Happy Birthday Amdavad ❤❤❤

A very very happy birthday to my most favorite city in the globe #Amdavad ❤

As a token of love for my city, I have written some lines dedicated to #AmazingAmdavad :)

Dearest Amdavad,

The city of love gardens (law garden)
The city of cutting chaa  (chai)
The city of IIM A maskabuns
The city of zip zapping two wheelers
The city of tukkals on uttrayan
The city of fafda jaebis 

The city of Khaman Dholkas & Fafdas
The city of undhiyu
The city of kajukatris
The city of Ras Rotli
The city of Manekchowk
The city of Ratan Pole
The city of navli navratri raas garba
The city of last masalpuri free with pani puris
The city of peace (Gandhi Ashram)
The city of Sabarmati
The city of BRTS and AMTS  &
The city of "Bakas"

Wish you a very very happy 604th Birthday ❤

#iMissUsoMuch #HomeSick #ReverseCountDowm #HomeSweetHome #AmdavadDiaries

Ahmedabad is a city which personifies peaceful life. I know that, I being born and brought up there, can be biased. But this is a feedback from people all over the country living in Ahmedabad. 

It is being away from it, that made me realise how easy life in ahmedabad was ! One can reach in farthest corner of the city in maximum half an hour. Everyday life begins by reading "Gujrat Samachar" with a sip of tea. Each festival is celebrated with so much enthusiasm and fervor. People from all over the world come to celebrate the Vibrant Navratri & Patangutsav. The city even Amitabh Bacchan couldn't resist coming for uttrayan. It is the city where even a stranger would address you as "Baka" (Loved or Dear one). Where sitting on the benches in society, all the gossip of the world happens. Where the generation of lovers and senior citizens both go to the various parks. Where you can relax at the vastrapur lake or kankaria with your friends and family. Where alpha one mall takes you into an all new era. It is the city where the rich and the poor blend together like an amazing mixture. 

The city is segregated by the sabarmati river into the "Old City" and "New City". For the most of my life I've lived in the Old City and let me tell you, there is nothing more mesmorizing than living in the "Pole" culture. Each house shares the same wall with its neighbouring house. You get a dishful of your neighbours dinner for "Tasting" and you reciprocate with equal love. Shopping at Manekchowk, Rani no hajiro, Ratan Pole, having lassi at Girish Cold drinks.... Such a bliss. If you can zip zap your car or two wheeler through the crowded city area, I bet you can drive safely in any part of the world. Over the years, I have seen so many architects visiting the poles to study the architecture of the houses in the old city. Some International students of CEPT are amazed seeing a "Chabutaro" outside a pole. Nothing can beat the beauty of "Sidi Saiyed ni Jali", the "Julta Minara", "Adalaj ni vaav", "IIM-A Architecture". 

Malls, multiplexes, commercial hubs and world class educational institutes like IIM, NID, MICA, the city has it all. Entrepreneurship flows in the viens of this city like blood. 

And the most wonderful part of this city is that even if you are a staranger, it will engulf you with so much love, a part of your soul would become an "Amdavadi".

I received this message today and loved it too :

If a Wada-pav wala makes more money than An Engineer,

YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If you see AUDA/AMC cleaning up every morning and in the evening its all the same,

YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If high class people also dont leave the panipuri stall without asking for Masalapuri,

YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If the rikshawwala and Panwalas are more accurate than Google Maps,

YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If a Chaiwala at university road explains

struggle at 2'o clock in the morning.

YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If Bike Riders shout at you for not locking your car doors properly,
YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

If a girl can move around alone at late nights safely,
Its.. Because YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

In a breathtaking crowd of bus, if an poor old lady always gets a Hand to get in bus.
YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

When some idiots blame AHMEDABAD at the same time,

If you find people saying "HU AMDAVADI". YOU ARE IN AHMEDABAD..

Last one for the people outside AHMEDABAD,

If you find anyone taking Care of you without any Reason, 

It's not that they are idle Its Because,

WE ARE AMDAVADI..!!!

Mom n Dad : Fam(ILY) ❤❤❤

On Sunday evening, I got a wonderful WhatsApp message from a friend. It read:

“VERY HEART TOUCHING.

(BITTER TRUTH)

An old man took his phone to a Repair shop. 

Repairer told : NOTHING IS WRONG with this phone. 

Old man with tears in his eyes said : Then why DON'T my children ever call me ?”

I instantly loved the message so much that I added a few lines from my side and broadcasted it across all my contacts. Here is the message I sent everyone :

“VERY HEART TOUCHING.

(BITTER TRUTH )

An old man took his phone to a Repair shop.

Repairer told : NOTHING IS WRONG with this phone.

Old man with tears in his eyes said : Then why DON'T my children ever call me ?

We are so busy growing up that we forget our parents are growing old too..

Miles may separate you,

But communication should keep the love alive

No matter how busy life gets. 

Because,

Dharti p rup maa bap ka,

Us vidhata ki pehchaan hai..”

Instantly I got over a 100 replies saying they really loved the message and how true it was.

P.S. : I am so much in love with the song "Yeh to sach hai ki Bhagwaan hai", that it has been my caller tune since November 2014; and I have no intents of changing it. A lot of people who call me and hear my caller tune sometimes tell me as to how much this reminds them of the unconditional love of their parents.

I sometimes wonder, when I'd become a parent, would I ever be able to shower such unconditional love to my future kids ? Would I be selfless enough to put them as my number one priority and make unspoken sacrifices for them ?  I don’t have the answer to these questions as of now.

But I really know that whatever I am today, every inch of me, every iota of my cell, I owe it to them. I know that no matter what I do, I can never repay them, ever, for all the sacrifices they have made behind our growing years. I never remember being denied anything I “Wanted” or “Desired”. My needs were taken care of even before I knew them. I had everything I wanted.

The biggest asset they have given me is the empowerment. I have never ever been treated as a “Girl child”; I have always been generously endowed upon all the freedoms and luxuries, generally denied access to a girl in a traditional conservative family. My mom would tell me at times, that my father went on a bicycle to get then enrolment form for an English Medium Convent school – that too the best in the city. I was enrolled in drawing classes, mehandi classes, garba classes, for swimming, skating, badminton, basketball, calligraphy !! I would never have spare summer vacations. During tough times, we would go to a restaurant only once in 6 months, but there would never be any book I didn’t possess that I would “want” and not exactly “need”. Each summer vacation I’d be learning a new hobby. We lived in a “city” area for the most of my childhood, yet I was never among the kids who’d be idly be playing cards. I would be playing with my “Mechanix” or “Picnic” or “Buisness” set.

I can never count the sacrifices they have made to make me what I am today. The tables have turned. It is our turn now to make them happy and give them everything they would “want” and “desire”.

And more importantly, if you’re far away from them, make it a point to call them at least once in a week and talk to them. I call my parents every single day. Infact my day starts with wishing them “Good Morning, Jai Jinendra”. The joy they get in just hearing your voice and all you’ve got to talk to them is impeccable. I remember an instance when I was feeling really homesick one evening and I called my mom and told her how much I was missing home and how lonely I was feeling. My dad couldn’t sleep at all the whole night. Another time when I fell sick, they left everything behind and took the next train and came down to Mumbai just to be by my side.

I have never seen a love so pure, serene, unconditional and selfless. Love you Mom & Dad. If I can only bring a smile on your face ALWAYS, I would consider myself a “good” child.

PS : Another random thought :

I loved Chetan Bhagat’s “2 States” the most because he rightly puts forth the point that it is no sense eloping with someone breaking all the bonds of love and trust your parents have showered you with, through all the years of your life. Hurting them, can never bring complete happiness. It would be mingled with a tinge of betrayal. Happiness is complete when they smile with you ! 

Also the gesture of the Krish, proposing to not only Ananya, but her entire family is soo soo soo sweet ! <3

By your side !!

In your arms I'm home,
I don't ever want to leave your side.

You warm my soul,
Like the fireside on a cold winter eve.

Without you, I am a traveller lost,
Bewildered in an unknown city sans a map.

I'm an alien in here,
Nobody but you understand what I speak.

Come back to me and be my lantern,
Guiding me through the rocky roads.

Be the moon walking with me every step,
Be the stars twinkling my paths with joy.

You're the sun in my day, without you I'm all dark.
Without you my tears bleed, every breath is so hard to take.

I'd fly down from a cliff,
To touch the serene waters of your love.

But, be there to catch me,
Else I might hit the rocks.

I'd die a hundred deaths to see you smile,
In this life and many more to come.

If you're taken away from me,
I'd knock on the doors of heaven till eternity.

Like a child look for you in every shining star
And Like a lark search for you in the sunny skies !

I'll be yours !

When you're sad,
I'll be the tickle that makes u laugh.

When you're happy,
I'll be the music that you sing.

When you're asleep,
I'll be the blanket that warms you.

When you're lonely
I'll be the pillow you can hug on to.

When you're tired,
I'll be the shady tree you can rest under.

When you're blue,
I'll be the chocolate to beat the blues.

When you're lost,
I'll be the pole star guiding your way.

When you're lousy,
I'll be the caffeine to keep you going.

When you're tensed,
I'll be the feather to soothe your worries away.

When you're working hard,
I'll be the lady luck to help you check mate.

When you're mad,
I'll be the dishes you can smash.

When you're insanely happy,
I'll be the song you can dance all night on.

When you're hungry,
I'll be the tasty morsel to tantalise your taste buds.

When you're thirsty,
I'll be the first shower of rain in the tormental summers.

When you're nostalgic,
I'll be the pictures which bring your happy memories.

When you're away,
I'll be that handwritten letter you can hold close to your heart.

When you're sick,
I'll be the apple that keeps the doctor away.

When you're bored,
I'll be the shopping sprees that lift your heart.

When your depressed,
I'll be the art you can vent out your anger and hurt.

When you're looking for peace,
I'll be the temple bells and the incense  aroma that pacifies you.

I'll be there for you. Always.
Even when I'm gone,
I'll be the sun, moon and the stars to watch over you from heavenly skies. 

Happiness – The Kids Way

I came to Ahmedabad today morning around 9 am at railway station. I had my dad waiting for me happily, to take me home and help me with the luggage. On our way back home, I was fretting about the late train and chilly winter breeze in the wee hours of morning. We stopped by a traffic signal. I looked around just to observe and admire the small changes in the city I loved and missed so dearly. 

For those few seconds I saw a badminton shuttlecock flying in the air. I missed playing badminton in club with friends a lot. I fixed my gaze and found my eyes on the small compound of a municipal school. Two kids wearing slippers were playing with wooden table tennis rackets and that badminton shuttlecock (which we so fondly called “Fool”). 

We came ahead a bit and I focused my gaze and saw that the eyes of these kids were filled with such genuine pleasure and happiness that for a moment I felt ashamed. These kids were so much enjoying the moment like they had no worry in the world or no complaints to make.

Those kids were happy with their slippers, wooden racket and fool. They had no regrets at the moment.  

In spite of having so much comforts, here we are fretting about every imperfection that comes our way.

But what we fail to realise is that life is not always fair. Life in fact can’t be fair or perfect to any one. Not even to the lovely butterflies nor even to the wealthiest man in town. Perhaps, beauty lies in imperfection. The blemished moon is the best example for it.

Happiness is not found in material things. Happiness is a state of mind. Sometimes happiness is just meeting up with your best friend or having a chat with your old teachers or savouring yummy mom made food after months. Happiness is simple. Happiness is loooking at  your school building with pride  after your school days and trying to remember the verandas where you once got punished; meeting an old friend after years accidentally on the road and talking as if you’ve never been apart; the touch of a friends warm cheek in winter with frozen hands; Roadside pani puripuri treats for winning a bet; night out with friends and never ending fights with sibling. Happiness is sometimes a loved one holding your hand while you cross the traffic signal which makes you feel safe and treasured !!

Material things are necessary for easy going life.

But to find happiness, look for it in the small wonders and blessings in this chaotic life 

Mumbai Musings – My Encounter with Kindness

“Mumbaiiii” just this one word is enough to personify the vibrant and electrifying spirit of this city. Call it Mumbai or call it Bombay or even call it Bambai just the name is enough to bring a sparkle to your eyes. Mumbai, with its “Always on the go” lifestyle will never fail to show you what dynamism is.  “Static”, “Passive”, “Slow and Steady” are words just absent from the dictionary of this city and every person connected to it. This city never  sleeps. Even at 3 am you can wander around Marine Lines and find hawkers selling you bhel and chaat. At 12 am, Dadar station is as crowded as the Delhi streets at 4 pm. At 5 am you can see people starting their day having small naps in the local trains while commuting to their destinations. EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is ACTIVE here.

This “Tinsel Town” has both a glamorous apeal as well as an inhumane side of poverty. It houses both the Malabar hills with residents ranging from film stars to politicians as well as Dharavi, the biggest slum of Asia, where life is worse than the worst. Just like the moon, it has a bright side as well as a dark side.

The city of dreams as often referred, like a magnet attracts people from not only all over the country, but all over the world. Diversity is the norm here. People from different age groups, different religions, with different purposes, with different dreams and aspirations come here to live their dream. Be it for business or job, vacation or a shopping spree or just to watch their favourite movie stars.

Exactly 1 year and 2 months ago, I came to this city. I got a job here and for the very first time in my life I was going to be living away from home. A variety of emotions filled me. Happiness, nervousness, excitement, tension, nostalgia and a sense of restlessness.

Everywhere I was advised how difficult life in Mumbai is. How we need to constantly keep on running to match our pace with this fast paced city or else we’ll be left behind. Right from local trains to the crowded streets everything was new for me.

In my early days here I was told “Yaha koi kisi  k  liye nahi  rukta” (No one would stop for any one no matter what). It’s not because people here are insensitive or they don’t care. It’s simply because everyone is so much busy with their own lives and running to match their pace with the life here, they simply don’t have much time to look what others are doing or think what other are thinking. Except in local trains where your neighbours would peep into your phone while you’re trying to clear all the candies in candy crush.

Since I’m not so much used to travelling here, I usually get stuck when I try something different than the set routine. For example once while returning from my home town Ahmedabad to Mumbai, I got down at Boriwalli and had to catch an AC bus that would take me straight to my place. It was BEST AS 125. I waited for some 10 minutes and the bus didn’t arrive. And I saw a BEST bus no. 125. I got onto it. Little did I know both the busses had different routes and it took me 3 and a half hours to reach my place which the AC bus could have took me in an hour !

For the Non Mumbai readers, I’d like to explain that Mumbai topology is divided into 3 major lines – Western, Central and Harbour line. Dadar is the connecting junction for Western and Central line; and it’s densely crowded 24*7. Local trains that run on these lines are of two types : Slow trains, which halts at all intermittent stops and Fast trains, which halts only at major stations.

Every time I travelled from Central line and Western line, I noticed a common station : Matunga. To change from central to western, I would usually go to dadar and change the platform; which I usually fretted. At the back of my mind, I had thought next time onwards, I’m going to be smart and change right away from Matunga.

Now, again this time I was returning from Ahmedabad. It was early morning 5 am. I couldn’t wait for the busses as they would start at 7 am. I decided to catch the next local to Dadar and thereafter go to Central Railways. Everything was as per the plan. Until,  I decided to act smart. I got down at Matunga, which was a station before Dadar. I had 2 bags with me full of stuff packed with love from my parents. Getting down, I asked a stall worker ” Bhaiya, central me jane k liye kaunsa platform hai ?” ( Which platform to take to get to Central Railways ?)

He looked at me for a moment as if I was an alien. I was confused and asked him again. And then he told me “Madam Central and Western ka Matunga dono alag station hai ! Central me Matunga station hai aur Western me Matunga Road. They are connected by a bridge but it’s currently under construction, so it’s not safe to use. You can get a taxi from outside.”

For those moments, I lost my senses. It scared me and made me shiver literally. It was 5.30 am and yet dark outside. I couldn’t dare walking out to catch a taxi.  I didn’t know what to do now ! How to reach where I want to. Platforms were empty except a few odd people. I saw 2 guys starting at me from a distance which made me all the more nervous.

Just then, an elderly uncle came to me. He had heard my conversation with the stall guy and asked me : ” where do you want to go”. I told him my destination. He smiled. And told me, “Beta, you’ve told me, but make sure you don’t tell any one your destination. You never know who might follow you. Plus you have luggage with you. Which would show them you’re not a localite. Wait here for 15 minutes. The next train would come here which will take you to dadar. Behave confidently like a localite and don’t worry. You’ll reach safe.”

Those words brought so much comfort to me. I did exactly as that uncle told me. It worked.

It was a very small incident in a way. But in a way, it taught me 2 very important lessons :

1.) Kindness is everywhere. When God can’t be present, he sends over this guardian angels for us.

2.) If people can be kind to you, you also should reciprocate with love.

At times, give a standing lady with a kid your seat in the train. Treat your watchman with a tea when he helps you carrying your bags to your home. Go and sit at your neighbours place for some time after work and catch up with them. They will surely like your gesture. Buy biscuits for the street dogs and treat them. Smile at people you see everyday instead of walking around with a grumpy face.

Kindness is also like a boomerang. So bestow it freely and it will return to you many fold.

Why I love Books

A book is truly the only companion who would not deceive you no matter what ! After a long tiring day at work she welcomes you to hold her in your hands and bring her close to your heart. She is warmed by the shine in your eyes you have when you look at her affectionately. 

She would love you no matter how many pages of her you fold when you don’t find a bookmark. She never complains when you drop some food on her just because you cannot keep her down even while having your dinner. She romances with you till midnight. Compels you to keep awake with her cuddling in your lap in the dim midlight. She is your cafene to keep awake. She loves to fall asleep besides you, in your arms.

She is enchanted when you open up her pages from the middle and smell her queer smell. She is always with you to wait when others are late and gives you the best company. She gives you dreams that become your dreams. She teaches you to live, care and love. She shows you what’s right and what’s wrong. She gives you tears and she gives you smiles. She compels you to laugh till your tummy hurts when you’ve had the worst days at work. She gives you hope that the story hasn’t ended yet when suddenly all your life appears gloomy and dull. She keeps your special roses in her care which make you nostalgic years later for those memories.

She is a best friend who is always there for you when no one else is by your side. She is always on your bed side table waiting for you. She inspires you when you think you have lost it completely. She moves you from a stone heart to a warm hearted person with her heart warming tales. She teaches you to have faith in humanity, give life a second chance, move ahead and love life for everything it bestows. She teaches you everything.

She is your friend, lover, teacher, personal coach, shoulder to sob, pillow to hold tight and laugh loud. She is a friend who will be with you in your bag at 3 pm in the noon as well as 1 am at midnight.

Cherish her and make her your best friend and you will never be alone.

My Biggest Competition is YOU !!

                   Lets Compete !!

Determined to get ahead,
Shine in my eyes, 
Vigour in my spirits, 
I rose early today.

I sat down and pondered, 
To get ahead, I need to grow, 
I benchmarked myself, 
Against friends and peers.

It drove me for a week, 
But the fervour was soon lost.

My benchmarks were complacent, 
Some made me lose hope, 
As they were much ahead in the race. 
The rest made me content and stagnant.

I went back to my chronic regime, 
Days passed by, resolutions broke by.

My neighbouring kid came by one evening, 
Footsteps thundering with energy, 
Face beaming with a smile.

A big chocolate he demanded from me, 
I gave him one and he asked for a bigger one. 
I asked him why, 
Proudly he showcased his report card.

I was impressed by his grades, 
I asked him if he stood first in his class.

He smiled at me and caught my hand, 
I was pulled by him to my room, 
He led me to the dressing table.

I saw a reflection of us peering from the mirror, 
He pointed at the mirror and shouted, 
“I beat him, I beat him, 
I had an A in last exam I got an A+ this time”.

Tiny little footsteps dancing about with joy, 
I gave him the biggest chocolate with a proud hug.

Once again I stood against the mirror, 
Like him I pointed at the mirror and said : 
“I’ll beat you, I’ll beat you, 
My biggest competition is You”.

Since then, every night I ponder, 
Did I do something better than I did yesterday? 
Sleep is sweet when I know I did.

          My Biggest Competition is YOU !

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Some places have a million memories etched with ‘em,
Nostalgia strikes hard when you revisit them after a long time.

What you miss is the people behind the memories of that place,
Each smile and fight is so vividly clear,
You crave to go back to that time once again !

Carefree college days,
Where classes were bunked without a thought,
In the corporate world today,
Even a half day requires such strategic execution.

Days then where we’d meet and plan where to hang out,
And days now where we need to plan for months to meet up.

Playing FLAMES on the last benches of class,
Keeping awake all night to copy assignments,
Scribbling names on the college benches,
And talking in parking for hours !

Now, we’re living a journey where no destination is enough..
Friends scattered around the globe like marbles on the floor,
The innocent care and affection I miss like never before !

After so many years,
A long drive with a long lost friend,
A stroll talking about the essence of life,
Bonding over brownies & chatting like there’s no end,
Memories relived again with friends are such a bliss !

Friends people call them,
They are my family I choose.

Always Dream On.. Here is WHY ??

“I have a dream…!” Most of us are familiar with these famous words, which became the name for the ten-minute speech calling for racial equality and an end to discrimination by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963. Maybe the reason that these words still have such a profound impact on so many is because we all have dreams—dreams for our own lives, dreams for our children, dreams for the future—all kinds of dreams. Some of the dreams we secretly hold, we may reason away and set aside as unrealistic notions— But what if our dreams could come true?

Have you ever seen someone without hope, someone who doesn’t have any expectations or any aspirations to move forward and do something different in life..?

Hardly anyone..!

There is immense power in your dreams, your anticipations and in your aspirations to have the world you imagine and to shape your destiny.

Each of us have dreams. Big. Unplugged. Larger than life. So, what is it that sets apart some gems in the world from the rest of the world ?

We always imagine, why someone reaches the heights of success so easily and why others don’t.
Why some people do an altogether different thing that we might not have ever even imagined.

The only answer to almost all questions is a Dream…

A Dream to become someone nobody would have ever imagined.
Dream to live a life no one has ever encountered and a dream to design their destiny with such beauty that reality also gets a fragrance of it.

It is their belief, their determination & their passion to chase their dreams. They dreamed, but with their eyes open. They worked hard to achieve their dreams till their brows ached with sweat. They worked relentlessly, dared to see the world from their vision & choose to stand against the world just because they had belief in their dreams.

Whether you see someone who is selling tea and now the Prime Minister of India, or a women who had almost gone deep down in her family life and again made a come back & carved a history in boxing : Mary Mom, or a person who was selected as a junior policeman at a mere salary of 8000 INR, who is currently the most favorite cricketer of all times MS Dhoni..

The man who started his early career working in a petrol pump in Aden & dreamed to own his own petrol pump, went ahead to build the largest single location refinery in the world. In the words of Dhirubhai Ambani :

“Our dreams have to be bigger. Our ambitions higher. Our commitment deeper. And our efforts greater.”

Before Walt Disney built the “Disney empire” he has today & created “Mickey Mouse”, he was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Walt Disney propagated:

No one is born intelligent or born dumb. Life purely depends on how we make choices, how we forecast our destiny, how we want our reality should be and how beautifully we dream the path of our life.

Life is truly, what you dream to be !!

So Dream…
Because a dream can change your life…
Everyone doesn’t get chance…

Dare to Dream and chase your destiny….

Lastly, to conclude with these beautiful lines :

“Jo tujhe jagaye
Neendein teri udaaye
Khwab hai Sachcha wohi

Neendon mein jo aaye
Jise tu bhool jaaye
Khwab woh sachcha nahin.”

COURTESY : Co-author Rahul Kamodiya
Thank you Rahul for your wonderful words :)

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Miles away I went,
Bidding adieu to that bunch of special people,
Saying goodbye was hard,
A tear ran down my cheeks,
I hid it, feigning to be strong & happy..

Miles away I went,
Like a bird that flies away every winter,
Exploring new lands,
I looked behind to find my flock,
Indeed they were lost in the wide sky,
Flying to different lands..

Miles away I went,
Chasing my dreams like never before,
Exploring a whole new world,
Heart filled with wonder,
Dreams lit up my eyes,
I smiled, knowing this is where I want to be..

Miles away I went,
I knew there was no turning back,
New pals I made,
New paths I treaded,
New dreams I saw,
Newness engulfed me like tides in the ocean..

Miles away I went,
A new world I made here,
Right from the very scratch,
A home away from home,
To fill the void that remained incised,
In the corners of my heart..

Miles away I went,
Flying like a free bird,
Roaring like a lion,
Shining like a pearl,
Dreaming like there is no tomorrow,
Painting my life with colours of glee..

Miles away I went,
I saw a child one day,
Holding tight to his mother,
As they drove to his school,
Longing filled me to go back to that time,
When cricket and chocolates were all we cared about..

Miles away I went,
No matter what,
Homecoming I still look forward to,
Family, friends and home,
Just the very thought,
Electrifies my smile a thousand volts..

Because, home is where the heart is..

Time & Miles : Dear Best Friend

People Grow over a period of time. And yet the twist here is that in this journey many a times, they grow apart ! Sounds shattering to those who’ve experienced the pain of losing a best friend or someone special owing to moving in different cities or being incredibly busy in their “growth” journeys. Yes, this is the flip side that time and distance brings to a lot of relationships. Friendship turns into silence, silently ego creeps in – “why should I bother to contact if he/she is too busy even to bother replying to my texts”, slowly people drift apart. Mutually.

Yes, this is the sad side that time and distance cumulatively bring in. There were times I would only look at this sad part of the bigger picture and crib about increased distances in friendships and relations. We’d give a consolation saying “you know what; you’re not on whatsapp naa, that’s why it is so difficult to keep in touch.” But try to recollect, how much has your “touch” increased in spite of all modern social networking applications installed in our smart phones.

Yes, this is life my friend ! It throws lemons at us. But the point I realised today is that instead of throwing back the lemons, it’s wiser to make a lemonade.

A few months back, I sent a surprise gift to one of my old professors and was delighted to get a call from her telling me how sweet she found my gesture. She told me two sentences that remain engraved upon me till date:

” Sachava pade e sambandho sacha nathi hota,
Ane sambandho jo sacha hoy to ene kadi sachava nathi padta.”

It meant that relations that “need” to be maintained aren’t true ones and the true ones flow rather seamlessly without any “need” to maintain them.

At that time I was almost in a dilemma as to how can this be possible ! Every single thing needs maintenance. Be it a car or friendship. I decided not to ponder deep and kept those words of wisdom with me for a later thought. Months passed by. After a lot of time today I was returning home from Andheri amidst the hectic Mumbai traffic at 7 pm. I had nothing to do other than staring out from the window and let my brain wander off in fields of imagination.

I saw “a friend’s” certain post on Facebook and at least a dozen things flashed at once. There was a time when we used to be the “BestEST Best Friends” as we claimed to be. Our colleges were just a stone’s throw apart. We could go on the phone endlessly for hours without any specific topic ! We would know what our mom’s have for dinner, exactly which class in college we got extra assignments and which is the song running on repeat mode on our play lists. Everything. We’d bond like on a house on fire. We would even order for each other when we’d go to have ice creams or at a restaurant ! I could confide in her when I’d be terribly stressed about maths during exam time as she adored maths & effortlessly aced in it. She’d help me do my revisions on exam days and would scold me really bad even if I got a single formula wrong ! Once she was even caught when she tried to sneak out in my college library just because I was too lazy to go down and meet her. She escaped conveniently though ! I would always cherish that effort as it was so special. “Just for me” types. She was the Choco to my pie and the pen to my paper. Together we’d rocked through even the toughest storms. We completed our colleges and then destiny had it plans. Sigh :(

She moved to a different city. In fact, another country. NO NO, wait ! Another continent. Several hundred thousand miles away. That’s the thing about distance. It demands to be felt ! I lost a part of my soul I felt. I too soon moved to a different city with new people all around and she also seemed to have lost amidst the busy demanding life abroad. There seemed to be a huge huge void in my life. I missed talking to her endlessly. I missed her assurance when I panicked. She made new friends there, lived the life she always dreamed about – roomies, freedom and new college. I too had a similar story. New city, new job, independence, like a bird out in the open sky ready to soar on. We tried our best to keep in touch. Whatsapp. Emails. Facebook. Everything. There was also a considerable difference between our time zones. By the time she’d be free it would be past 1 AM in India. Generally, I am an early sleeper. I tried keeping awake till 1.30 am, shelling a few hundred bucks for those few minutes of candid comradeship we once shared effortlessly, for international calls. It all seemed so different and difficult now.

People change. People Grow. And at times, they grow apart.

Well, well this is only one part of the picture I was seeing until today. I sat back in my journey home and thought. Life had definitely taken away someone from me. But !!! What I failed to appreciate is that life had in fact blessed me with a few precious buddies I can call at even 2 am just to say I can’t sleep as the mosquitoes are annoying me way too much. They are friends, I can walk into their houses with a 2 minutes’ notice “you’re home naa ? I’ll be there in 5.” People I can share the silliest thing of the day and also complain to after a hard day at work. There are also friends I meet regularly when I am visiting my city on weekends. We’d meet once or twice in 2-3 months, yet would feel like we’ve just met last evening. Friends with whom silences are seldom and conversations never run out. This is when I feel like cherishing life.

Yes, It takes away a few. BUT, it will return to you many fold too. It’s just that we take the later for granted and complain for the first that makes us so discontent and grumpy. Yet, it is not to feel bad that distance and time made us drift apart from the most favourite people in our lives – parents, friends, BFFs or lovers. Instead it is to cherish those happy memories and value the time life gave you together. True friendship isn’t talking for an hour every single day. It is more about, the same feeling of love you have no matter how much time has elapsed since you last met.

And for my dearest friend, I miss u “Daffod” (Daffur) way too much !! Lots of love :)

PS : I still play in my head you imitating me saying “Daffod” and it never fails to bring an instant smile on my face.