Happiness Quotient

hahahahahaah!!!!

Smile! Its the way to cure the sick, to bring out the love in a person and more importantly to make life more pleasant.

Are we able to be happy 24/7? Would it be possible?

Yes, we can be happy 24/7 and yes, it is possible.

You have to understand the reasons for the emotions in your life and why we chose to be the way we are today. For every good there is a bad and for every moment of happiness, there is a moment of sadness. 

Why?

Because there has to be a balance in the universe and without sadness, you will not be able to understand the quotient of being happy. So how can you be happy 24/7 when you are also needed to be happy?

The answer is to be happy for every moment that you will experience. There is no good or bad, you have to experience each part of life in it's entirety. The experience was gift from the universe for you to learn something new for your life and you can make the difference when you take the time to realise the reason for it's occurrence.

A while ago, I had read a message shared on whatsapp of a bird who was cursed and wanted salvation from the pain. It reads as shared below:

There was a bird who lived in the desert; very sick, no feathers, nothing to eat and drink, no shelter to live and kept on cursing his life day and night.

One day, an Angel was crossing from that desert, bird stopped the Angel and inquired ” where are you going?” Angel replied, ” I am going to meet God”.

So bird asked,” Angel, please ask God when my suffering will come to an end? Angel said, ” Sure, I will” and bid goodbye to the bird. Angel reached God’s place and shared the message of bird to Him.
Angel told Him how pathetic the condition of bird is and inquired when the suffering of the bird will end. God replied, “For the next seven lifetimes, the bird has to suffer like this, no happiness till then”.
Angel said,” When bird hears this, he will get disheartened. Could You suggest any solution for this?”
God replied,” Tell him to recite this mantra….Thank you God for everything”. Angel met the bird again and delivered the message of God to the bird.

After seven days, the Angel passed the same path again and saw that bird was so happy; feathers had grown on his body, a small plant grew up in the desert area, a small pond of water was also there, the bird was singing and dancing cheerfully. Angel was astonished as to how this happened as God said for seven lifetimes, there is no happiness for the bird’… with this question in mind, he went to visit God.

Angel asked his query then God replied, “Yes, it was written there will be no happiness for the bird for seven lifetimes but this has happened because the bird was reciting the mantra ‘Thank you God for everything’ in every situation”.

“When bird fell down on the hot sand, it said… ‘Thank you God for everything’, when it could not fly it said…’Thank you God for everything, so whatever the situation was, the bird kept on repeating…’Thank you God for everything’ and therefore the seven lifetimes’ karma got dissolved in seven days”.

The story gives us a perspective of our life and where we are heading. Do we have to curse ourselves for the negatives that happen or do we have to learn from the negatives and make it positive?

The cure to be happy is to able to smile for our own benefit and learn the reasons for the sadness in our life, accept our karmic progression and build our esteem from there on.

Come attend our one day workshop of Happiness - A Quotient and you will get to witness the best part of your life. Your Smile!

Why

I walk in the park and see many people. The faces tell me a story and I like to read these stories. 

The stories are regular features of hate, love, depression, sadness, remorse and the other parts of life. In one of my walks, I sat by a bench and was in my own thoughts when an elderly gentleman came to sit next to me. He was in pain and I could read the story on his face. Duty bound and looking to better the world, I ventured to speak with him.

"Good evening, sir! Isnt this a beautiful place to be"

I dont think he wanted to speak and shared a mute reaction to my statement. I also did not venture further as it was his choice to be on his own and I should respect it.

I sat there on my own realising we are the cause of the why!

Why did this happen to me? Why am I suffering? Why can't good things happen to me? Why am I always the loser?

The "why" in our lives is a place that we are not able to remove./We chose to make ourselves the victim rather than the winner. By questioning our situation at that moment, we forget to understand the universe and it's creation. And since we fail to understand the universe, we fail to understand ourselves.

The question we could be asking ourselves is, why was I born? why did I get to breathe life? why did the sun rise from the east and set in the west? why do plants have veins on their leaves? why do I have veins inside my skin?

Let your mind wander to the nature of truth and realisation. There is a lot, you and I can learn from nature and we can have ourselves associated with such beauty that we would realise how nature forms the part of our universe. In finding the answers to these questions, we will be better equipped to find the answers of life.

No, we do not have to become a sage or a sanyasi or wander off into the jungle to find the answers. All we need to do it take the time in the course of lives to notice people around us, notice the environment around us. See how life builds itself around us. We are part of the universe, there is a reason for our birth and our lives. Find the purpose of your life, and keep asking the why till you have a suitable answer to it.

The pursuit of the Why will bring you to the feet of your problems which you can dust and walk along with a smile.

Remember, all you need to do is ask, "Why?"

Do I have a laugh within me?

I love watching comedy shows, I love attending stand-up comedy, I love these romantic/ thriller/ action movies/soaps/ serials.

It's common to like something that come son the TV or attend a movie or play or festival of a genre. What we fail to understand is why we like these genres.

The different genres showcase a part of us that we miss, we want it in our lives but are too scared to follow it through. We may need some action, love, relationship, hate, anguish in different forms but are never able to make it possible.

Do we try to ask ourselves this question? What is i t that I would like to do in my life? Why would I spend time listening to songs that are depressing or movies that make me miserable. Knowing or unknowingly we always put ourselves into harms way by pushing the envelope too far. We are selves are not able to gauge the damage we do when we align ourselves to the ego of our body.

The soul has no attachment to the material side of life hence is always happy. The body has the sense of anger, frustration, depression, happiness, joy, sorrow, etc. These emotions are a result of our body creating a sense of loss in our minds and that doesn't allow us to control our environment. When we loose our control we create an imbalance in our emotions. This leads to that emptiness to be filled with your spike in anger, frustration, depression, etc.

The body is the second signal that will tell you how your emotions hurt you. Most cancer patients have an imbalance of anger within them. Thyroid and lower back patients are ones with submerged resentment. There are many more such examples which I will share in the next readings for your reference.

The point is, do we ask ourselves whether we are leading a soul fulfilment life or a life of mine and yours?

Do we do things that make us happy or give glory to our ego to build its esteem?

Questions we can ask the person in the mirror will give us a standing ovation when the gates of heaven open and we have to walk through.

Love 7

Love 7

It is this life that we live and we live it only once.

The happenings in the world today make one depressed with the killings, the hate, the anger and the multitude of feelings that come when we look at the news channel. In all of this, we forget to look next to us.

The house we live in, the family we share our meals with, the office we go to, the transportation we use to reach our destinations.

There is so much of love and kindness around us, we just have to touch this one part of our lives to feel blessed and the we see our world change around us.

Love is not about receiving but about giving. If each one of us could time to express the gratitude and love we have for the other, we could see a change in our lives. There is only one person who can make the change and the person is "I".

Love 7, is not a thought or an obligation. It is the 7 minutes of the day that we can spare for our family, friends, relatives, associates or well wishers. The time we take to say a good thing about them.

Imagine if you have 7 people telling you good things about your self in a day, wouldn't that be a place of heaven for you. Would you like to make this heaven for someone you know.

Spend 7 minutes to say 7 things good about the person you know. Even if it is someone you hate or dislike you may spend sometime to say something good about the person in your mind. Do not have to go and say it in the open. You can have a conversation with yourself to say something good to them.

We can change the world and its misfortunes only if we change ourselves and the people around us.

Love 7

The Drive.....

It was just another day going to work or was I mistaken?

A monday morning all ready to start the week, the car engine roared and I took a deep breath to focus my attention to the week ahead. As I reversed from the garage I could faintly remember the beautiful weekend that just passed by and how I wished it were a day or two longer.

The traffic was at its peak and was at snail's pace. As I waited at the signal I saw the beggars making their rounds at each car. A woman was carrying a child, not more than 2 years, on her waist and walking from car to car begging for money. She was using the child as a tool to persuade the occupants in the car to give her money.

I looked and wandered about the child and what would be his/her plight in all of this. He would be groomed to be a thief or a beggar when he would grow up. His life was meant to be doomed from the time he/she took his/her first breath of air and started to cry. The cry would have been of pain rather than of happiness to be welcomed into the world of misery.

I sat back and thought of the children who I had met, children of my cousins, friends, acquaintances. All those children would have had been born in the same manner as the child on the street but their destiny would have definitely been different to the child in front of me. The love, care and tenderness their parents bestowed on them would be only a dream for this little one.

If fate had played its cards right, this child could have been an asset to society. He/she could have been a writer, an actor, an engineer, a doctor or any other professional but because of the bad parenting he/she was to be in the life of misery with the goons of society.

The drive didnt last long as the thought of the child kept playing in my head and made me wonder. What could I have done to make this a better place for the children of tomorrow? How could we as the elders of today work to make the city a better place for all to live in?

If we all were to make our cities, towns and villages a safe haven for children that would be a start to ensuring our children would not have to bear the same brunt or anguish that we as children may have had to endure.

The drive to make this world a better place needs to begin and start at home. Else there would never be a home left for the future generations.

In getting up after falling, I Trust!

There is something happening in our lives everyday, sometimes we give credit to luck and the other times to destiny. The question that arises in my mind, is whether there was any destiny or any luck involved in the occurences of our lives.

There are instances in our lives when we are regretful of the actions of our past or present and the same actions result in something better happening to us. The act of loosing a friend or a spouse or a job or not doing well in the activity that we were engrossed in for a period of time. The loss of the moment creates a sense of despair in our minds which results in us being depressed and aloof from the world for the given or elongated period of time.

I dont thing this was the way it was meant to be. I have come to realise that the bad events in our life is a wake up call from the Creator/God, instructing us to do what we are here to do. We may be in a wrong profile of work which we have not been created for or we may be in a relationship that was not supposed to exist or we may not be saving a relationship that we were supposed to endure for a life time. The question of why are we here in this world and what is our purpose is made clear with all the bad events in our lives.

So if I am going through a bad phase in life, I think it would be wise to take a step back and instrospect into the reality of my strengths and the colours that need to be put on the painting. Dive deep into the realm of myself and study the creators engineering marvel and that is myself. I was not created to be a looser in any worldly sense. God created me for a better purpose.

For those who are happy in their environment, take time to look for a person who you can put a smile on. PAY IT FORWARD; do the good deed of making the next person happy. Unlike in the movie, do not stop at 3 persons but go forward to make many more lives happy. You never know when the favour will pay it forward, back to you. :)

For those who are in a place of doubt, look within and see the champion that is lying dormant. Awaken the giant and walk into the path of happiness. Remember, not all who are financially rich are happy and not all who are financially poor unhappy. Take your pick from the choice. :)

The Spirit of Success

I am simply amazed at the people I see around me everyday. The different facets of life that they come from and the work they do with the dreams which each one of them aspire for. Some of them have dreams for themselves and some dream for their families or loved ones. I happened to come across such an individual in a train journey in the local trains of Mumbai.

I had had a very bad day at work and all I wanted to do was reach home and get some rest so that I could face another day at work. I was in two minds whether to continue the job or to remain with the company to pursue my social career.

I boarded the train at Churchgate station which is the closest railway station from Nariman Point and on my way to Borivali. I was lucky to get the seat that would change the way I looked at life and the hurdles that came along with it. The train was fairly empty on a Saturday afternoon as the weekend had already started for most of the office goers. I took a window seat and sat starting out of the window and thinking of how I hated my job and the life that I was leading. Then they came in and sat right opposite me and were already in the midst of a conversation that I assumed had started sometime earlier.

There were two elderly gentlemen, Mukund and Salil, who were maybe in their late forties and were discussing about their lives and its problems. Mukund was explaining to Salil how his life was filled with problems. I was sitting in my own grief and didn’t want to hear another sob story from anyone to make me feel more disserted than I already was but I listened to their conversation since I had nothing better to do.

Mukund was describing the way he was married to a girl in his early twenties by an arranged marriage and after 5 years of marriage and a son of 2 years she passed away in a freak accident. Apparently, the driver was drunk and slammed into his wife when she was returning home late at night from her mother’s place. He couldn’t do anything to the driver since his father was in the high and mighty of the then ruling political party and had already threatened dire consequences if he had to pursue the case against him.

He was left with a 2 year old to take care of him and raise him on his own. A second marriage was out of the question as no girl wanted to be with a widower and would obviously not shower the same love on the child as his real mother. He took the responsibility of raising his child on his own and making sure he got all that he could give him.

It took a while before both of them had adjusted to the new life ahead of them. He had rarely cooked and cleaned the house or done any house hold chores as his wife had him pampered with just sitting and relaxing while she did the needful. Nor had he spent much time with his son in cleaning his diapers and making his meals. He was always the one who would put him to sleep or play with him while she would do the rest of the chores.

Working as an executive in a Multi-national company only gave him security of his job but really didn’t take care of the payments and the time that he could spend with his child. To add to it, his son had a weak immune system and was as notorious as hell. Mukund would be often called from his school telling him he is sick or injured himself. A single dad was no joke for him to handle and he was terrified. He thought of asking his parents to stay with him so that they could help with the nurturing and care of his son while he was away but that was not possible as they themselves were too old to take care of themselves. It resulted in years of running around from home to work and then from his school to various doctors who were poking into him and giving various medications to cure his son’s weak immune system.

Till the age of 7 he was always falling ill on regular intervals and his medical bills would always be a worry for Mukund. Apparently, all through it he had always kept his calm and never wondered of what the worst could bring. He had almost stopped meeting and greeting friends and all his other worldly pleasures had come to a standstill for that time. He was determined to raise his son and impart the affection of both the parents to him.

The thing that really inspired me was that all through this he and his son shared a bond that rarely a father and son would get to share in a normal family. His son went on to become a chef and was working in a leading star hotel and doing well for himself. Mukund said that his son was getting married in a couple of months and he was looking forward to it. Now he was busy with all the wedding preparations and was relieved that everything worked fine till now.

I was simply amazed on listening to this person who just managed to live an austere life for the love of his son and dedicated all his resources to let him live his dreams. He had none of his own and never in the whole conversation did he mention that he regretted anything except the loss of his wife. Although, he also stressed that because that happened he was drawn so much closer to his son that he may not have appreciated had his wife been alive today.

I did not know him from Adam but his synopsis of his life in the whole train journey made me realize the true meaning of success in life. I could never compare the success he achieved in raising and nurturing his son as a single parent with me who was leading a much more relaxed and convenient lifestyle.

A Question of How and Why?

Its very intriguing to know how a "Kundli" can actually predict your future. The astrologer or pundit sits with the charts to the time and date of your birth and describes your past and predicts your future.

I have been attracted to this form of prediction in dire needs. Also, some friends suggested it to me, assuming that I would get a little peace to know that good times are around the corner. I cannot imagine what made me go for it, but I was amazed at the way the astrologer predicted my behaviour, my eating habits, my ailments and problems that I had in the past. I was swept off my feet with the things he spoke about me and that too with just numbers in front of him.

I came out a renewed individual with the strength to say that I will be ok and things will get better. But that only lasted for the time until my mind was set into motion of reasoning with the logic shared.

If this individual was able to see the future and predict it to the dot, would not it be cheating to know what my future would be? And if he did do such a good job at predicting the future, would not everyone be in a good place who believed in the astrologers advice? Why do we have to go through the rough phase if the mantras and rituals performed to keep us safe and happy do not work at the time of delivery? If the future is uncertain in all its beings, would not I be the one to mold it with my actions and not what the "Kundli" reads of me?

There were a ton of questions that were germinating in my mind and the roots of reasoning were digging deeper with more time spent on the topic. I kept pondering on the question of why? Do I want to know the future based on the past events and how can anyone know my future and pen it down. Is that what the almighty wanted us to do or are we cheating in the exam called Life?

The thoughts of confusion and paradox theories came to light, I spoke to many people on the said subject. Some less learned than I assumed to be and some less helpful in the logic shared. The internet was loaded with so much of information on the subject that I was getting more confused than ever. With every other site contradicting each other in the commonality of the logic behind astrology and the reasons for the sadness and deprivation of happiness for a few.

Another thought came to mind, of those who were not believers of the astrology phenomenon or even atheists and of those who would not have the yearning to know their future. How would they be making decisions in their lives? Astrology is common only in Asians and knowing the future is part of the eastern culture. People in the Western world do not believe in the said structure. Why are they having better economies and lives than some of us?

There must be something to the whole theory of life. Why do some people struggle with all their decisions and the subsequent results? Where on the other hand, we know of people who were walking on air and getting anything that they dreamed of with the least effort. The 7 year itch or "Panoti"(Hindi word for bad luck)  never reaches their doorstep but resides in the walls of your house to ensure that you get troubled for the rest of your life.

I cannot understand the future and cannot understand life, but I do know that with the more "Why" that come in my quest of understanding life. The calmer and peaceful I become, not in the knowledge that I can change something but that I will have to keep learning from what life has to offer till the day that I am breathing and alive.

Silent Sound of words

"He just cannot keep his mouth shut!" "Why does she not hold her tongue, she does see who she is talking to!" "That person is so irritating that I can snap their neck"

So many times in our lives we are hurt by what or how people speak to us. We are hurt by the words that pierce our ears and make us vulnerable to the emotion of dejection and sadness. Our hearts are torn into pieces, our confidence lost. For some this is followed with tears of sorrow, for some anger and pain, and some react in a violent manner.

There is no excuse for the person who does speak the hurtful words and make us feel the way we do. but why do we let ourselves get hurt by this person. He/she may be a close friend, a relative, a co-worker, a well wisher, boss, or any one who you are speaking to. WHy do we let the words come into our stream of emotion and play with it?

There are few things that we can control and the way another person is speaking or acting is definitely not in our control. So why are we troubling our senses on the words or that are uttered by the person? There is no power in the universe that can enable us to make them stop or avoid such beings from existing. 

Fret not, for a solution does exist. We are the solutions for this problem. while we cannot control the way the others act or react to us, we have the power to shield ourselves or get immune to such words of derogation. We can make a choice, a choice to be in a place of happiness even though the given situation is not in our favour.

In a famous bollywood movie, Munna Bhai. He asks people to start a revolution called Gandhigiri, do not bother of what the other person is doing but smile and retaliate with warmth and kindness. Its easy said than done isnt it.

I have been reading a few religious books recently and am finding that forgiving the offender is much more powerful than wasting my energy on the ones who have done wrong against me. Its a burden that you let go. The day I said, "I forgive you!" I was truly and sincerely happy. You can do it, by sending flowers to the person/s or maybe a thank you card or email. Anyway possible make the other person know that there is a hope for humanity to better itself.

We are into pointing fingers at the rest of the world but we are not willing to make the transition ourselves. Why wait on the world to change? Lets rise and make the world around us a better place. 

The next time you hear those awful words that have just pierced your heart or made you feel miserable. Just say, "Thank you". Remember, this person is making you feel. He/she is making you realise that you are just human and are possibly gullible to the way of the worlds. It is ok to be Human, else you would be an insect or an animal or just a fish in the sea. You have the emotion to shed a tear, to smile, to wake up and appreciate the life you have. Which other animal on this planet is so fortunate to do so?

Just like the way we celebrate our happiness, we should take it in us to celebrate our sadness and pains as well. Lets rejoice in the silence and be the happiness that we dream of being and let not the sound of words bring out the negativity in our lives. 

:) :D 

Tongues of Thorns and Petals

"Why are you getting disturbed with what I have said? It was nothing to get angry about." I didnt realise why would she get angry with me for something as trivial as a statement, " The rice was not cooked properly, maybe next time I should make it".

Have you ever thought of why the person would get disturbed by the words that are being spoken by you. There are times when we really cant understand why people are so sensitive to the words used in our statements.

Last year, we had a case in Mumbai where a political leader passed away due to old age and a couple of girls made a very daunting remark against him on facebook. It was surprising to learn that they were imprisoned and made to endure mental anguish over the comment. The followers of the political leader took it into their stance to ensure the family and relatives of the girls were subject to public humiliation.

Luckily for them, there were high and mighty supporters who supported their freedom of speech and had the case against them revoked. The said party also had the ire of the public when the whole nation was in uproar against the said act.

I am not condoning what the girls did or praising the followers of going the right path. It was a simple statement that should not have had anything more than request to delete the comment. But think from the point of the people who read the comment and made their actions follow. If the comment was not placed in the broad forum, maybe the girls would not have been subjected to the harrowing experience for themselves and their families. Especially in an emotionally charged society as ours.

An example of this isolated case maybe just the tip of the ice berg. There are many such instances that happen in our daily lives that dont lead up to such drastic events that have a dire result. We need to look at our daily lives and the conversations that take place in our homes, offices, malls, shops, road, etc.

More than the listener, I think the person who is saying the words should be careful and not use words that may hurt the sentiment of the other. Not because of what the other person may think, but just as a matter of respect for the individual. 

The other reason for one to be careful with their words is because once it is said, it can never be taken back. The wrong words can and will be held against the person who is saying it. Examples as mentioned above and  our very own politicians who say something in public but later retract their statement. Their excuse is that the media reported it wrongly and was misinterpreted. While their example is not to be followed it is an example to learn from.

A man/woman who says one thing and does another is a person of low value and principles. Such people loose faith and trust very often in their surroundings. In contrary, one who stands by what he/she says and follows it in principle is always worthy of the others trust.

While in college, I had a classmate who would boast of being good in every sport that one would speak of. His boasts were brought to light when there was sporting event and invariably he would hurt himself in the first practise session and would attribute his bad performance to the injury. While we didnt make much of it once or twice, the repeated action and motive of just gaining fame out of his boasts, the truth came to light at a later stage and he was humiliated when he never made the team.

We speak to share our thoughts but we never try to protect the words that are spoken. We fence our houses to be warded off by trespassers, we lock away our valuables to avoid it being stolen. We polish our cars so that it shines in the glorious view of the envious. Why can we not safeguard our words in order for it to be safe from the world and its abuse?

The world is a beautiful place but with people who are there to take advantage of what you say. If we were to churn the thorns from our words and turn them to petals would we not be altruist in our ways. Words of thanks, praise, appreciation, gratitude and honesty are often missed in a conversation.

Would not the world be a better place if we were to share kind words rather than harsh hurting words? If we start the practise at home it will spread its tentacles to the coffers of the office and the other places that we visit. 

Would the anger and hate that exists in individuals not be vanquished when these tongues of petal are not put to use more often? It creates a thought in my mind to why would we not be able to say such words of kindness and avoid the words that bring the confidence of people down or hurt their sentiments.

We then have a road to choose, do we want to use the tongues of thorns or of petals. The outcome is very indicative of what is to be.... It is your choice!

A Friend in Deed!!

Have you ever had a friend who was like your mirror in real life? Someone who would understand your feelings before you knew it? Someone who would share your happiness just like you would want it?

I have never had such a friend until recently and our friendship has become so strong that no matter what the fights or the differences we always end up smiling and laughing at the end of the day.

We knew each other by names for a few years and never had the will to speak to the other for the time. Seemingly, the thought was that the other was very pompous and proud and avoided each other. We never thought that we would ever become friends in life but we did and we became more than friends, we fell in love and got married as well.

She has the start and end of any discussion we have and it mostly has to be done her way but sometimes I do nudge in my thoughts and approvals as well. There are long days and there are short days, but through it all we manage to keep the smile. I cant remember a week or a month where we haven't fought and the same month we have pleasant memories of smiling and laughing our hearts out as well..

I have to be humble when I say, she may be right most of the times but is also human to be wrong sometimes. She can keep things cleaner than Monica (Friends Serial) and can be even more irritating than Ross(Friends Serial) but through it all she is as loving and caring as can be.

I suffer from a back ailment where I get sudden back spasms when lifting weight or sitting in a stationary position for long. There has never been a day or time when she has refused to help ease the pain by massaging my back and applying a hot water bag to it. Anytime, that I am hurt or dejected, she is always there to lift my spirits and assure me that things will get better and happiness is just around the corner.

She has a way with things and would be a child when it comes to enjoying. We have a common liking for animated movies and she has a liking to cook. She loves to cook and can churn out some of the most delicious dishes that I have ever tasted. I can proudly blame her for me adding 14 kgs to my hip line after we got married.

Recently, we went to a park with our son to spend a day. My son loves to play in the grass and crawl all over the place. It was amazing to see her toss and roll with him and the sight was of joy and happiness, she kept asking, "Why are you smiling?" and I had no words to describe to her the feeling I had.

Jean has been the strength and the weakness that I can proudly say is what keeps me afloat. A "Thank You" to her would be too less to show gratitude but all that I could do is make her proud in everything that I do.

When in Time...

There is a time… when you want to rhyme. A day in our lives and we feel the world is a bed of roses the path we take is laden with gems and jewels of all colours, the air we breathe is rich and full. The touch of people is obsolete and the taste of food is exaggerated in our tongues.

I am sure we have had this feeling at some point in our lives. It might have been towards another person, towards an achievement or towards some materialistic pleasure that we were gifted. The point of the matter is the feeling.

Now go to the time when you were completely dejected by a thought, a dream or an event. Can we replicate the same feeling when the world around us crumbles? When the walls of happiness start to fade away and the cracks in the paints are seen? Why do we feel bad and loose hope when the things around us are at its worst?

I have witnessed an elongated event that lasted for about 20 months in my life and the factors that seemed irrelevant in my life started to hit me and hit me hard.

I was subjected to being without employment for a while and in the start it was a welcome break as it had been a while since I had time out for myself and I made the maximum use of my time without a minute spent in wallowing my miseries. The months started to wear on and it had become a year that I was without any employment and the eventuality of getting employment was seeming like a distant reality.

The applications were unanswered or were replied with dejecting responses. Failure had become my bride and the world was not ready to accept me when I was down. The few close friends and well wishers would always say, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. It will just take some time”. In my mind, I always wondered when will that so called time come for me, it was not that I was not qualified or experienced. I am a post graduate and have a string of certifications attached to my name.

The qualifications at time were the reason why the rejections would happen and sometimes it was a step in to the world beyond. The world of employment! It came to a point when I was dejected and depressed, various thoughts and options entered my mind on how to start earning once again.

I tried to become an entrepreneur but realized getting finances from well wishers or family was a task similar to going to the next galaxy. That bombed! Tried various other options and that too was left with little acceptability, it was a crazy world. All hell had broken loose around me and the feeling was of a looser.

The thoughts of suicide and the reasons of being drowned in alcohol had become eventual. I started to borrow money from the same friends and well wishers who were there to help me. Lies became a way of life. I was deep in debt and no revenue source was visible. I had become an alcoholic. I was in need of being in another world and the real world was disturbing and difficult to deal with. There was a slip in my thinking and there was no other way of living life. I knew I was letting go and had to get myself to get a grip of my life and get a way of living in the real world.

That’s when I remembered the times when life was breeze the good days that were lived and enjoyed. The reasons why the enjoyment had been so much more better than ever. When everyday was lived for the day and the tomorrow was a distance away. The thought of happiness started to creep in me. The memories of yesterday gave me the will to live and fight on. No matter what the world would say and how they would look at it. I had to make a way of seeing the things in my sight and not the worlds.

It took me a week to get out of the so called DEPRESSION and I was back on my feet. With the 19 months gone by, I took it in me that within a month I will get a deserving employment opportunity. And I ventured into the market once again. It took me a week or so to start getting interview calls and within two weeks I was in a soup of choosing between jobs. I was back in the game. The feeling and the attitude changed.

I chose a place where I felt I could be happy and wouldn’t feel like working anymore. I settled in it and now it has been 3 years, I have not worked a day in my employment. I enjoy each day as it comes, the weekends spent in the company of the friends and well-wishers who were there and supported me when I was down and out. The days are beautiful and nights a excellent. Life has its ups and downs but I guarantee that with the right attitude one can make the nights seem like day….

The Pouring Rain!!!

The month of May is drawing to its end, the summer doesnt seem to want to leave, she is staring at us and smiling with smirk on her face. She seems to enjoy watching the sweat glide down our brows.

The summer is warmer than last year or the years before and the sun seems to be brighter than ever. A step away from the shade reveals the blast of the heat and the scorching sun reveals her body. She doesnt seem to shy away from being completely naked and showing off her rays.

Then comes our dear friend the clouds, he is seen floating alone many a time through the year, but his arrival with his friends is greeted with smiles and sighs. The first drops of rain are welcomed with the relief of the heat and the cool breeze is kept in a warm embrace.

The smell of dust and water making love under the clouds, the greens coming alive around you. The hills changing their colour from the dull brown to a painted canvas of greens, pink, white. The skies turning grey and dark with water pouring everywhere.The atmosphere is to lay back and relax after the struggle.

Children take to the outdoors and play the games with a zeal that was lacking during the past days of the heat and sweat. They seem to be enjoying the chilled water hugging their t-shirts as they play a game of football in the rain. The ball refuses to bounce and they run behind it to ensure a win or are they even bothered of who wins. It is just the sheer rain and its calm that makes them want to enjoy it more.

The farewell to the heat and the welcoming of the rains are a sight to see. The peace of the rain sitting in the comforts of your home are also enjoyable. You have a cup of tea or coffee and it warms your hands as the drops trickle their way down your window forming small rivers. You have your favourite bhajjia (Indian fritters), donuts or muffins, just made warm and cozy from the oven. 

Its here for relief, its here for joy, lets enjoy it and make the most of it while it lasts. Happy Monsoon everyone!!