Friday, September 25, 2009

for people who know me,...will see why i put it up here...
for those who don't, its because I couldn't agree more :)


> Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland,
> Ohio "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught
> me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written." My odometer rolled
> over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
>
> 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
>
> 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
>
> 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
>
> 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
> parents will. Stay in touch.
>
> 5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
>
> 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
>
> 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
>
> 8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it..
>
> 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
>
> 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
>
> 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
>
> 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
>
> 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
> journey is all about.
>
> 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
>
> 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God
> never blinks.
>
> 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
>
> 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
>
> 18. Whatever doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger.
>
> 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one
> is up to you and no one else.
>
> 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no
> for an answer.
>
> 21. Burn the candles,.
> Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
>
> 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
>
> 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
>
> 24. The most important organ is the brain.
>
> 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
>
> 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years,
> will this matter?
>
> 27. Always choose life.
>
> 28. Forgive everyone, everything.
>
> 29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
>
> 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
>
> 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
>
> 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
>
> 33. Believe in miracles.
>
> 34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you
> did or didn't do.
>
> 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
>
> 36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
>
> 37. Your children get only one childhood.
>
> 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
>
> 39..Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere
> 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,
> we'd grab ours back.
>
> 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
>
> 42. The best is yet to come. – (Always! ;-))
>
> 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
>
> 44. Yield.
>
> 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Sunday, September 20, 2009

I opened my eyes groggily, my head felt weird. it hurt but more than that, it felt twice its size. For some reason, I could see less from one eye. it took me a few seconds to realise that my eye was swollen. and so was that side of my forehead too. i would hear my parents murmuring, my father furious as always, my mother trying to calm him down..and failing, as always. i was on my bed and just decided not to try to speak at the moment. a few minutes of silent listening reminded me of the afternoon. i had been playing basket ball, in school, i was about to take a shot, when i felt my legs getting entangled into another pair...almost instantly i felt my head hit the hard cement, a loud thud and the world had gone black.

now I could hear my father furious and yelling in the other room. "I told you to stop her madness. Look where its gotten her, its her Xth boards...and there she is..."
I was feeling sick again, my head dizzy, I wanted to throw up.
"she'll be lucky if she hasn't lost her eye...what if her face is damaged in some way, look at her head...what are we going to do if there's brain damage, its all your indulgence"
I tried to call out to my dad and ask him to stop yelling, I was fine, I could see , hear and remember correctly, there was nothing wrong with me...
"She must never play again! ask her to focus on her studies, its her Xth boards. thats it!"
and the world went black again....


Flash forward 11 years.

sunday morning...NUS MBA last semester badminton tournament. I woke up cursing myself, dragging myself out of the bed..already on way to being at least a half hour late. Why did I ever register...and ruin my sunday morning precious sleep! I haven't so much as picked up a racquet since that day, let alone play!!!

As I showered, I remembered that fateful afternoon more than a decade ago, when my mother had softly told me, after I finally regained consciousness that I had taken a direct hit on my head, my eye was safe luckily but there was some clotting in my brain that would take some time to dissolve. till then i was forbidden to do anything, except lying down, for long hours. any long term implications would come to be known only with time but i might not be able to work long hours on a computer or make a career in flying. "okay we'll see that with time", i told myself.

and yes, I was forbidden to play.
"what! thats insane..i want to talk to the doctor ..this is ridiculous mom i am fine"
"yes, i know..the doctor is not forbidding you...in theory, you are never to play again...your XIIth results are very important for your career"...as my mother smiled softly and ever so slightly winked at me ;) I smiled and fell back to sleep.,.....I loved the way she always found a mid way to keeping peace in the family. I wouldn't have made it to the school team anyway....


Well of course all that had turned out to be much ado about nothing, I did make a career in computers, and I have travelled by air enough to know that, that at least would not have been the reason why I couldn't have become a pilot! ;) The only reason I hadn't played was because I had promised my mother I wont, and then just lost all interest over the years. and the only living memory of that fall is a faint mark on my forehead, which is visible only if i frown and some one is playing very close attention :P

As I stepped on the badminton field, and swung my arm, it felt more lifeless than it ever had. I couldn't help remembering the days I used to spend hours playing tennis. My tennis racquets were at least twice as heavy as this one. I lost my first match abysmally. A part of me just wanted to go back home. "You haven't stepped on to a field in11 years...stop wasting your time and just go and sleep!"

But then I picked up the racquet, and started playing what I used to love playing as a child...gully badminton. a few matches later..I was back to having fun. Yes I lost my second match too. But less abysmally. and had more fun while doing so.

on my way back, as AA and I tried to find our way back to our house...errm yes I had managed to get us lost again,...I smiled. I had forgotten how much fun sports really are.....even if you lose abysmally....coz you eventually start losing less abysmally ;)

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

पलकें बंद न करना
थमा हुआ समुन्दर चालक जाएगा
टूटे ख्वाबों के टुकड़े
सीने में चुभने दो
अगर वो भी गिर गए

तो फिर अपना कहने को क्या रह जाएगा...