Growing up

What is love? Is it the seemingly necessary bond that has to exist between two people to ensure that their lifelong association does not turn into a nightmare of sorts? Do we really experience a magical spark that sets our nerve endings on fire , because quite frankly that sounds like a full blown panic attack to me. Are we merely deluding ourselves by thinking that a single powerful emotion towards somebody else is enough to sustain the long and arduous journey that is life? I believe that we need something beyond just bestowing our innermost affections, as the most shattering blows are often effected by those whom we hold dear to our hearts. This is because, when we care with such fervour, all sense departs and what’s left is only a battleground where we have to fight to survive.  So, what ultimately promises, if not guarantees that we may find the happiness we have been seeking ? Not love, but compatibility which , despite how business-like it sounds, is quintessent...

He sighed in contentment as the wind ruffled his hair and her soft chuckling whisked through the air like a soulful melody. They were lying on the green grass with their arms clasped firmly, drowning in nostalgia,  for isn’t reliving the joyful memories of the past the best way to spend a lazy afternoon?  “ This feels so good”, she says, indicating their entwined hands, lighting up the whole meadow with that heavenly smile of hers. She had always been the sensitive one, the one with the empathy, his emotional anchor that kept their friendship intact.  Nothing mattered in comparison to each other and the million moments that they had shared together.Their epic journey began with the “Hello, would you like to have your lunch with me and my friends?” that she said to the shy little boy who was new in school and was strengthened by the “It will all be OK, I promise” that he said as she sobbed on his shoulders when a trusted friend broke her heart. He was very pro...

She is alone, she is mocked, she is bullied and she wants to give up but she has to go on. Do you know why? Because even though she is alone, she holds her head up high, even though she is mocked, she stands her ground , even though she is bullied, she gets up and brushes the grime off of her. She is strong, she is invincible and even though inside she is breaking into pieces, she never lets that affect the way she projects herself to the outside world. She doesn’t suffer in silence but she knows when to stop and when her words go unheard. She doesn’t bow down to anybody and never goes down without a fight. She is not afraid to speak her mind and refuses to be intimidated by the patriarchal society. She is bold, she is candid, she is crazy and she brings with her a whirlwind of emotions that knocks the breath out of you. She is sensitive, she is inquisitive and she is damn stubborn when she wants to be. She is infuriating and absolutely annoying at times but she shocks y...

“ I can actually empathise with their situation.” We say this when we have gone through the exact same thing and can fully understand someone else’s pain, their anguish, their trials and tribulations. But what happens when we cannot empathise, when we cannot fully comprehend their struggle? Do we just shrug it off as an unfortunate occurrence not concerning us or do we try to do something , however small, to ease their suffering? That something, my friends is the hallmark of compassion. Empathy cannot be shown by everybody, as you have to go through the same hellish experience to even begin to relate to somebody else’s grief. But nothing warrants holding back that shred of compassion that makes us say a small prayer, give a much needed shoulder to cry on or say the words “ I am there for you”. Some might be of the  shrewd opinion that there is a limit up to which we can be there for others as ultimately the battle is theirs to face. Others, who are not so sensitive, might s...

What does being alone mean? Does it refer only to being physically alone or are you on a different level altogether in your thoughts which makes it impossible to relate easily to others? Each of us have that unique thing about us which sets us apart even though it's not embraced openly by many. For, in the race to become something which would be deemed commendable by others, we slowly and involuntarily repress that streak of quirkiness inside us. Alright, I've already started digressing from the main topic , so here I wonder again how do you define loneliness? How do you define that sinking feeling, that feeling of yearning, that forlorn longing for some connection, some familiarity, some hope? This is getting too melancholy which was not the intention, I just wanted to explore into the facets of the tryst with despair and mild desolation, which are old allies of loneliness. Alright, who am I kidding, yes, this might sound kind of depressing but the point I am trying make...

"I wanted to complete it but I never seemed to have enough time." We might get irritated hearing this ageless excuse from others, but the bitter truth remains that each and every one of us easily let ourselves be handicapped by the so called constraints of time. We would love to do a million different things every single day but ultimately, we are perfectly content to let it stay the way it is , a dream. And we chose to place the blame upon the merciless, but never complaining frenemy, time.We often complain that time just seems to slip past our fingers and never seem to know how the hour hand moved so much without our noticing."If only I could have gotten the time to do this yesterday" is nothing more than what it tries in vain to disguise, an excuse. Why do we succumb to our laziness(very prominent in my case), our tendency to delude ourselves into thinking that some things can be postponed to eternity? But, what we fail to foresee is that the twinges of regret...

Why ever do I have this insane need to be liked by nearly everyone I meet? It is bad enough that I subject myself to a ruthless introspection day in day out,  I invite others to do it for me too. We might totally agree with the fabulous ideals of being one's own person and vow to love ourselves no matter what. But, at the end of the day, we are just lying to ourselves and climbing up the ladder of hypocrisy. Each person is entitled to their own opinion after all, however utterly biased and ridiculous they may be. But, it is vital to remember one thing, in this highly complicated and unbelievably unfair game of chances that life is, there are more wonderful things to trust our heart with each day. We may be presumptuous, hot-tempered, immature or even hopelessly wrong on all counts but fortunately or unfortunately, we are human.And, even if this incessant worrying and this uncalled obsession does not warm us to many, at least it shows that we care. And all said and done, what mat...

Becoming successful and achieving independence, both mentally and financially are two of the most quintessential dreams that every person making their way into the 20's has. But I wonder, most of the time, whether these dreams will ultimately bring me the happiness I seek? Happiness to me, is not having any regrets at the end of the day, something which i have never been able to fully realize. I worry that, in the intense and crazy rush towards fulfilling my dreams, I am losing out on the more important facets that make life what it is. I worry that I am not spending enough time with my family, I am not leaving enough moments to breathe, to sit and to will myself to view things in their right perspective. Just sitting down, reminiscing about the past and sharing a few words of comfort and love with the people who matter should never be compromised. I have discovered that in my endeavor to constantly find time to relax and relish the present, I never actually do justice to the oppo...

To do or not to do? To be or not to be? Confusion and indecision bordering on paranoia would be putting it mildly. A rollercoaster of emotions, a jumpy, ferrety persona and a mind that travels at enough miles per hour to send the whole world spinning are just a few of the more distinct, observable phenomena surrounding an Overthinker. An overthinker is a crude, sort of an informal name that I like to use while referring to people like me who just cannot put a bridle on the absurd direction and speed with which our thoughts ricochet off the original issue. And this happens not once, but multiple times in a single minute so much that we can literally feel our brain screaming for rest.        For example, a friend does not reply to our message within five minutes- That's it,all hell breaks lose in the charming world of lunacyland. In the course of the next ten minutes, we go through a series of splendid explanations for the lack of reply which range from us having com...

Introverts “Not” by choice Keeping to oneself, avoiding social gatherings, relishing loneliness, shying away from parties, these are some of the labels associated with the so called “Introverts”. But I wonder, what really makes one an introvert? Do they really revel in their loneliness or is all they need is a huge burst of confidence to live  life their own way free from the shackles of intimidation? Being an introvert myself, I feel that the yearning to be outgoing and prove my worth is often suppressed by the inevitable need for a constant companion. Sitting in our comfort zone, moping about what could have been always seems a better option than braving the world on our shaky confidence. Because one embarrassing moment is all it takes to send us crawling back into our shells again. But once you actually do it, the satisfaction and sense of achievement that engulfs you is immeasurable. I believe that courage is always found from within. However, it would definitely he...