For the restless spirit!

I have realized something - Amir Khan (or Chetan Bhagat)  in the movie "3 Idiots" was right after all.....always had a nagging feeling about it and now I am convinced. If we keep saying "All izz well" to our hearts and minds, they kind of start believing the same and act accordingly.....idiots hein, right?? Now that I read up some stuff about it, there could even be a science to it.....a logical explanation about "feel good hormones"like Oxytocins, Serotonins and chemical reactions within our bodies that cause us to feel good, happy or positive. Won't go into the research behind all of this (please Google if you have to) but it seems solid! I have seen for a fact that when things go wrong, as they often do, if we can keep our minds distracted with the good stuff, things no longer seem to be as wrong as before - atleast mentally, you are able to cope better. So for example, here I am getting deeper and deeper into irritating and nagging health iss...

"Where there is a will, there is a way"  Yet another teaching from my school days that has stayed with me .......challenged many a time over the years, more recently than before, but still mostly unshakeable! There is always a way - may not be the way we want, or even the conventional (or in some cases, even legal) but there is  almost always, a way....and it is for us to find it through perseverance, patience, resilience. But most important is to believe in this - that there is a way out - only then can our minds gain the strength to persevere, to be patient, to bounce back..... Situations sometime seem hopeless but as they say - you either sink in these kinds of whirlpools in life or you gather yourself, believe there is a way out - through faith or science - and give it all you have to burst out of that downward cycle. The last thing you need in these times in self pity - or in fact the pity of others ....that is like tying weights around your feet and expecting t...

It takes all kinds ...to make the world...thank God! I love people - literally, I do!  I love meeting people, befriending them and appreciating how different we are from one another and yet how similar. Those who know me well enough, will understand - I can talk to anyone that can make reasonably decent conversation and even with some, who usually don't..... a dear friend once said I could make a dumb man speak!!  And that's because of my genuine interest in people - in their lives, where they come from and where they are going.  Through the course of my life, I have had the good fortune to meet and interact with all kinds of people - different colors, cultures, behaviors, belonging to different economic backgrounds, the works. Never have I failed to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, if the person either seemed interesting enough or (and I have to admit it) if I was terribly bored - in trains, airport lounges, metros, public buses, offi...

Cleansing the body....and the mind....maybe even the soul Today, I have to go through a process of cleansing part of my body for clinical purposes; so I am on sieved fluids only and then on a fast till the end of tomorrow; hence, not a happy bunny but its required so that I can lead a healthier life, going forward...so here goes! Cleansing the body periodically, I am told, clears the unhealthy toxins that I accumulate over time and makes me healthier, more energetic, gears me up for a better tomorrow. So a little discomfort (or even a lot), a little abstinence (and lots of will-power), a little discipline (and a carrot at the end of it) and voila - a brand new, shining me should arrive !!  This practice of periodically cleansing the human body has always been around - through civilizations - in different formats and practices, religious or otherwise....nothing new there. Even today, people "detox" in many different ways and means and I guess, its all very good ...

And so I am richer ....today! When I was very young and in convent, I learnt the following..... "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” And I have felt it all my life, even today.... When someone tells me that I have been able to touch his / her life in some way - however small and  insignificant or big and meaningful - I feel richer, happier, more blessed and more humble! Each such feeling in my relationships translate into treasure troves for me - that I would like to keep locked within my heart, till I take to my grave....and even beyond. This is a treasure no money can buy, no bank can keep in safe custody, no will can bestow on another  - simply conveyed through a smile straight from the heart, a few words from the core of the soul, small gestures that say so much without saying anything at all.... I firmly believe that...

Memories.... As is the norm these days with social media enthusiasts and I am no exception, any event is considered incomplete till you have uploaded its pictures on Facebook and have reacted to the "comments" and "likes"!!!  I just got back from a short and sweet getaway with friends and family (that feel more like friends) and as I am watching the pictures of the trip on FB for the nth time...it reminds me why pictures are so important to me, and possibly to many others like me....it recreates memories of so many small moments that have brought us joy at some stage or the other. For example, these pictures remind me now of  - the blazing heat as we drove down to Ras Al Khaimah when the temperature outside soared over 40 degrees  - of the sound of my current favorite Hindi soundtrack on the car audio system - of how good the iced coffee at the gas station felt after a long drive in the afternoon - of the utter confusion of unknowingly parking r...

As the world passes by .... Every evening, on my way back from work, I take the Dubai Metro to the Dubai Marina station - a 35 mins journey in the very comfortable "Gold Class" coach of this very efficient tube service in Dubai. The Dubai Metro runs underground as well as on the surface...actually at a higher than your regular streets level! So what I am treated with, most of the time is a glorious view of this amazing city that has grown up so much before my expat eyes.... For those of you who want to watch part of this ride, do visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=615x7e8wXNU But no, this is not an advert for my adopted city or even the spic and span train service we are blessed with here...... this is about what I see almost every evening, or rather what I don't see.... that sometime saddens me! And this could apply almost everywhere.... As soon as I board the train, I usually switch off my smart-phones (yes, yes, I admit I use not one, but two....and am al...

This is for a few out there who are beginning to worry about me;  I <3 you all loads, but seriously, do not worry for me - while I may be restless, aching to soar high.....being very brave, I admit that I still have a few more ties to loosen down here....before you see the last of me as I ride off into the setting sun:) This morning was an important part of my life nowadays - my favorite ME Time!!! Something I have always made sure is built well into my schedule.... time to "pamper" myself physically or mentally.  I think its extremely important. I think we all like to be pampered in some way or the other, right? Ofcourse, men walk away with the cake here - but yes, we women need it too, and possibly deserve it more :) ( High - five to the feminist me! )  I think God had a fair idea that things would not be very smooth for us women down here - and that's why he created these 2 things that give women like me,so much sheer, unconditional joy : Chocolates  ...