For the restless spirit!

Life is all about finding that balance, they say.  And I believe them. Yet, just like this act for the mighty elephant, it's not very easy is it? For most, it could be practically impossible.  No, "balance" is not my favorite word.  I know I need to attempt a balance between many different things in order to be happy, successful, peaceful, healthy, etc; but it seems like too much "head" for me.... Most of my decisions are made with my heart, even if they have got me into not-so-ideal situations sometimes.  I am who I am ....and where I stand in my life, I am pretty comfortable in my own skin, with all my faults and idiosyncrasies. I have been through a lot, made a lot of choices, had to deal with a lot thrown at me, uninvited. Yes, Life has taught me a lot and I have shifted gears to be able to keep up, to keep pace, to keep going. I know I am far from perfect, but I am me.... and for those who really care for me,...

Too many times, we learn from hindsight. Whereas, if we had really listened carefully, we would have picked up those tell-tale signs that say something ain't working as it should.....right from a sputtering car to a tumultuous relationship. It's true. Sometimes, we get a chance; sometimes, it's a tad too late.  As Life unfolds, I realize that I am still learning - to listen - for answers, for warning symptoms, for clues to what lies ahead.  Recently, my body was telling me to slow down, yet caught up in the flurry of activities that seem to add meaning to each day, I had forgotten about listening and carried on ...till....I got a bit of rude shock, but just in time. I should have seen it coming. But I was too busy. Yet, Life was kind to me. And I learnt another life lesson.  To always listen.... to your soul, to your body, to the universe.  Because there are answers - most of the time. It is up to us to find them. And if we...

Its been a while....  I wish I was more regular at this.... but sometimes life takes over and not always in wrong ways. The river that was flowing at its own pace suddenly picks up speed due to currents or external changes and starts gushing forcefully, still moving towards where it wants to be, but just at a pace that it can't control. But this morning, as I took time to make myself a cuppa and looked out at the sea as I sipped, a plant I have had for many years now caught my attention. And forced me to reflect...... This plant was a birthday gift to me maybe 4 years ago. Like most indoor plants, its one of those you struggle to keep alive and blooming especially in a place like Dubai. Yet, somehow, this one's a survivor - like me. Many things have changed for this plant - some even adversely, yet it not only survives but even blooms, reaching for the sky, striving to keep life going. In recent times, I have been affected by how many of us are going ...

The only thing constant is change.  Yes, as I look around me, everything is changing - from big ticket items like weather, economies, socio-political environments, right down to things closer home - associations, relationships, family, friendship, employment, organizations.  I will admit it can be very discomforting to people in my stage of life. I also feel very rattled at times. And this is me, a self claimed change agent! I am usually all for change as I believe it's inevitable, an evolutionary process that helps mankind move forward, that's how we got here from the jungle and that's possibly how we will get to where we should be... Why change? is no longer a question. It's a given. Today, I'd like to ponder on another question: how much change?  My teenaged daughter is representative of the next generation to me. Recently, I had the pleasure of spending a lot of quality time with her and have had profound discussions around such...

I believe we all are dreamers - atleast we started as dreamers when we were young. It didn't matter if those dreams were big or small, original or inspired, I believe we all had them. We cherished them.  Then Life happened... "Somewhere between broken pencils and erased dreams, we grew up." And along the way, some of us got really hurt. Our shattered dreams left behind scars. How badly they were broken decided how deep the wounds were or how long they remained raw. For some, the trauma shook their faith and left them rattled and gasping. And too scared to dream again.....  As I look around, I see many tortured souls. And it saddens me.  True, no one can understand their sorrows, their pains. True, it's easy to talk about letting go when you haven't been down their roads. Yet, it saddens me to see cynicism grow. Yes, I am a dreamer. Eternal. Compulsive. Delusional even, for some!  But I have hurt too, scarred, wa...

We are all broken, they say. In some way or the other.  Standing where I am in Life, with almost half a century behind me (Phew!!!), I see a lot of broken people around. Some just show little cracks that are easily camouflaged; some are so scarred that they fear to feel again; some are oblivious to the ruptures within them and some hurriedly stitch them together to pretend they don't exist, never did.  I guess, it's to do with our age. We've been through many summers and there's bound to be luggage that's kind of stuck on. That's life. And that's ok. Being broken is not such a "big deal", anymore - as horrible as that may sound! It truly isn't.  If I started a club of these sorts, I'd have waiting lists for entry - I know I will. There are possibly still some around for whom Life has been a breeze, always - but their tribes seem to be dwindling. And quite fast. I'll leave them aside for now. It's the broken one...

Today was a rather long day at work. As I walked home from the metro station, I passed by a little girl, maybe a little over an year old, gleefully running around - literally in circles. And her joy was contagious. Many, like me, actually stopped to watch her and smiled as they walked on. That cheerful little girl taught me something this evening ...  She had no destination - no set purpose; she had possibly only just learnt to run without falling. She knew her mom ( who stood with a smile a few paces away ) was looking out for her and would "take care", in case she stumbled. She was simply enjoying the rush of cold wind against her face as she ran, not bothered about where she was going -  she was simply enjoying the freedom she had newly acquired. She was not bothered about anything else at that moment but the sheer joy of that run. And that delight spilled over ... to onlookers. Many a time, I have complained about running around in circles, because I was f...