ll write about it, for now fingers-crossed !!); I have realized I’m in the middle of nowhere. It has two fronts, the professional one and the personal one. Though both have been driving me nuts, it’s the former which has irked me real bad. So setting aside the facts, midst all that red-tape and bureaucracy; I’m going to carry on as if nothing had happened. As said, “Ignorance is bliss…’

On the personal front, I can definitely say that I’m moving on. And while in the process of self-discovery there is one thing that is real difficult.

Chasing away the doubts.

Saying goodbye to the fears.

It’s so easy for anyone to say, don’t worry. But the nagging still lingers and then in the middle of doing something, one often wonders how long will this go on ? Needless to say, may be there is no point in worrying but then again, it’s not easy to erase those thoughts. Maybe time will help.

Only time can help. To fade the obvious into oblivion.

And to rise up and break free of the chains of fear, doubts and worries.

And then to finally fly.