Catch 1

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her some chips. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.

Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon, eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, " I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied! "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before her son responded, she added, " You know, he's much younger than I expected."


Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equal...

---
How true are these words... Indeed! there are so many such people I meet almost everyday.
Isn't that lovely? Thank God for them. Yet, many times they go unnoticed... and I keep searching for some good, for some joy... failing to realize that it is always there with me.
It's a funny life!
:)

Private message

I was just going through my Inbox, checking mails, as usual. Read a few, forwarded some, deleted some, and ignored some others. Checked out if anyone was online but found none. Needed to get my hands on something interesting but nothing seemed to click. An all time boring song was playing in winamp. Was just bored of all this. ENUF!!! I said. And just before I logged out, mama was here, next to me. She was curiously looking at the screen, trying to read something sensible...and probably find answers to her own questions...like, what makes me sit in front of the pc for so long. She knows that these contain jokes, pics etc. She knows about chat too. But is still curious to find something more...obviously, every mother would.

Just then, before I notice, a mail...(so-and-so)has sent you a private message dropped right at the top my Inbox.

There it was, on top, like the latest headline of the day, clearly noticeable.

God!!! I thought, as I looked at the screen...shocked!!!

Never had I seen a mail with such a title.

Motionless, I was, for a while...probably wondering how, why and what this individual contained.

It was playing its solo instrumental on my mind...BANG! BANG! BANG!

I tried to scroll the page up n down, but nothing seemed to work.

She read it out for me, loud and clear, with deepened curiosity.

Woo! I had to open it.

Both of us were looking at the screen. Even the screen must have wondered what was on it!

Ah! To my relief, it just had a link...an invitation to join another virtual community.

God! Who gives such weird titles to such mails!!!

Forgive them lord for they do not know what they do, enlighten them with some basic knowledge (like how to give appropriate titles) and save us too as we become prey to mails like these.

:)

vacating the mind of vacation thoughts

Yeh hawa, kehti hai kya, samjho, meri jaana, meri jaana...

This is the song I must have played more than 15-20 times in the past few days…just love to hear it, hum it, listen to it, utter it and that’s it…I said…that’s it!

THAT’S IT echoed somewhere in the back of my mind. But there it was, on my lips…I was singing it again! :)

[smiling]…dil kya kare jab kisiko..

Pata nahi kyun…but the state of my mind might just be the right reason for me to sing yeh hawa…an unsteady, wondering state of mind.

These holidays have been no different from the past ones…(the semester vacations received in bits, of which you can hardy relish a byte) and yet very different. It included every basic characteristic from each of its ancestors > some work that needed to be done like… cleaning the wardrobe, the book shelf etc. > taking a look at the messy room and attending to it > the unplanned trips…forming fond memories > irregular visits and meetings…that keep you involved for most part of the day and give you a feeling of WOW! I’VE DONE SOMETHING > the rain…yes, the lovely continuously pouring rain, which creates a pleasant atmosphere with the sound of every drop, cutting off all your meetings while it comes to meet the earth!! > and other times…really long ones…which leave you wondering as to what to do next…leave you with one big question mark…bigger than yourself, bigger than your world > and then a few efforts to write something that went in vain…which now I guess is undone :) And then there was some placement activity too.

A glass of water in this vessel and another in that. One, for the noodles she wanted, and the other for my tea. Ah! Chores apart..

So, here I was supposed to be enjoying my holidays and they continued…without ever stopping the search…the search for something that was missing, something that was making me anxious all the time.

Mama, I cry, she isn’t here. And by the time she comes, I’ll be fine.

To phir aaaoo...is the song running on tv and I decide to stop here…got-to go have the refreshing cup of tea :)

That day, @ the wedding…

We had an invitation to a Hindu wedding...and after quite a lot of discussion we all agreed to go. Since the sky was clear that morning, it looked a pretty dry n sunny day. Little did we know that it would start pouring just when we had to leave. Anyways, we reached the place in time. It was a very big hall with as big dining room sufficient for accommodating about 500 people. hmm...and I was wondering when the Pujari-ji would finish his lullaby.

Then, at an unexpected instance, a young lad came forth to meet my dad. I didn’t know him and was just looking at him. He was well...a very good looking, descent fellow and probably friendly too...NEVER JUDGE SOMEONE SO QUICKLY. He looked like a smart young man well eligible for one of those ‘Raymond’ ads.

As I was wondering who he might be, dad asks us both…do u know each other?...I quickly said NO. So then after the briefest intro...(so I felt...coz I din have words to speak at that moment)...and some hi/hello...he left.

Then later, quite some time before we left the function, he came again...this time to meet mom...again there just could not be any talk between us...obviously all were around. Naa..that's a lame reason, just that I didn't speak up. He was an ambitious person...wants to be an IAS officer. Saw him walk off...n ya, he walked pretty well too...smart gait.

Well, finally let me introduce him to you...He is the son of my dad’s best friend...to whom I was talking when he came...for a moment I felt like saying, “wow uncle, is that your son?!!”.

well..all this apart...some people leave an imprint on the mind...n that's what has got me into writing this post.....balle balle!! jeeyo unke lal :D

:)

The lucky soul

Once upon a time in history,

Born in a holy city,

To a noble couple with hearts so sweet,

Was this princess, whom now you meet…

I actually don’t know what happened then,

May be I looked like the chick of a hen.

Coz my cousin used to pull my leg,

Down to the floor, from the bed.

A kid he was and very dear,

Whose birthday I didn’t miss, even in his first year.

We fought at times, but the victory was mine,

I am sorry I say, for those childish days.

With all love and care bestowed,

Only joy to me was showed,

And when a loud cry echoed the street,

Every heart with a soul would beat.

And I always got a treat

Of chocolates…very very sweet.

Which did rot my teeth...but they were really very sweet.

Then at school my friend I found,

And turned into a smile, my lazy frown.

There I learnt how to mingle,

And spread smiles to every single.

Always waited for vacations to come near,

More than that to meet my mate so dear.

To sing and dance and play all day,

And to share secrets, I must say!

She, then, had two little surprised eyes,

Now, has grown with grace and poise.

I was admired all these years,

And now it’s my turn to admire her :)

And in between a star was born,

Much more noble than the old.

It stuck on my face a smile so tight,

Which no power of the world could wipe.

I wish you luck and blessing so strong,

So that you may never go wrong,

And if ever, always grow strong.

Life indeed has silently,

Many a lessons to me taught..

Fixed in the permanent memory,

That need not say...forget me not!

Was kept away from films, but the TV was close..

Was left alone at times, but God was close.

Was kept away from all harm, intruders got close..

Was about to slip and fall, but got awakened...this lucky soul.

With that great resistance, a power developed;

This coy became bold.

And never again would allow this happen,

Made a firm decision..untold.

Thank you dear friend for always being here

With me, sailing through cloud and clear.

Always in me you will remain..

Please make this promise once again

:)

LIFE

IN MINOR CHILDHOOD…TO BE IGNORANT,
IN MAJOR CHILDHOOD…TO BE PLAYFUL,
IN MINOR TEENS…TO BE OBEDIENT,
IN MAJOR TEENS…TO BE OBSERVANT, REASONING & LEARNING.
IN TWENTIES…TO BE SPECIALISING,
IN THIRTIES…TO BE JUDICIOUS,
IN FORTIES…TO BE WATCHFUL & THOUGHTFUL,
IN FIFTIES…TO BE FORGETFUL,
BUT ALWAYS TO BE ENJOYING
& IN THE REST of LIFE TO REMEMBER & CHERISH
THE MEMORABLE MOMENTS
TO MARCH MAJESTICALLY INTO ETERNITY.

:)

The Perfect Companion

It was a pleasant sight that dawn, when I was out in my gallery, to check out how the day looked like. I saw two little birds, kingfishers they were, with their bright blue wings and a shiny red beak, attracting my sight and possibly the other’s too. With a pale white body and two brown feet that went unnoticed, there they were, preparing a nest for their living.

I saw them once and couldn’t take my eyes off. The sight was unusual. I had never seen a bird actually making its nest, its home! It was indeed delightful to watch both of them alternately helping in carving out their house. They were making a hole in a broken mud-wall, digging out the extra unwanted stuff with the strong beak and the two quick feet.

Then, there came a time when both birds were tired and were still trying hard to complete the job. Finally, one of them couldn’t continue and stopped. Now, both of them were looking at each other and wondering what the other wanted to say. Or may be that I was wondering and the two little ones were actually conversing, in their own silent way!!! After a while, one of them again decided to continue and it did the job alone until the other joined, very soon. For a moment I wondered which one of them was the female bird. Surely, it must have been the hardworking one

The job was not that could be done in a day’s time. So, the next day I again went out, this time…to SEE if the birds were still there. And YES, they were, doing the job silently and dedicatedly.

Now, I thought, why were they building a NEW nest? May be that the old one was struck by a windfall, or was invaded by some other powerful bird, or the hot climate might have caused their migration, or that they felt the NEED for a brand new nest, just like that. Whatever the reason, they taught me one thing – that, LIFE MUST GO ON…with the same vigor and zeal as it had first begun.

Indeed, they were to each other, A Perfect Companion, I concluded!

:)

just a poem

My heart is not in pain,
Without those moments of gain;
I hope to shine sometime,
Even before I become thine;
Please show me the sunshine,
Before I loose my mind;
Please let the rain drop,
Before my eyes stop;
Help me hold on…
Until this life goes on

An oasis I want to be,
To someone who really needs me;
A useful part I want to become,
To every body that includes me;
A happy soul I want to remain,
Even when everything else is drained;
Just like you O divine,
Let my little light shine;
Help me hold on…
Until this life goes on

:)

my teacher mai

Waking up in the morning with an open mind to see what the day has in store for her, beginning the day with a regular visit to the nearby church, doing the same household chores and giving tuitions to the little ones. This is the daily routine of a 65+ years old woman called “gori-aunty”, who does not feel bored even for a while, who does not complain of any of her adversities, who considers every moment of her life as the will of God.
She never expects any favours. Instead does favours for others, may be her friends or neighbours. Sharing, especially the tasty dishes she prepares, has been her unique act which everyone in the neighbourhood must have observed. Taking one day at a time and finding joy in those activities, which she has been doing since years, is one wonderful quality in her, which I truly appreciate.
Then why do I just being a young college student at times get frustrated when things don’t go accordingly, feel disappointed when I’m not accounted for my work, get angry when my younger sister does not listen to me, feel bored in my vacations and complain when there is so much to do?
Can’t I, being educated for about 15 years now, learn a simple lesson from the not so highly educated gori-aunty?

:)