This is how we will open up to each other.

We hide so much of ourselves from each other. I do too, because of the fear of comparison and judgement.

Yet, this is how most of us, wake up on most mornings, with similar feelings.

I think the worst part is knowing that if I wanted to, really wanted to, if I tried hard enough, I could wake up and change everything. I could hang out with my friends and not be scared to run out of things to say. I can change my own life at any moment. But I don’t ‘want’ to, you see. How I love being sad, love rotting to boredom, in my room while people have fun without me, in another world. I love imagining little scenarios in my head instead of making them real, like a sad little child playing with dolls.

I love hybernating through seasons of joy. I think I would be bored otherwise. I am afraid to be great and to have everything I think I want. It terrifies me because what I really want, deep down, is to keep hiding. I am scared to admit it but it’s true. It’s the only thing I really love today.

I don’t love my friends all the time, or myself or my work.

As some days pass by, they leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside, those are the days I feel, I must jot down in a gratitude journal, to flip back through on my not so great days, to remember why I love life and being alive. Yes those days happen often. I dress up and feel sexy. I wear the smell of my favourite shampoo on my hair. I buy doughnuts and cookies and snap them with children, I listen to podcasts as I work the kitchen sink.

When we are in a dark place, our mind tricks us into thinking that all days are like this and covers our memories in a film of grey and ugliness. I wish to hold on to those days that leave me feeling like there is sunshine in my chest, take photos to remember them by, write notes to read them after days. Even post about them on Elephant!

I know there is something so magical in the environment I create around myself.
A smile at a stranger, a relaxed moment by the residence fountain, a gentleness towards myself and others and knowledge that those who live beyond are feeling the same everyday and looking out for me, like I am secretly, yearning for them.

(Thank-you for reading this article!)

My passion is writing. Everything I write about is geared toward things that I deeply cares about—experiences, thoughts, drama, and emotions. A full-time mom to two handsome boys—11 and 4—I built a career around insurance underwriting and later, teaching of English literature and language in high school, before vanishing into full-time mommy responsibilities. I believe that life is not meant to be serious all of the time, and that we should have fun as much as we can. Besides writing, I enjoy watching spy network series and living it up by creating laugh memes with my two lovely young boys!

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I write because I have nothing better to do.

How I Write About Love

What do we consider to be a good meeting story?
When it involves chance more than effort. You get bonus points if the chance encounter suggests compatibility, like mistakenly wheeling off with each other’s shopping carts at supermarkets because your items had so much overlap, you got the carts mixed up.
You catch glimpses of familiar faces or a nerve wrecking hello, with the lady in purple, at the elevator, you frequent at work.There is this beautiful disaster. Explosion of curiosity. The onset of displaced feelings.

The Price I pay to Write all this!

Well, the best thing that ever happened to my writing life was living in lockdown.

(Thank-you for reading this article!)

My passion is writing. Everything I write about is geared toward things that I deeply cares about—experiences, thoughts, drama, and emotions. A full-time mom to two handsome boys—11 and 4—I built a career around insurance underwriting and later, teaching of English literature and language in high school, before vanishing into full-time mommy responsibilities. I believe that life is not meant to be serious all of the time, and that we should have fun as much as we can. Besides writing, I enjoy watching spy network series and living it up by creating laugh memes with my two lovely young boys!

To follow my work on.

https://www.facebook.com/sayitnish
http://instagram.com/sayitnish
http://sayitnish.com/

About job losses, burial of sanity and a test of human resilience.

So it has been a very long time that I wrote about what is happening around me, exactly. And I am here with some life updates, as it is happening to all of us.

Many of us are working from home during quarantine and life seems all good.
In similar cities and big towns, for many, their time has altered hugely many of them on the verge of or already having to lose their jobs.
The time many of us spend cursing the lackadaisical life, there are many people out there who spend all that time mainly focusing on working on their portfolio, applying for other jobs, feeling generally depressed and scared about being jobless during a pandemic, while still being contractually obligated to keep working for their very company until their termination date.

Let me give a writing prompt here. In a parallel world, hunters nowadays are starting to lose their jobs, because lonely powerful aliens simply refuse to let the hunters haunt their already power sick world, anymore.

Now the unfortunate part in this scenario. Many people also have a daily job to go to, not much to worry we think.
It’s more than just the obvious – pharmacies and hospitals and police and grocery stores.
Construction is still happening. Mechanics and electricians and tradesmen are still working. Municipal Service workers.
Manufacturing plants are still running. You have buildings full of 100+ employees in close quarters making the packaged food and toiletries and drinks and medicine you are buying in crazed bulk. There are people in the offices manning the phones dealing with customers.

Yes, they are making their money but that is not necessarily a relief. A lot of them would love to be home and know that they are not going to catch something on their commute. People who have immune-vulnerable relatives they have to take care of while they also have to work.

There are still people who need to use public transportation to get around and don’t have the option to NOT go to work.
There are deserted times when I might have thought- as I am agonizing about how bored I am at home or how I haven’t been able to finish my fanfic or even how I am celebrating my husband’s time off from frequenting work place and completing all our we-time projects.

Some people are just working… and anxious.. and tired.. and they don’t have a break on the horizon.

When it comes to losing a job, it’s so much more than losing the job and the income. It also means losing a routine, a sense of regularity, safety, honour and the relationships we’ve formed.

This connection between self-worth and work is vital as people largely blame themselves for the unfortunate life event and wonder what they personally did wrong to end up unemployed. They may also feel shame for not being able to provide financial stability and protection to the people they need to support, especially during a health crisis.
We use our fall and achievements, as the foundation for everything else that we do and so when somebody rocks that ground, everything else on top of that crumbles.

We read painful narrations on media about people below starry income levels living miserable lives and lifeless.
We also read about qualified and remarkably poised people in troubled mental dispositions.

Perhaps it is easy to be a leader when things are going according to financial and quarterly business plans but hard to fathom or respond to and undertake effective solutions, when things are going badly.

In these complicated times, how employees are measured with goodwill and care, will be remembered for years to come. How businesses respond will have a lasting impact on employee behavior including, engagement, productivity and loyalty.

Self care and sanity is a human right, not a billable item for employers to influence.

(Thank-you for reading this articl e!)

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I landed a man who also became my best friend.

When I first met him, I was like this person desperately looking for companionship….I can say that I was almost looking for a bond of need. Deep inside, I knew that it was destined to fail because you cannot drink from an empty cup. I must search desperately for meaning and fullness that will fill the void within myself first.
The hunger never ends, as nothing can satisfy it except creating meaning within my own self. I grew up frenzied, inevitably falling to disappointment.
I was fortunate to have loving parents but there was always this thirst for finding meaning and an anchor in another.

I was mostly attached to the idea, the concept, the ideal that I had created in my mind of the other person; and so with the passing of years I learnt that it only leads to further heartache. When I grew up onto a strong, quite mature person I realised that paradoxically, in this hunger to find meaning in another, I might be either consciously or unconsciously blinded to each other’s true interests and passions; and thereby make an attempt to overwrite the other’s world with my own fears. And I did for a while. My worries and anxieties became his to worry about for a little time as well.

He came from a moment of rightness, of peace, of calm, of feeling at home. He taught me that instead of need, there is want and choice, which are completely different things and so does not cling desperately for anchor in another. Someone who took ownership of their inner wounds, their weaknesses, their shortcomings.

This is what is attractive. When, he knows that in order for a relationship to work, both will have to invest continuously, that at every dawn a new choice is to be made, that love isn’t just an endless honeymoon dictated by moods or needs or changing hearts; that love is choosing each other day by day, and knowing that there will be times when one will have to carry most of the weight to compensate for an imbalance, whatever the reason may be for this, or sometimes both will carry it equally, and so forth.

They know that in the end, it’s all about intent and choice, as long as they both hold on and want to be with each other, they will keep doing whatever necessary to make it work.
Most of all, they know that time changes things, that people evolve, and that is absolutely natural and essential for a joyous union, and to this end they strive to encourage and support you also in becoming our very best selves, in pursuing whatever passions set our heart alight.

With time, our bond has only strengthened like flowers in a garden. He and I were like a powerhouse of love, of unbreakable commitment, a power couple in its truest form. It is a divine union because there is nothing that cannot be achieved by two people that have reached such a state of friendship and intentional living.

I love him and he is my best friend.

My favourite sportsperson and what I want my sons to learn by watching him.

I am a sports fan. The reason I write this article is to pen my thoughts on India’s most swashbuckling sportstar, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. (also the current captain of the One day International and test matches)

Few days ago, my son suggested we play a game on famous sports personalities, from around the world. Each person says a name starting with the end letter of the sports person, the other person said.

According to the mood, I decided for myself that this list would purely be based on their handsomeness (combination of looks, personality and the way they carry themselves in public) , without necessarily taking their sports talent/skills into consideration. While most of them are sports legends- undoubtedly bothe women and men, some are relatively unknown or lesser-known. But all of them have played sports at international level.
Towards the end of our play, we had a little chat on whom we like the most in the respective sports arena. While my son is a huge admirer of football, I have my heart in cricket.
I remember my younger days when I used to be dad’s favourite companion in watching the sport. I used to have a thing or two to ask and would get annoyed when the game didn’t play out on television, the way I would envisage.

I enjoy the game for all it’s deadly combination of collective calm and individual prowess. In today’s time, if I had to chooses one cricketer as the strongest in the world, it would be none other than Virat Kohli!
And trust me, my reasons have nothing to do with anything but his character as a cricketer.

Okay, so let’s unpack my sentiments about him. You don’t like a person. There are qualities and actions of a person you like.

• I like his unwavering focus on the game.

• I like how he would hurl expletives when pumped up because that was his way of showing how involved he is in what he’s doing.

• I like it when he jumps and punches the air when he scores a fifty or a hundred and when he takes the team past the finish line because that shows how much he wants it to happen.

• I like to see his exercise videos on social media because that will inspire at least a few people who idolise him to become fit.

• I like to see him sing and dance with team mates,( my son has exhausted his chances of the gangnam style dance video) where he shows that he’s not just about sports and fitness.

• I am a fan of his passion for cricket and his supreme adaptability.

• He is strong not physically alone but also from the mind. He is not bogged down, appears to take things as they come, plays to win and is unaffected by any type of criticism. His focus while playing cricket is at another level. When he is there at the crease, he puts up a fight against the opposition and at the same time keeps enjoying his game.

This man combines hard-work, intelligence and a spirit to fight and win, and I would spend money on watching him with my sons, for as long as, they can take those positives back home!

(Thankyou for reading the article!)

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I love you guys, but spare me your sarcasm.

Listen, smile, agree. And then do whatever the fuck you were gonna do anyway.’
Robert Downey Jr.

Every time we level up in life, we have to readjust our boundaries. what was okay before, no longer works. The people in our lives, self care rituals, the environments, and situations we engage with must all adjust and meet our new vibrational frequency, in order to be sustained.

I understand sarcasm. People use it often in their interactions. We all do. While on most occasions it is supposed to indicate friendly banter, it is belittling to many.

Here I share my thoughts about the harmful kind.

I have noticed how, for some people it’s practically the primary language, absolutely intended specifically to make the other person feel stupid. When you’re always sarcastic, people won’t want to be around you because people don’t want to feel stupid.Sarcasm has a two-faced quality: it’s both funny and mean.

In their defence, I could say that it gives them an internal satisfaction, inner peace and a feeling that could be compared to a-punch-in-the-face through their mean words.
Not only is it rude, but I’ve found that people who are “always sarcastic” tend to be unfunny.
I have ceased to interact with many friends because of their terrible addiction for self depreciation and when you don’t play the ball with them, they feel strained and nurture this obsessive need to spew nursed bitterness.
Often, many of them are left wondering why I don’t speak to them anymore.

I feel attracted to charming men and women. People who exude charm assume that no body is boring; they realize that when you’re contemplating a person’s story or their passions, you are genuinely looking for more information about them, and they’re going to value you for this.

I am forty and have had a fair share of bullying and sarcastic friends in my journey yet. I can say confidently that I have learnt my way around this terror. Some of them are unrelenting.

They would want to figure out why you wouldn’t want to connect with them anymore, as you learn to live around them. It’s a tongue in cheek situation. It is the easiest to ignore them and make it known in polite ways, that perhaps you are busy or would connect with them at a time soonest when you can.
People that like to be vindictive with words and poke fun at somebody, apparently in a friendly situation, really don’t have much going on with their intellectual mechanisms and have a lot of growing up to do. I mean really how boring do you have to be to take pleasure in somebody else’s embarrassment and unease. I can think of a million and one things I’d rather do, than that.

Over the years, I told myself, that most of the time when people point out others faults, its to draw attention away from their own. I don’t have the skill for reverse sarcasm and I convince myself again, that I am a decent human being and I am better than that right?

(Thankyou for reading this article!)

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Why I choose kindness as a remedy to almost all my problems.

Do you ever feel so absolutely disinclined to do things?

Like it ain’t even postponement or laziness anymore, you just physically and mentally can’t bring yourself to do anything. It is like I really, really just wish to binge watch Discovery Plus, my favourite channel, until my mind numbs completely or lie on the bed and stare into the abyss.

And it’s not like I don’t have “motivation” or anything or even that I don’t want to do it, it’s just..I can’t. I don't know, how people just do things randomly, get up and go at it. I have to have an entire existential crisis and like, read a goddamn motivational passage or something first before I do the smallest thing on a particularly difficult day and it’s June for God's sake. ..and not much of monsoon to help ease the heat.

And just at times as these, sometimes I am immovably sunken. I just want someone to be kind and ask me how Iam doing and genuinely. It feels so good to be kind. We are all, rowing our heavy bars through the tough waters. We all hesitate.

But we are hopelessly looking for kind souls. It’s the warm feeling you get when someone tells me that I look nice today, or that I did a good job, or that my voice sounds lovely, or that the dinner I put together was delicious, or how I always laugh at their jokes.

It’s the warm feeling you get when they respond bashfully, or surprised, with that small smile and a thankfulness that shines in their eyes. It feels so good when someone is kind to you.

When it feels like the effort you put into the world is seen and acknowledged and appreciated. It feels so good when you’re able to make someone feel that wonderful.
It is certainly one of the best ways to build connections, if only for those few minutes that you're in conversation with the other person.
All I want to do sometimes, on these days, is to put one foot in front of the other and be grateful.

I love the contagious nature of kindness. Have you noticed ..when someone goes out of their way to show kindness just because, it spurs others to do the same. I like simple things.

1. Giving them attention. Intentional eye contact and an inviting smile are my favourite ways to be nice. Everyone likes that.
2. Check on your neighbours once in a while. If it looks awkward, call them still and let them know that you just wanted to say a hello and ask if everything is going well with them. I have understood through practice that it wins hearts.
3. Smile at the person waiting next to you at the billing area. In most cases, they have similar agenda. They wish to collect their stuff, reach home to family.
4. Ask about someone's pet as you meet them on your way. Ask how do they call them and say a kind word. It wins hearts.
5. Many an exhausted parent struggle when their toddler throws a wild tantrum in public space. I am a mother. I know it is a tricky situation. If you find someone in that situation, look at them with a smile and wink at them. Let them know it's perfectly normal.
6. Say thank-you to the parking meter guy. He will be proud of his job.
7. Wish friends and acquaintances on their birthdays and send specially emoji-ed messages. It makes them happy. They will be find you attractive.

Good things happen tobhood people is a universal saying. In my modified personal note, I would say good vibes make you incredibly attractive.

Let's make love!

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Love, expectations and all the shit that comes with it.

People have different capacity for love. They each have a specific size vessel in which they can fill and flow love. It took me a very long time to figure that out. That thought has given me clarity and peace.

I have a couple of friends who are single at my age.

Clearly, they are single because they chose to be on that path.

The reasons may be one of the following-

Firstly,they are simply not interested in being in a serious relationship at a particular point in time. They have a career to build, no care for other distractions and their hands are full to make promises of a lifetime, yet.

Others are single due to the circumstances of their lives. Pressing and mysterious circumstances knock at everyone’s door, once in a while.

Third, they may have just gotten out of a meaningful relationship or have dated relentlessly and just haven’t found someone with whom they’re truly compatible.

Some of my friends, never had a problem finding good men to date. When I spoke to them about what they think, they almost unanimously answered that they believed, there is always- someone for everyone. If one man, or woman is “not the one” they may lead you to someone who is. Never drop your standards. Be honest, do a honest self evaluation on yourself. Ask close friends. Some of yours may come up with something similar.

I have another set of well meaning friends who don’t think they exist and are now, tired of being disappointed. It’s not even like they need a carbon copy of themselves , just someone halfway considerate, kind, and appreciative. But goodness, people can be shit.

Damn right. The intensity of your emotions should be understood and reciprocated equally. Else you end up being drained in every relationship.

I have a simple thought on this. Just give up and enjoy your life the best you can. Not everyone is meant for someone, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to have an awful life. I would tell my buddies this thing- that being single is better than being lonely and in a relationship. Don’t settle, don’t sell yourself short! I wonder how one could invest their feelings into someone or just anyone, just to not be alone.

Good partnerships are worth the wait. Everyone’s capacity for love (romantically) is different. It took me some time to learn this.. So many are shallow and/or materialistic or just willing to settle with comfortability. I always say that some people’s love is as deep as a puddle while others is as deep as the sea. I need depth, passion, soul changing love. It can leave you utterly devastated when lost but its the only kind of love that’s worth it .

I’ve been with my husband for fifteen years. We are almost complete opposites, including the way we show love.

Yes we have had ups and downs, been through the F- word journey and still do, almost every day and pardon me God, I wouldn’t get the joy of making up to anyone else but him. The extreme friend and companion.
While a miracle partnership isn’t happening anywhere in the world, common sense would say, enjoy being alone which very few of us can embrace. If you can handle and be happy at the same time of being alone by all means, you can handle any situation with or without someone… Cheers everyone and breathe, remember we all have one life, try not to complicate that.
And to all my single friends, I absolutely love you! I’m so proud of you and your super shiny spirit!!!

(Thank-you for reading this article!)

My passion is writing. Everything I write about is geared toward things that I deeply cares about—experiences, thoughts, drama, and emotions. A full-time mom to two handsome boys—11 and 4—I built a career around insurance underwriting and later, teaching of English literature and language in high school, before vanishing into full-time mommy responsibilities. I believe that life is not meant to be serious all of the time, and that we should have fun as much as we can. Besides writing, I enjoy watching spy network series and living it up by creating laugh memes with my two lovely young boys!

To follow my work on.

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The reason I love myself more than anybody else and why I feel that is important!

I think life gets easier once you find your strong meaning or purpose.

For some, this means even spending your life, searching for this purpose.

I started having this conversation with myself- regarding purpose and it helped me understand what degree I should take, what careers I should explore.
My life’s purpose is to help myself first. Finding my own purpose is an extremely personal and lengthy journey and I started by asking myself “what makes me happy” “what makes me fulfilled” “what could I spend my life doing” “if I look back on my life when I’m old, what do I hope to have achieved”
I have read and experienced in significant ways that my life is built by what I make it, I am the author of my own story and that I have the obscure power to decide where I let life lead me.
No matter what anyone says, we all deserve happiness. It is not selfish, we may avoid making a gaudy show of it, certainly. I deserve to put myself first and clear my mind and body of stress and diseases.

While I have been fortunate, lived up mostly close to the images I carried in my wishlist, I have known friends who desired to bend the rules for the longest time. Many live a compromised life, by picking a degree that made others happy, choosing to sacrifice their own needs in order to meet those of others and in worst case scenarios they are morose about life and give up all hope.

This isn’t healthy, this isn’t what life is about. I may have moments and sometimes weeks of dip in my intention and effort. I am human.

Photo by Tracy Adams from Unsplash

And I am enough. I sit with that thought everyday. truly consider it and what that means.
It is nobody’s idea but my own when it comes to making the final decision on what I truly want from myself. The curiosity and in some cases, the ignorance or even indifference of others must not overwhelm me. In a time of crisis, the best of us lose sight of our boundaries and that of our loved ones. However when it comes to difficult times, the people who matter most will be supportive and understand.

I have learnt that ones who have an honest connection with me will surely understand.

I realised the law of attraction is so real. Once I started seeing the beautiful in myself, others see it and admire it as well.
We all have so many silent admirers, people who fall a little in love with you when they see you on the street, in a bookshop, at a cafe or even in a parking bay.

The world gets a little better every time you actualise kindness and act with love. We are all human, you never know what others are going through. Smile at a stranger, wave thanks to people in traffic, appreciate customer service. It’s the small acts that add up.
I am consumed by an appreciation for the simple. Again, I believe in competition. Without competition, the brain would be a dead organ. But it ought to be healthy competition. Where I give it a go, I sweat it out, I release all that I withhold. The result thereof must only temporarily stay with me. That’s all there is to it. These are my favourite words of wisdom for my elder son.
I want to be gentle with myself.

I wish to take more deep breaths and perform more compassionate acts towards myself first.
Because of all the people in the world, I love myself first and most.

(Thankyou for reading the article!)

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Why you must not worry too much, about not being able to get anything done…

“The idea of divine inspiration and an aha moment is largely a fantasy. Anything of value comes from hard work and unwavering dedication. If you want to be a good artist you need to look at other artists, make a lot of crappy art, and just keep working.” — Sydney Pink

Whether you’re a painter, food artist, singer, sports writer, web designer, photographer, or another type of artist – there are going to be days where you find it extremely difficult to create something.

Few days ago, my mind was worried and I was caught up in a cycle of stress about other things.
It was a basket of mixed feelings I had.
At times, Iam inspiration-less, where I have the motivation but just can’t think of anything good to do. At other times, Iam motivation-deprived, where I have the idea but just don’t really wanna.
The last and my least favourite but most familiar state, where Iam so pumped to get this thing done! But there’s that other thing, and, your show is on, or your kids steal you, you figure that you are listed at other jobs, and you’ll just do it tomorrow.
The last one is most of us.
Soon, I wasn’t surprised that I was struggling to create anything at all!

Motivating yourself to be productive isn’t always easy. Some days, boredom takes over and the last thing you want to do is strike off your to-do list. Maybe I have a hard time motivating myself to do chores around the house or exercise or start that big plan for work. But whatever tasks I struggle with the most, it’s possible to overcome laziness and be my most productive self at home, at work, or wherever.
I have been writing for a while now and when I look back at some of the things I wrote a few months or even a year ago, I see how much my skills have improved and my thought process and style has taken some decent shape.

If you are an artist, you’ve had days where you hit a wall with your creativity. You don’t know what to paint, you’re not sure where to start, and you don’t really have the motivation to create anything. You have zero inspiration. Sound familiar?

Having said this, recently I figured a light hearted solution to my problem. I roped in, my elder son. We decided that each one of us will execute a productive act before the end of day, each day. At the end of the day, we must talk to each other about what we did. This, I thought, would atleast encourage my ‘son’ to become more disciplined about his days. Over a week I learnt that I was embarassing myself. Interestingly, he took the deal quite seriously. Recording my excuse everyday was getting harder and so was to expect him to believe the same ones, over and over.
Try this for yourself. I assure you the urge to procrastinate itself will dwindle. This is how I got over with it. I cannot guarantee this method for all of you out there but believe in yourself and always think of what you care for the most in this world before doing anything.

My best advice for anyone, if you’re art blocked and feeling uninspired to create your specific art that you excel at, is to do another kind of art. Paint with actual paint and brushes, make paper crafts, record some music, repaint a picture, edit a video, sculpt something, decorate a notebook, sew something, make a comic, look at memes, start a youtube channel with a new theme.. just like do something you don’t do every single day and it’ll feel new and cool and fun and inspiring.

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Somedays, kindness is the only remedy!

Do you ever feel so absolutely disinclined to do things?

Like it ain’t even postponement or laziness anymore, you just physically and mentally can’t bring yourself to do anything. It is like I really, really just wish to binge watch Discovery Plus, my favourite channel, until my mind numbs completely or lie on the bed and stare into the abyss.

And it’s not like I don’t have “motivation” or anything or even that I don’t want to do it, it’s just..I can’t. I don’t know, how people just do things randomly, get up and go at it. I have to have an entire existential crisis and like, read a goddamn motivational passage or something first before I do the smallest thing on a particularly difficult day and it’s June for God’s sake. ..and not much of monsoon to help ease the heat.

And just at times as these, sometimes I am immovably sunken. I just want someone to be kind and ask me how Iam doing and genuinely. It feels so good to be kind. We are all, rowing our heavy bars through the tough waters. We all hesitate.

But we are hopelessly looking for kind souls. It’s the warm feeling you get when someone tells me that I look nice today, or that I did a good job, or that my voice sounds lovely, or that the dinner I put together was delicious, or how I always laugh at their jokes.

It’s the warm feeling you get when they respond bashfully, or surprised, with that small smile and a thankfulness that shines in their eyes. It feels so good when someone is kind to you.

When it feels like the effort you put into the world is seen and acknowledged and appreciated. It feels so good when you’re able to make someone feel that wonderful.
It is certainly one of the best ways to build connections, if only for those few minutes that you’re in conversation with the other person.
All I want to do sometimes, on these days, is to put one foot in front of the other and be grateful.

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This is why I love being around you!

People who are seen as 'nice' are often interpreted as weak or passive.

It's possible that there are some passively nice people out there, but in my experience, most of the nicest people I know are stubborn, angry, articulate, active, wildly intelligent and deeply caring. They bring immense effort to being pleasant, helpful, useful and supportive, even sometimes to just not saying the mean thing, even though it would be easier. Perhaps even because it would be easier.

And for some of us it can be really damn hard but goddamn, we are trying.
Iam not saying that leaving a stupidly high tip for your waitress at the diner just because it's Tuesday, would fix things and make your sads go away forever. But perhaps it will help. Sometimes just to be nice. Just to be good.
Sometimes it is really damn hard, but the point is to try.
I just do what I feel like doing, that's it for me.

Frankly most of us rarely face such compelling circumstances that aren't of our creation.
Iam going to talk about myself here, as an illustrative example.
Many of my friends are genuinely, quite fervent in their conviction that Iam a good person. This is a result of many conscious decisions and deliberate actions, I perform, of a good person.
Some of my friends are also aware of another side of me. Because there is bound within, also the capacity of mundane evils. These go unexpressed because I so choose. It is a slow lesson.
I've always thought of it like a campfire. You can't just toss some wood in a pit and make fire: it will fizzle out assuming it even starts. You have to nurture it, slowly feeding it more and more until it's ready for the big logs. Then I have got a fire that will last. Being good, I understood is the same way. You start with the small things: holding the door open for the person right after you( this is a big one..no one likes the door coming back rushing to their face), tidying up your own mess wherever you are, supporting your friend's business.
Then come the big ones: listening to someone's troubles, not snapping back when someone insults you (this I have come a long way), smiling first when you lock eyes with strangers accidentally. Like in the case of great fire, this kindling is necessary for great friendships, I am learning.
It all comes down to personal choice. Keeping away from negative vibes, slowly, politely and then permanently, is my favourite game these days.

This was a huge comfort to write and aah, I really hecking needed it!

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Random feelings inside an elevator!

Are you an elevator person? Do you walk into the elevator comfortably and hang out with the rest of them peacefully and in total union with the silence, till your destination arrives? Or are you among the ones, who see it as a suspension of their autonomy and in want of breathing space and involved in high intensity observation of the eeriness that has walked in presumably 'with' you?

For some of us, with no obvious means of escape, we just stand there in silence with a raging inner monologue within us.

I am the apt candidate in topic here. There was a time, I used to feel particularly uncomfortable in standing so close to someone and not being able to say a hello to them. I would see them almost everyday and while the social contract would say it's okay to nod and smile, have an exchange of mild greetings, there is a thick part of the population which hates to be exposed to either a stimulating conversation or perhaps gazing eyes at close quarters or the mightiest one of all, which I feel all the time, that they may not be interested in a conversation with me, anyway.

That sheer state of helplessness and hanging in the air feeling which some people exhibit is hugely supported by their actions when the elevator lands. They explode through the doors as if they were buried alive beneath six feet deep soil and were gasping for air.

This is besides many of us who figure out a way to check on their notifications, if signals do exist that is, or have a quick peak into their everflowing mailbox.

Worse, when you enter the elevator midway from the floor between, and are made to feel like a criminal, for bringing any ongoing conversation between the occupants to an abrupt end.

I have claustrophobia and Iam not the best candidate for an experiment but considering that a worry always nags me inside a lift anyway...of God forbid, being mortally stuck inside...I hence am a  great admirer of people who smile instantaneously and invite me with a warm hello which I assure becomes a claustrophobic's favourite moment and the invitor, a forever favourite liftmate.

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The woman waiting outside the men's fitting room!

Ever had an embarassing moment, something you felt extremely stupid about? Downright awkward moment?
I think that I possibly attract ‘awkward’.

I usually avoid trial rooms and hence as a fallout of that –buying clothes from a store is minimal. Iam lazy. And not very popular at home with that one.

But the enthusiasm is good when the husband has his day. Quite naturally, formal shirts have to be tested on person, for the right fitting.
One day, he makes his pick and walks towards the trial room- stylishly spaced, with light weight cabinets, classy lighting like all high end business clothing stores are. He chose a couple of them I guess. I asked him that he show me once, after he wears it.
With nothing much to shop for or do around, I thought I would make a good use of my time. I walk around admiring the gorgeous clothing racks, chic room design and everything fashionable. I actually forgot to follow him.
After looking around for say ten minutes, I desired to see a first cut, of how dapper he looked.
I presumed that I looked like a shopping mall cliche- waiting outside the fitting rooms, like I was on trial. I was the only person doing the wait.

It was not an ordeal since I had plenty of room to walk and the soundtrack was one of my favourites like the ones from Spotify. I presume I gambled with the door and without a second thought, knocked on 2nd door and after a couple of knocks, (now when I think back- I was seemingly impatient) some other guy opened the door.

He peeped out in jeans and a hurriedly worn shirt, yet to be tucked in, with handcuffs left loose. I thought for a minute that, he might think that I was volunteering in a charity shop and I was told to keep an eye on him if he used the fitting room well or something like that.

My eagerness and angst never left my usually calm and serene looking face.
I was like, “Sorry! Looking for my husband.”
As if he wanted to ice the joke, he comes back with a smart one. He chuckled, ” Totally fine! The silence is deafening in here, right?”. I wouldn’t know whether that needed a response.
Perhaps he figured and in an attempt to ease the confusion, he gives me some value added information.” I think I saw a guy walking into the tailors section. If that be whom you’re looking for!”
Rarely do you find yourself in awkward moments, feeling foolish, careless and tongue tied all at once. I had mine, in a long time.
No need to hit the gym; I’d already had a workout.

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My happy place!

I feel happiest in my skin when Iam next to you.

It’s you. I realize it now. It:s always been you. You’re the one who gives me purpose. It doesn’t matter if I used to spend every day of my life without significant desire, now you make me want to live longer. I want to have more time by your side. On days that were difficult, I wanted to touch your skin with my cold hands so you make it warm.

I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to meet you in this world full of people. And I promise, I will never let you go. I want to make you the happiest person in the universe. I want you to feel butterflies in your stomach when I am around. I want to make you smile and feel like life is beautiful. Just like you made me feel the first time you kissed me. I saw it from the beginning and I realize it more now.

My life has been brilliant, since the first day I looked deeply inside your eyes. It was you then and it’s you now. It’ll always be you.

You know, I do not express my emotions to the world vividly. Life has been both challenging and kind. I have felt happiest in my skin with one or two closest friends of mine. I do want to give thanks to the people I’ve met, and the people who brighten my inner space.

This year I’ve met a lot of fresh people, some in real life as well as just online, that have lifted my spirits and been here for me whenever I’ve felt like shit. This year I started writing, I posted blogs, I am looking at starting a website and while it can be frustrating at times (when my two young boys keep me tirelessly engaged), it’s some of the best fun I’ve had, and thank you to everyone around me, spreading positive vibes, I love you.

There’s a certain group of specific people that have especially been here for me, through everything I’ve been riding on this year, around my impulsiveness and craziness and I couldn’t be more thankful than I already am to have you in my life. Meeting you all, are memories I will keep forever, and I smile when I think of all the fun we had together.

Iam happiest in my skin when, I choose to create things that can make all of yours’ everyday lives special and emotionally richer.

I am speaking about an existence, beautiful…..my life with you, my dear mate and them, lovely sunshine friends!

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Sexy books!

I don’t think steamy, sexy books get enough attention.

The world is depressing enough; sometimes, curling up with a book that will make you chuckle is just the thing you need to take your mind off  all the crazy.

I’m a huge fan of literary romance. I think its poor reputation is a tragedy, and I’ve never understood why books about violence are held in such high regard while books about sexuality are relegated to the status of poor readers choice!

I must say these books are capable of playing havoc with your creative premises. Damn, in a sexy way!

Lost in a sea of emotions!

Has it ever happened, that you started reading a book, and you couldn't resist from finishing the book as soon as possible...?

It was the only thing in mind those days , and whenever you get the time, either at work, or even during commute to work, be at home or a pleasant evening in the park, you were just thinking about a particular scene in the book.

One of my favourite book is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Khaled Hosseini’s writing in this book is so vivid that one can actually visualise all the scenes.

The reason this book occupies a special place in my memory is the recitation of heartrending paragraphs and dialogues. The complex nature of human relations against a dangerous and hopelessly fearsome backdrop makes this book not just a story of longing but also of deepest human emotions.

Khaled Hosseini in this book, indicates that the popular notion that time heals all wounds is just not true. It also drives home the assurance how friendships formed in the young age don’t perish with the passage of time.

This book explores the life of a misfit and his urge to be accepted by the society.

This book is a must read, if you have ever felt the pain of separation, if you have ever felt guilt beyond measure, if you have always been a misfit.

Reading emotionally twisted novels certainly isn't my endgame..books on spies and terror being my personal favourite...but still some of us love to be captivated by stories that reaches us on multiple levels, including longing and specially in my case, stoic relationships.

Perhaps, we like these stories because they effortlessly connect us with people and circumstances that we dream up in our own minds. That we relate them to our subconscious selves, makes the impact significantly deeper.

Do books make me cry? I would wonder sometimes, is there anything better than a good cry?
I haven't come across an experience as wonderful as that yet. But I understand, the emotional release some readers get which is so deeply satisfying that it can power them for days.

Human experience is quite similar yet reading the powerful, joyful and sometimes heart-wrenching stories of others can be a life changer.
Always, they will be a part of my growing collection.

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Falling in love..slow motion..!

Wanna hear something deep that I realised?

Have you ever heard a song a couple of times and enjoyed it or whatever but then you hear it again and you think, "damn, this is the best song I've ever heard", like you already knew it existed but for some reason it really hits you, that one time and you are like wow, I wanna hear it again, so you play it again and you think, you're only gonna play it once more, but then you play it again,and again and again.

You fall in love with the beat, you fall in love with the rythm, you fall in love with the lyrics and everything about it. You can't get enough of it. It's constantly in your head and all that you want hear is your song.

I think that's what it is like to fall in love. You know about that person for a while but one day something about them catches you off guard.

Then, you start talking about them and you wanna keep talking to them... so you do, which is like putting it on repeat. Then you fall in love with their eyes, you fall in love with their smile, you fall in love with their personality, you fall in love with everything about them, you can't get enough of them, they are constantly in your head and all you want is your time with that person.

I think falling in love is like discovering your favourite song.

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A maid affair!

I was having a routine morning.

The garbage collected inside the house has to be kept outside the main door. Due to the extreme vigilance the society was observing because of quite a number of infected residents in the neighbourhood, a decision was taken to maintain hygiene at all levels including among the house keeping staff, who would pick up the garbage on alternate days. I must humbly admit that Iam quite popular with most of the housekeeping ladies. Perhaps years and months of honest enquiry on their regular general wellbeing as I pass them, coupled with a genuine passing smile has worked, obviously in my favour. They are always ready to help. They may even state, I rarely ask for help.

My popularity among my society's housekeeping and househelper staff is a five rated individual performance. Perhaps, they saw me like I wanted to be seen. No expectations of forced conversations and by nature of their ever challenging personal lives, they possess an understanding to let people be.
Mostly, as she was busy sweeping and dusting, transforming my abode into a cleaner place, I had the luxury of stretching myself and sprawling on the couch.
I miss my maid precisely for reasons beyond the normal. She was a buddy. She calls me 'didi' in hindi vernacular, which is a respectful connotation and widely used regardless of age structure.
I remember the tasks she used to attempt daily, in mechanical fashion.
Clean the kitchen: open the windows, collect all refuse, wipe the top of the refrigerator and work surfaces, wash, dry, and put away dishes, wipe off the surface of range, clean spilled food from drip pan or oven, dry damp work surfaces, sweep and mop the kitchen floor, take out the garbage and put in a clean liner, clean sink and dishcloth, collect and wash soiled towels, hang fresh towels.

Remember the famous scene in 'Sex and the City 2', where Charlotte confesses her biggest fear after suspecting her husband of having an affair with the nanny? She was not worried about losing her husband, what gave her sleepless night was her fear of losing the nanny. The same goes for our maids! They have come a long way of being just helpers. We need them for everything: someone to speak about your day to, understand what's happening in the world around us, gain some perspective about reality, figure how to get my old pressure cooker repaired and what not.

While her duties are many, and, to one nervous and fretful helper, they turn out exhausting…for some those tasks are mere trifle, to be laughed at and forgotten.
Mine is a nuclear family and Iam left to myself, my good space and my books, after everyone has gone out to meet their life..

I began to enjoy the comfort of chatting up with her and seeing her adore my library like it meant a wholesome to her as well. She knew over a period of time that I like to consume three cups of tea by 11 morning and that I like the rooms dimly lit with curtains drawn over a cleaned space giving it an aesthetic feel.

She became integral to my life as much as any other feel good elements that I have the fortune of enjoying daily. Some even call her ‘family’. Your routine gets upset if she doesn’t turn up. And while you feel it’s easy to throw your weight around at her, you probably need her more than she needs you — your domestic help/maid.

While I have heard stories about bosses from hell who make for terrible homeowners, most of us are far better employers- sane and practical. However, unlike our year-end appraisal, we have probably never sat her down and asked her for feedback.
In an attempt to comprehend her situation better, I sat down today, to write about my pleasant times, with her around…about how she added meaning to my life, in her own little way. Memory can be fleeting and written notes can protect them.
Let me call them … thoughts about my 'domestica'.

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Hey weather..you make me smile!

This is my weather. The charm of monsoons gets to me with apparent ease. If it were not for my shy demeanour, I could do a rain dance like the carefree and joyous Geet from the movie Jab we met! 

I love the rain...the smell of the wet streets and the sight of dripping leaves... the sound of the raindrops splashing on my windows and balcony... the fogginess and wetness in the air. I love the overwhelming darkness of the sky. People may often not enjoy such weather. You see a different side of people. You see a different side of the world.  Gloom, joy, happiness, worry, fears, troubles. The rains bring all alive. What’s not to love?

For some, it is a strong love affair they have with the rainy season. ...  From creative writing to penning of songs, from painting to lateral thinking, the rain stirs something soulful within us.

Ever attempted a walk in the rain with your loved one?  While at most times, it may appear silly..a walk in the rain has innocence, romance, adventure, excitement.. all rolled into a single inexplicable emotion.

There's something gratifying about walking through the rain without anything as a barrier between you and the falling heavens. 

  I dont mean the unending pattern of  severe lash that floods the balcony, , but typical showers that occur at unexpected times that give me a whiff of that deep earrh smell. While yes, I look for ways to be involved and feel good about myself and my life even during incessant weather. 

For some, there is a natural tendency to wish the rain would cease so life can get back to normal, yet there’s an assuring relief in the realization that everybody is in the same situation of having to deal with the weather. That’s comforting  knowing that most are experiencing the “what-do-I-do-now” dilemma.

On the side shelf, there is always a book I’m either in the process of reading or looking forward to get started on. The tough part is finding an hour or so to immerse myself in reading. Either too much to do, sometimes honestly nothing left to do but extreme laziness to look away from stress causing inaction and then after all the day has passed..can’t keep my eyes open long enough at night to make much headway. Today i spent some time with my younger one, loading his truck with little cars and shooting them off the ramp to set blaze the creative race track. I generally feel more creative afterward.

With all the chaos that a rainy day can bring, a constant patter of rain serves to remind one to take a break, to stop the whirlwind of activity everyone is sometimes prone to.

Just another season...sometimes overwhelming but also its own kind of beautiful!

Hey, what's up..buddy!

1. Human 1: Hey! What's up?

Human 2: " hey! Going on" (most common response, Iam more or less sure 99% of people say that)

2. Human 1: Hey! What's up?

Human 2: "The sky" (smart person answer: also: "the ceiling" or, "da roof")

The second one sounds more like my son.

There are some annoying social protocols that are non-rational (i.e. not irrational, but not rational, either -- just there). This is one of them. I find it quite irritating.

Sometimes I suspect, most people who say this phrase(or equivalents, like "How's it going?") don't want a true, non-terse answer. They simply want to fulfill the "mutual acknowledgement protocol."

Believe me, in my case it could lead to few minutes of nerve-wreaking mysterious silence, or if you really take the initiative, it could lead to a nice conversation.

It's bothered me before because I couldn't answer it. But depending on the situation, "what's up" will be interpreted differently.

As such, I stick to neutral and short responses which is socially acceptable. "Not much. How 'bout you?" "Great day. Hope you're having one too." "Enjoying the weather." "Looking forward to the weekend." Or anything along those lines.

I generally vary it up, sometimes coming up with a date-specific response in advance. Otherwise you risk appearing unfriendly due to a disingenuous/unoriginal/stock response.

I find it peculiar.Sometimes, the wrath on their face builds up as they know they are approaching the answer which they weren't willing to gather with great interest anyway. At other times, it is fuelled by a comical 'I-dont-know-what-else-to-ask-you-first' look pasted on the face. And them I imagine, either they quite don't enjoy knowing me or obviously the person asking is either bored and wrote 10 messages like that to other people, or has little imagination.

I have special affection for people who come up with an endearing 'how are you doing! Hope you are well! So nice we meet today!' It's almost romantic and filled with an assurance that the person did indeed like seeing me.

Over the years however, my expectations are stoically aligned with the larger choice. And I gradually adjusted to the knowledge that..the most common answer to what's up is “I am fine, thank you, what about you?” 

I have begun to assume that irrespective of what the person who is asking intends, they are enquiring about my well being, at that very moment.  And as for my answer..yeah! I have worked on a bunch of alternate responses, sometimes hilarious, based on the age of the person. It may start from a 'Life is good' ...or a 'not much, what's up with you?'...to 'same 'ol'...and then inching towards a pressing 'everything that's supposed to be' or an ouch! 'we're gonna find out soon enough'. And there is always that person to whom I might say..'aah! Shit you know... living the dream!'

love and Pain!

Some of us, walk through the world anticipating pain through the rejection of who we are, since we are inherently flawed. Every interaction I have with the world is viewed through this discoloured lens, and therefore supports my feeling that at times, I am unworthy of love or acceptance. This anticipatory pain is endless and vast. This is true for all of us.  I have begun to notice those thought patterns that support my feeling. I change my thought process to one that allows for my worthiness. 

This is the hardest work I've ever done, and I hope it demonstrates my strength and resilience.

Why I love the Meraki life!💙

I read in books often about emotional displays.. how it hurts at night and apparently howling into your bed at 2am is the idyllic alternative to being heartbroken.

But see, sometimes it’s 8am on a Tuesday morning..the shot of dusty sunlight, warm breeze and tea whips you at the start of day and you are standing at the kitchen bench waiting for the toast to pop up, errands lined up, endless meetings that cease to bring value to relationships, you miss purpose and promise and you miss everything so much..you don’t know what to do with all that sadness and nightmares..

You make promises and keep secrets of others, you can read their faces and wish to let people know how much you want to be the part of them, but you just stand there, pretend and stay hidden from all, along.

Very soon you push it away…until the thoughts visit you again in the evening while you sit amongst a pile of clothes to be folded or take a ride to the neighbourhood stylist, to fix your lovely hair.

It follows you everywhere.. all the way back to bed.

My favourite escape!

Waking up to a good thunderstorm is just what I needed. I find the rumble of the thunder and the sound of the rain hitting the sheets is so peaceful; and that soft grey stormy late evening glow. 

I love being able to sit and hear the rain slamming down on the floor of my balcony. Lightning is beautiful. Thunder shakes me to the core . Watching rain wash down in sheets over the windows is also just something I could watch forever. Do you too find the rain, clouds, and thunder soothing, grounding and gorgeous.?

#rainonme #firstshowersoftheseason #chasingemotions #foreverinlove #seasonoflove ❤

The compliment beautiful!

When Mark Twain said "I can live on a compliment for two months" and Victor Hugo said "a compliment is something like a kiss through a veil" and Luc de Clapiers said "If people did not compliment one another there would be little society"...they meant so much good.

I don't think I can put in words just how much kindness gets to me. like seriously, when people say nice things to me or do nice things for me it makes me feel so warm and happy inside and i like never forget it. 

I seriously think about random nice things people have said to me all the time. The lesson is to keep my opinions to myself and be nice to people. I have often thought how strange I must look to most people because no one ever really gets to know whats on my mind. I rarely say.  

Let's say the awkwardness gets all over me so much, that I keep my opinions to myself and what spills out could at most  leave the party with ruthless conviction that I ain't got an opinion or am not in for a social cause backed by coarse words. 

My words can have such a positive and warm effect on someone's life. I have learnt this with enthusiastic practice and self-demos. I need this reminder too, sometimes. A compliment can go a long way. :-) 

The other day I tried something on my elder son. I told hin that I found him cool.

That he embodies all the best qualities of each Hogwarts house, rolled into one.

And, aah..his comeback was a cheeky one.

" Mumma, truth be told, you are so adorably wierd with your examples all the time.. that you are simply great."

Damn.

beautiful little things💙

Keeping my bucket balanced. Radically late nights, documenting Netflix releases, making time for fun and laughter, eating healthy enough to maintain appropriate energy and otherwise making time for recovery from the pressures of life.

Lately short stories/nonfiction interest me, captivated also by the art of writing essays, as a reader who gets fascinated by the author’s writing style most of the time, I’m discovering it as an inspiration for my short notes and my eager attempts to write a book.

Engaging the stoic perspective💙

Some of us like the strength that stoic philosophy brings about. The reading materials are insightful and spine building, without doubt.

But living in this practical world, stoicism can be irritating. For example, it can be funny when someone tells me that my desires are futile. And I woukd cry, if I were to be told that boredom and emptiness must be my daily engagements, to find strength in my person. Ouch. 

Buddhism would be a better option as it comes with compassion for others and mind/action control with its Karma concept. It's soft. Sometimes has romance in it🙃

Some of Stoicism is like common sense but very handy to soothe you if you are having a terrible time all the way in your life.

Stoicism talks about focussing only on what we can control like thoughts and actions.

Stoic philosophy? I’d say yes, it has made me mentally tough — but I still prefer Buddha’s holistic and deep spiritual journey.

Everyone goes through rough patches in life and to my mind, any reading that calms the mind, is terrific support. Why bother about schools of thought.

I particularly like what Nassim Nicholas Taleb says..

Stoicism is about the domestication of emotions, not their elimination.

The link attached is quite interesting too! Hope you find life in it..

Take care!

Magical people!

I like people speaking so passionately but with humility, about everything they believe in. It is honestly so beautiful...the simplicity. I enjoy what I become, when Iam with them, in that moment. It adds value to knowing them. Mostly, I look up to them.. even if I may not tell them  in so many words at that time.

Its my favourite experience when i know someone for a while and get a chance to see their face light up while they talk about their favourite thing, the sudden shift from conversational vernacular to subject specific jargon and language is like whiplash but in a good way.

Engaging the stoic perspective💙

Some of us like the strength that stoic philosophy brings about. The reading materials are insightful and spine building, without doubt.

But living in this practical world, stoicism can be irritating. For example, it can be funny when someone tells me that my desires are futile. And I woukd cry, if I were to be told that boredom and emptiness must be my daily engagements, to find strength in my person. Ouch. 

Buddhism would be a better option as it comes with compassion for others and mind/action control with its Karma concept. It's soft. Sometimes has romance in it🙃

Some of Stoicism is like common sense but very handy to soothe you if you are having a terrible time all the way in your life.

Stoicism talks about focussing only on what we can control like thoughts and actions.

Stoic philosophy? I’d say yes, it has made me mentally tough — but I still prefer Buddha’s holistic and deep spiritual journey.

Everyone goes through rough patches in life and to my mind, any reading that calms the mind, is terrific support. Why bother about schools of thought.

I particularly like what Nassim Nicholas Taleb says..

Stoicism is about the domestication of emotions, not their elimination.

The link attached is quite interesting too! Hope you find life in it..

Take care!

https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/stoic

there come the monsoon clouds....!!

Clouds are something we are so familiar with, that we hardly pay attention to them. Or are you among those who can spend hours watching them? In their different shapes and colors, they look, yes, beautiful.

Though they make look like giant puffs of cotton balls, clouds are actually collections of water droplets. To the human eye, they appear to take on shapes of whatever our imagination can conjure up.

Their traveling across the skies is a delightful sight. Their varied shapes mean different things to different people. They scatter light and paint the sky in varied colors. Some associate clouds with just the regular movement of the sky's associate while others relate them to beauty, art, and magnificence. It is interesting how they manifest so many different emotions or states of mind.

These clouds came floating into my life today, no longer to carry rain or usher storm alone, but to add color to my sunset sky.     

Guilty on a Sunday!

A Sunday looks beautiful traditionally, when spent buying fresh flowers, having breakfast in bed, a long soak in the bath, curling up on the sofa to read a book, baking a cake, a walk along the river, a yoga class, an afternoon of dancing around your living room to your favourite music...etc.

Its a day to indulge in guilty pleasures. Everybody has them perhaps.I have a handful too.
At the top of my list is to do nothing, while I sit in my balcony and look at the sky. Honestly, I am doing this more often for therapeutic reasons. The sky has supernatural powers. One who does this, certainly already knows it. If I add a wine to the mix it's even better.I love reading books. Anytime. Passionate love stories and middle east complicated love, in particular-  are my favourite. 

I don't know how I built a taste for them. I think I have a handsome collection there.

Those who know me, clearly know that one of my biggest pleasures is have hearty, sometimes honest, philosophical chats...with the couple of closest I have. Iam a different person with them. I thank god for you guys.

I love my blog. It is an outlet for me to share fun things Iam thinking and  it makes me happy to share my happy thoughts.When you have two young children hanging out with friends, almost always, becomes a guilty pleasure.  I love the time I get to hang out with friends; whether its for dinner, happy hour, a phone chat, or a stay over.Sunday for me becomes a difficult day of the week.As some people say, anticipation of what lies ahead can be much worse than the real thing—which, in this case, is the week ahead. On Saturday, you're all gung ho about the weekend, but as the hours creep further and further into Sunday, you get a case of what's been dubbed "the Sunday scaries." What do you have going on this coming week? Are you ready? How can you prepare yourself for the five days of work ahead?Me. I wish to unplug from the internet this week perhaps.. Take a break from scrolling on social media or obsessively typing down my thoughts and enjoy the moment— or one of these other low-tech activities.I'd love to know what you're guilty pleasures are.  What do you do to survive the stress? The work week?  The crabby kids? etc?

Why I adore the night!

There is no comfort from the sky like those times when the night is slowly covered in a dark blanket and littered with twinkling stars. 
Night is a time of reflection. It’s private liberation…when I can own the world around me…in solitary comfort.
Thoughts, feelings, walks, dreams, love, slowness, time, quiet, books, seasons – all these things, which are not really things, but moments of life – take on a different meaning at night-time, where the moon emerges from the diminishing light of the sun, and we have time to reflect what life is to us, knowing that it passes, and that every bit of it, in its change and its difference, is the here and now of what we have.

Some nights, I remember my stays in my little hometown in kerala. The sky looks dazzling and mostly you are treated to the perfect dance of a million twinkling stars.

To me the night is very deep and the moon is magic. Life is too short to be all daylight. Night is not less; it's more.

Dear Disney..I love Moana💃

Ever watch children's movies..when you weren't a child anymore?

Let me start by saying I’m a real movie buff.

 I cannot think of anything better than snuggling with my kids anytime during the day, with lots of enthusiasm and drama in hand.  

As they get older, this experience is now saved more than often for the weekends but I still absolutely love it!

 Disney movies are the best, and they are definitely not just for children. They are full of inspirational and motivational quotes to help you reach for the stars and inspire your everyday life.

Children's films appeal to kids and adults alike for a reason: Each one is complete with impressive animation, clever characters, hilarious one-liners, and heartwarming stories. 
Are you like me and you’ve seen the Disney movie Moana a million times?
I'm currently obsessed with the theme song to this movie, so powerful.
Iam super impressed with Moana, Grandma Tala, and Maui!
I took my son to see it in the theaters not long after it came out and I loved it.  We’ve watched it a few times since then and it’s a movie that we can all enjoy together as a family. 

Moana is a movie about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. The inspiring story of a girl from the Pacific Islands who partnered with the demigod Maui to restore the heart of a goddess has captured the heart of many.

Moana should be your mindset coach. 

We wound up with Moana in our movie collection by accident. Eventually we probably would have bought it on purpose since we plan to get all of the princess movies, but it was not high on our list at the moment. Nothing against Moana, but we had been focusing on collecting all of the Marvel and Star Wars movies for awhile since that’s what my son is into at the moment.

Anyway, Moana wound up in our collection thanks to my girly love for the Disney Movie Club. It’s the best outcome of my fandom in a long time. Maybe ever, I can’t remember. (Ha. Get it?)

I love this movie. I adore this movie. I want to watch this movie everyday and make everybody watch it. Everyone. Young, old, man, woman, dog, cat, everyone.

I was watching it the other day with my family and decided it was time to write a blog post and tell all of you why you need to watch this movie. I can’t let it go anymore because Moana is too right on target for my message

Live like Moana.

I highly recommend picking up the Moana soundtrack too. The music is fun- my 4 year old loves dancing to it- but it is also filled with really empowering messages.