Best journey ever...

For those of you,who think i am here,taking you to a faraway land,or describing a foreign trip to fascinating places..for you all,this post maybe a disappointment!
this trip,this journey was actually a 1 hour ride..just 60 minutes..which taught me a lot!
A lot abt life,abt emotions,abt different people..
This is a journey in a city local bus!
A place where each person gets in to reach somewhere..each one having his own life,his own story,a family back home,a destination,a reason to travel,a baggage of responsibilities,a turmoil of emotions within,a feeling,a life!
this wasnot my first experience in a local bus ,but still, this this one left me thinking..
the moment i entered the bus,it was full,hardly any place to stand..i ws surrounded by mostly rural people,,all sweaty,smelly,ill mannered i assumed!but then one guy got up and offered me his seat..i ws really amazed at his mannerisms.i mean we had heard "respect females" but here i saw it!!i felt elated..proud of my country,proud of being a female!
as i settled down,there was some commotion on the back side..a beggar had entered the bus and had started his usual "begging bussiness" right there!the conductor had made the mistake of trying to stop him to beg in the bus..the beggar felt offended and was cursing him.i had a mixed emotion..i dint know whether to pity the beggar or to get angry that despite having all resources-a good and healthy physique,why could this man not work and earn??
Why did he have to beg?anyways the beggar finally quietened and settled down,took out a packet of "paan -masala" and ate it!!i was amazed-how could this man afford it?i mean on one hand he was begging-saying he had been hungry for past 3 days and one the other he could afford such addictions!i found it strange..was he not encashing human empathy?i remained silent-but decided never to even give a penny to these "hypocrite" beggars!
At the next stop enterd an old lady,i dont know what made me stand up to offer her my seat..she seemed upset..later i discovered that her son was unwell,but she didnot have enough money to get his medicines..but i felt that this was another form of begging and i ignored her!
but then another person who seemed as poor as the lady herself offered her 10 rupess,the lady refused but later took it with tears of thankfulness in her eyes..the man said-"hum gareeb hi ek dusre k kaam nahi aayege to insaaniyat kaha jaegi?" i felt ashamed of myself..
just then entered a rich looking guy and he started commenting on a gal..i had never seen eve teasing before-this made me sad.all the pride of being a female was fading away!
i was pondering upon the variety of people,same place-but how different people could be!hw because of few bad people,we have a feeling of indifference towards all?
just then another old lady got up to leave the bus-but due to sudden brakes,she felt down and got injured..another village guy picked her up and volunteered to drop her back as she could barely walk now..i again was proud of humanity in my country!
it was followed by a young boys crying-his mother had slapped him!jst because the boy kept asking her that "wo dadiji gir kaise gayi?"the mother was irritated,partly due to heat,partly due to other reasons,so the best way to give vent to her anger was to slap the innocent boy for no reason at all!

just as i was dealing with the turmoil of emotions within me..thinking about each person in the bus-someone spitting,some old lady silently praying,some school boys chattering,a mother caressing her little daughter,a housekeeper getting worried about being late,a boy reading,a young gal playing with her bangles,a lady discussing her recipies,a man discussing his meeting over the mobile(lying he was at his home)every one doing something or the other,,all busy with their own lives..my stop came..

i truly felt like thanking the god for such a wonderful journey,where i saw both good and bad faces of life,abt how wrong our perceptions are,about humanity and emotions in villagers,abt our notion that all rich people are cultured..
i now started classifying people as individuals ,rather than rich-poor,urban -rural..

will keep posting..though as my exams are approaching,so maybe my next post will be after a month..keep smiling till then!

Live for others..sumtimes..

Unique as it may sound..everyone keeps saying-live for yourself,do what your heart wants and here i am-contradicting them all! sometimes live for others-coz it gives immense pleasures..think about others as it helps getting better as a human!

Few days back i had an argument..infact for most of us difference of opinions are a common issue...i want to go out this sunday..my friend doesnot!i wish to eat pizza for dinner..my mom wants it simple!i like my room messed up..my sis needs it clean!i want to attend a lecture..my frn wants to bunk!i am irritated and want my moments of peace...bt right then my frn wants to talk about her shopping last day!i feel like sitting cuddled up in my bed..bt my dad wants me to get something from the market!i want to watch indian idol..my brother wants to see FIFA..numerous other cases!infact one evryday where we may easily win..i mean its so simple to just say"i am busy" or "i cant help" or maybe i have to be rude an evn get into a minutes argument..but thts just it..i win the battle..but unknowlingly i lose a heart!

On the contrary..sometimes losing gives pleasure..my frn likes to win evry argument,its useless to evn try with her,but one fine day she unexpectedly said"i give up" and that day i actually loved her!

Instead of bluntly refusing my bro to give him th tv remote control,one day i offered it to him..and the smile on his face..is still in my memories..:-)

When i offered my mom help in the kitchen..or when i helped dad in his fileworks..these small things just took 15 minutes..bt gave them a lot!

sometimes we become so engrossed wth ourselves tht we miss the small pleasures we can give to others!

"life is a race-win it" but i would say..feel the pleasure of loosing to your dear ones!

spare few moments for others!

ever tried going back to school?to meet your junior school teachers?for once she maynot recognise you!but later the pride in her eyes..the smile on her face..it will make u happy as well.

While shopping,instead of just paying and leaving..take a moment out..to smile and say "thanks"..looking into the eyes of the salesman..small though the gesture is!but it makes u happy..n the person in front feels elated!

While strolling through a mall..i see a cute baby..just a moment of appreciation to its mother..its impractical right?to compliment strangers??but still..do it sincerely..n who knows..maybe we made her day!!

Iwas missing an old school friend..i wish to talk to her..but y shld i alwaz call?can she never call me up?is she soo busy?this time its not going to be me..but behold!instead call her up..n tell her hw much you were missing her..and even on the phone the joy in her voice will not go unnoticed!

The issue is no "who will cry when you die?" rather it is "how many are happy tht you are alive?"

Think about it!!

Appreciate little things..give up in minor arguments..do a few favours..show some generosity,extend courtesy..these things maybe wrongly termed as "formality"..but i call it "life"...

live life!!love life!!

will post soon..keep smiling till then!:-)

POEM

LEISURE
by-william henry davies..

What is this life if,full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see when woods we pass,
Where squirells hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see,in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like stars at night.
No time to turn at beautys glance,
And watch her feet how they can dance.
A poor life this if,full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

This is one of my favourite poems..so deep in feelings..few words but on thinking.seems to say so much..so just thot of sharing it with everyone..
Will post soon..keep smiling till then..

vacations versus life

Absurd title?isn't it?
Actually i got my vacations on-the time of the year i eagerly wait for!all set with new and innovative plans-which gym to join?which classes to attend?which places to visit?which books to read?which new language to learn?which new skill to enhance?all is planned and the plans are just perfect!!
and to be honest..often d planning is done long before the time starts..."my tym" starts..infact..all through the year..watever attracts me--and i can not do because of the so called"out of time"busy schedule"excuses..i plan to fix dese tasks up in this duration..all is set..jst wait fer the countdown to begin..wen i finally gt some "break" from the monotony of my life..
the very frst week of holidays..i feel like a prisoner set free by mistake..doing all things like never before!enjoying evry moment like never before!sleeping till noon..keeping awake till early morning hrs,,tht too to do all fun stuff..chatting..movies..computers..novels..and what not!
its "my tym"..and i enjoy it in my ways..absolutely foregtting abt the graver plans i had made for myself..enjoying the present..enjoying my laziness..enjoying my randomness..all seems jst perfect!
But soon as the days pass...i start getting bored..bored of the randomness..no longer do i find my ways interesting..the same computer fails to entertain me anymore..no book i find interesting..it is den wen i realise what plans i had made for myself..what i actually wanted to do these holidays..bt often its very late by then..those who didnot waste those initial days like i did..they are busy wth their plans..bt i feel as if i am on a dead end..wth registrations closed..wth no hope..i silently get irritated..and wait fer d remaining of my holidays to pass ..unenjoyed..under-utilised..though dere is this guilt of wasting so many precious days..bt i hv givn up..no hopes to make the rest of it!
same often happens wth our lifes..
when i ws a child..i had my plans..i wanted to be this..i wanted to do that.and all seemed perfect..bt i hardly realised..hw tym actually passed by..hw "my tym" started..when i should have been focusing..i hardly realised..when othrs around me started new things..Then i turned back..i realised hw mny opportunities i had wasted..i silently declare myself a loser..wth no hopes of attainment of my original plans..i am depressed..bt weak to own it up..or wrk upon it..bt is this how life should be???
though i missed a few opportunities..bt still the vacations are not yet over..who knows i might find some gym wth 1 valid registration?join aerobics if nt swimming?if not singapore..visit shimla atleast..if nt a 45 days course..get a self study book atleast..dont give up so easily..dont wait for the rest of time to pass by..utilise it..use tht whts left..who knws..those last..few days may give u self satisfaction..a hope to make dese holidays intersting..
who knws..opportunities of success may knock your door again..be vigilant..ready for that ..
keep reminding urself wt u had planned for yourself..and tht vl give u the vision..the enrgy..the motivation..
do not look where u fell..instead look where you slipped..and then catch on..
the sin is not in falling down..but in staying down..
get ready to be successfull.
keep smiling till then..