Listen!

~ CJ ~ Leave a comment

It is difficult to assess the range and quality of human emotions. Those with smiling, evergreen faces may have wormlike griefs gnawing at their existence, and a dull, idiotic-looking person may be blissfully happy. Life is a strange, humdrum affair, where even a few moments of peace snatched should be gratefully acknowledged.

These are lines from a not so famous story named ‘The Silver Lining’ by Chaman Nahal, that I came across in a collection of stories that I read when I was in my teens. It’s been years but the words have stayed with me and not just that, have profoundly influenced my life in more ways than one. If you look around, you would definitely find that there are people who are quite difficult to read . You would never know what’s on their mind. It is said that there are three main faces of our personality – one that we put up for strangers, the ‘best’ versions of ourselves, two – that we showcase to our family and friends and three – the private, most vulnerable part of us that we do not wish for others to see through but sometimes hope that others care enough to try and get a glimpse of..

When was the last time you really opened up to someone? Is there anyone with whom you can share the thoughts in the deepest recesses of your mind? Do you feel there are people who would just listen to you, without an iota of judgement? Would they stand up for you if you told them about things that have torn you apart or you are upset about? If yes, you are one of the very lucky ones out there! Even if you don’t, just try to be an accepting person for others. It would make a world of difference to them and make their lives a little better and easier.

Spread positivity and love.. Stay safe 😇

A letter to my bestie.. on her wedding day!

~ CJ ~ 1 Comment

As I write this, I experience a whirlwind of emotions. Since the day I knew you, you took me under your wings. Me, an introvert adopted by you, an extrovert. It was a perfect combination. People thought you would talk till my ears bled .. little did they realise that it was the other way around. Your presence was so comforting that I always found my way back to you even though we were never really together after we left school. Any minor inconvenience and I would rush to you in person or over call and you would very calmly listen to all that I had to say. Not only would you listen but also offer solutions, that my oversensitive, over dramatic self could never come up with. You were the ying to my yang. The inseparable duo- as they called us. And to see you fall in love, and find the one that completes you was such an overwhelming experience. A major part of me thrilled to the core and another minute bit apprehensive that I may have to share you with someone else and that we may not have the same amount of time for each other, considering your change of roles. All I can say is I will be there for you through all the ups and downs of life and I wish nothing but the best for you. You deserve the world and more!!!❤️

The road not taken

~ CJ ~ 1 Comment

I am sure most of you would have read this poem by the poet Robert Frost. It holds true for most of us, how life always presents us with two ‘roads’ and the dilemma lies in choosing one over the other. The poet suggests that we must choose the road less travelled by. And that probably can make a lot of difference. Stand out instead of following the flock. Well is standing out and being unique enough to sustain you through life? It’s important to be happy and to be at peace with oneself and others around you.

Keep your mental peace above everything else and you are good to go! Let nothing deter you from achieving your goals, as long as the goal excites you , and doesn’t stress you out. Let me leave you with that thought for today! 🤗

Trust!

~ CJ ~ 1 Comment

What they say about trust is true.. It hangs by a thread, which once broken, is hard to mend or rejoin. Be wary of people and never let your guard down. That’s the best way to protect yourself from the clutches of those who give little value to your emotions.

What is your dream?

~ CJ ~ 4 Comments

The world has changed drastically over the course of the last year. There is much uncertainty, apprehension and suffering all around. Still, we hope that the trail of destruction left behind by this wretched virus soon makes way for better days to dawn.

All the events of the recent past have made me dwell on what our dreams for the future are, assuming that we have one. I was talking to a friend the other day who told me that his dream in life was to own a super bike. I was left dumbstruck because to me, that sounded really absurd. To spend lakhs on something so materialistic as a bike sounded too pointless for me. I was quick to judge him. But then, he shot the question right back at me and I found myself fumbling for words. Then I came up with ‘travel and go see places’, which was actually something I wanted to do. And he seemed to be content because he made me spill out what he wanted to hear. He asked me how it was okay to pursue my dream but not okay for him to pursue his, simply because it was materialistic. I dwelled on the topic but couldn’t come up with a retort.

Why is it so difficult to digest the fact that someone wants to achieve something in life that is materialistic and not experiential or beneficial for others?

Should dreams be measured on a yardstick? Do dreams always need to be noble and benefit others? Tell me what you think.

Guilty Pleasure

~ CJ ~ 31 Comments

Now that I stand at life’s threshold,
I often delve into the guilty pleasure,
Of reminiscing the days of old
When countless carefree hours I spent in leisure,
Untouched by the vile or villainy of the world,
Bathed in childhood innocence, I stood so pure.

I often rewind to the days long past
When my mother’s kisses were the balm to all my scars,
All the endless chatter,
And the lively laughter
Still reverberates in my ears
When I think of the days when
Bruised knees were the only known pain.

Even in the midst of the hustle and din,
Countless memories keep flooding in,
Of unclear faces and foraging hands
Plunged into a single lunch box.
The earnest pleading for an hour of games,
The immeasurable joy that a free hour gave,
Are all still fresh in the stock of my memories.

Oft when I return home tired and weary,
I sit back and dwell on these memories,
The simple moments, the days of joy
When all I ever wanted was to be good
And never even hurt a fly.

Random Rantings

~ CJ ~ 26 Comments

Why do people leave? Just like that? Out of nowhere? It takes so much time and effort to open up, to build a strong bond with someone and all they ever do is to leave. And not just leave, resort to some really unreasonable reasons to do so too. Yes, it’s heartbreak if you are wondering what it is. But no, it’s not a lover.And no.. This is not the first time this is happening either.

Any friendship is forged on mutual trust and acceptance and when you realize that acceptance to be complete and selfless, you begin sharing shades of yourself that you haven’t with anyone, in a long time. You begin to trust them with your life and what do they do? They do what they do best- leave.

Without considering the aftermath, without giving a second thought, attributing humongous importance to their already bleak self respect, they leave you shattered. Without realizing the importance they have carved in your heart, they conjure up a mirage of a friend for life and without much delay.. Poof.. They are gone, without leaving a trace.

One advice I would like to give such people is- do not pretend to care, do not pretend to be a friend, do not make us believe that you will take a bullet for us, do not seem dependable if you do not have plans of sticking around and most importantly, do not push us to a point where we begin to question the credibility of friendship.

Books- A treasure trove!

~ CJ ~ 40 Comments

983a1552c7db028c26b2376c9f734b7c

“What is the most recent book you read?” Someone asked me the other day and I found myself fumbling for words to answer them. Being a student of literature and a lover of books at the same time, it struck me hard that it had been ages since I had read a complete book. It made me probe into the reasons underlying this slow but evident shift from a habit that I had once cherished so much.

In course of time, I realized that the only written material many of us came across everyday and were unconsciously forced to read were the umpteen posts on social media websites and the few notes that we managed to gather and cram into our heads, a few hours before exams. Even the books prescribed in our syllabus, if found to be thicker than two or three centimeters, scared the living daylights out of us and would only lie in a corner, gathering dust. This aversion to reading is also fueled by the unexplained urge to check the phone every fifteen minutes or less.

The other day, I saw a WhatsApp status update by one of my close friends in which she had put up the picture of a book with the caption “#1 of 100”. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked her what it was all about. She told me the book had been lying around at home since a decade and all she ever did over the years was to change the position of the book from one rack to the other (given the increase in inflow of textbooks generously added to the shelves over the years), in the process of organizing her room, without so much as turning a page. It being New Year, she told me how she had made the resolution to read at least a hundred books over the next 365 days. I do not know how successful she will be at it (the doubt emerging from my complete faith in the brevity of new year resolutions!) but the idea very much struck me. I felt this urge to reconnect with my lost love for reading.

I also realized that it isn’t just me who felt this way. Many of us were once avid readers but now, either due to time constraints or myriad available options of things to do during leisure time, have had to give up reading. Another friend of mine told me the other day that whenever she put things in order in her room, she always put out one or the other book onto her study table with the intention of reading it but somehow such plans never materialize.

Most of us have this strange connect with books. Whenever I enter a bookstore, I simply cannot contain my excitement at seeing so many books- of different authors and genres. I am almost always engulfed with this desire to own every single one of those books,neatly arranged on racks. I feel the intrinsic desire to touch them, turn the pages, take in the smell and carry it off home to read in a cosy, comfortable corner of the house. The thought itself is so fulfilling.

Reading not only adds to our store of information but also gives us fresh perspectives on things. It give wings to our imagination and gives us the power to conjure up places and characters in our heads,which is an experience in itself.

4df59e069a562342994b194f44d4847c

This New Year, I too would like to resuscitate the habit of reading and as an initial step towards that goal, I have laid my hands on The Book Thief by Markus Zusac. Do let me know about your own experiences and also,any book suggestions are warmly welcome.

Have a great year ahead. 🙂

Love.

Counsels to a Grieving Friend

~ CJ ~ 12 Comments

Friendship and love-hailed eternal,
Are but transitory
Nothing permanent, nothing indelible,
Nothing uncorrupted by the ravages
Of time’s fury
So it’s better to let the dead bury
Past their dead,
And look for the light at the end
Of the tunnel.
Leave old pictures in the past,
Create new memories and etch them deep,
In the bottom of your heart.
Do not let the pain and grief seep
Into the breath of your being.
Welcome each day with a warm smile,
And stay strong to endure every trial.

Live each day as if it was your last,
Because each day is a gift and not a given right.
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind,
And try to take the path less travelled,
For the first step you take is the longest stride.

Don’t cage yourself behind bars,
And know that it’s never too late
To shoot for the stars,
Regardless of your strife.
So do whatever it takes as there is
No second try nor rewind button
In this game called life.
Let nothing stand in your way,
Cause the hands of time are never on your side.