Saturday, February 28, 2009

A Patchwork Quilt

What is a carefree life? Is it one where you have no commitments except to yourself? No parents to ‘report’ to, no siblings to track. Is being care-free about the relationships that one forges, that one must strive to honour through passing time?

If that is so, any contact with another being is a relationship forged. It could be one of recognition, one of trust or something much deeper. No matter where you go, these possibilities will assail you, popping up at the least expected points.

There’s yet another angle, one where you have the backing of family and, possibly, friends. Step out in to the world, blasé and care-free; ‘cause you know you’ve got them to hold you if you fall. You are alone, yet you have company.

It’s cliché but so true, the grass is greener on the other side. When you get there, you see the patches of what was once your side; see the bits that you did not finish and the ones that you’ll miss the most.

It’s always like that I suppose. Life’s like a patchwork quilt, the best pieces look so good ‘cause the duller ones help them stand out. At the end of the day, it’s all about relativity and what you got as opposed to what you expected. If things are going your way, you’d never think to complain. It’s when they’re not that you start looking for that elusive green field on the other side.

Monday, February 23, 2009

I hate fights!

I just hate it when people fight.

Whether it's general, random, "you lightly bumped my car, so I must create a scene" or it's the cat n dog at home, I just HATE fights.

They leave me pondering over the state things have come to. Stupid, insipidly small things kick up a huge ruckus, tearing away at dignity in such a manner that you wonder if the shreds can even be seen.

You could be perfectly normal one minute and completely ballistic the next. It's as though people are only outwardly calm. As though they have a gushing force of brutal angst that simply must burst forth every few hours, to make way for the next.

I can not bear to watch the overt melodrama of certain television series. Is there not enough in our own lives?! Why must we burden ourselves with the worries of a fictional character. The same time and energies, more thoughtfully channeled, can greatly aid better and possibly deeper understanding of those that you live with.

We seem to take it all for granted, "This is after all home, it'll work itself out." If luck does not stand a chance without hardwork, happiness cannot sow it's seeds without understanding.

There's always more than one perspective, so many hats to put on. The next time a fight looms, I could try diffusing it. A little less glare and a little more ear. You can never be too sure of yourself.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Drawing inspiration

In the three years that I traveled by local bus to college and back, there are some incidents that I vividly remember.

There was, of course, the first time experience. Never having traveled by local bus before, I got on with a friend when getting back home after the ‘entrance’ exams. It was exhilarating to watch the road from that height! The bus was relatively empty, so I could feel the rush of the wind on my face.

I once got on to a bus that was full of children, yet so silent. They could communicate only with their hands and facial expressions. Although some even threw in dramatic hand movements, I could not escape the fact that each one of those deaf and dumb child wore such happy smiles. So many conversations were on, yet, when I closed my eyes, I got the feeling that I was standing alone; but I was not lonely.

Often I have fervently wished that I had a camera handy. Such worthy shots, full of emotion whiz by. 3 ‘0’ clock in the afternoon, a mother cradling her child. The ordinariness of features was over-ridden by the sheer love on her face. The play of light only complimented the frame further. My hands itched to get closer, to bask in the reflected glory of that love. Now, it’s shuttered in my memories.

As someone once rightly said, inspiration is found in the strangest places. My 3 years on the bus showed my how the same item can be used differently. It lent fresh perspective on values and valuation. It was the aspect of life, that lent it’s reality to me easily and drew me in for more.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Silences

Silences are such ambiguous things; they mean so many things at once. Silence presents itself in many forms; speech, thought, action, reaction, body language, visual stimuli and much more. One has heard of pregnant pauses, ominous silences, instances "when you say nothing at all"; one has heard most of it all.

Hushed silence preludes one's entrance in to the examination halls, heightening the tension felt. It draws the nerve strings taut and sharpens the memory of some while blanking out that of some others.

Then again there are contemplative silences, those that speak of thought and evaluation. The darting of the eyes, the alertness in the air. Topping my wish list is the one where I buy a house of my own. People with more experience tend to treat this as a parent does their child's demand for a puppy: as a passing phase. A silence of the sort just mentioned descended on the lunch room as the price of a 2BR was announced.

When you are by yourself, not another with you in thought, emotion or physical presence, the silence that envelopes is of a depth and magnitude so deep and vast, that you might feel like either breaking away to find some company [drowning out the 'voices' in your head] or to sit a while more and experience what it must be like to be with yourself.

Omnipresent in its essence, silence can be had in so many ways. Which one will it be next?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Go green!

Recently, the whole hullaboo about the economy falling on it's face it leading to 'cutting costs'. So people get thrown outta jobs, offices empty out and the weak links shutter down.

*~ Did any one consider saving energy and cost on 'everyday' items as one way of cutting costs?

*~ Printing kills trees and adds chemical waste to the environment. Cut down on those email print outs.

*~ Turn off the lights and fans when you leave a room. You think you'll be back in a jiffy, what if you aren't?!!

*~ Scanners are of great help too. Why fax when you can scan!

*~ Use the stairs instead of the elevator [health and age to be accounted for]

*~ Pool with your colleagues on the routes to office. It's surprising how much can be saved while also coordinating better.



These are just some I can think of that can help cut unsuspected costs. Do help me by chipping in!