If It was my world....

In my every day life, I often find myself citing that if it was in my hand or if I could alter and so on and so forth. So i thought maybe by now i have gathered a list for my kind of world...
Firstly I would take away the importance associated with money. It would be just another thing like air, available in abundance to everyone. That would immediately put an end to stress, rat-race, greed, selfishness, power, corruption, crime, war, and inequality and in turn give birth to better things like happiness, relaxation, good health, family union and of course a better life.

Secondly, since money is copious, jobs aren’t necessary but important enough to continue living on this earth and be occupied and busy.
In my world, there won’t be any restrictions on jobs. No stress on education specific jobs. Anybody could chose to do anything till the time they are performing and doing it efficiently.

Thirdly, I would eradicate the word terrorism from the world’s dictionary. This doesn’t mean I would take measures to fight terrorism. If that would have been possible, it would have been done so far.
I want to simply eradicate it like small pox. Small pox was eradicated by successful vaccination by WHO. That’s exactly what I plan to do.
I won’t do it for a social cause or to get a good name for myself but for my own selfish reason, which is to have a safe and secure life.

Fourthly, I would make more hill stations and beaches for relaxation and recreation. Hill stations with absolute greenery, scenic roads, beautiful weather and scrumptious food. Beach with white sand, clear water and profuse aquatic life.

Now that I have a world, where money is omnipresent, free from evil, people are free to work, out of their own choice and live happily and peacefully with their families. Plentiful places for leisure and fun. Isn’t it a better place??

(Disclaimer: Since it’s my world, no logic holds true :))

Never Changing Childhood

During my childhood days, my mom often asked me to recite poems, prayers, shlokas etc in front my Grand Mom, Uncle, Aunts and many other relatives. At other occasions, I use to dance, do mimicry, and show off my paintings to whosoever came home. She did that as she loved me and was proud of me for what I did. As a kid, I enjoyed that attention and use to be elated when people appreciated.
Today when I think about it, I feel so embarrassed and my mom giggles, but something’s never change. Now I see my brother and sister in law doing the same with my nephew and niece...These little ones also enjoy the spotlight as i did and become prey to people’s entertainment. :)

Everything is the same, only their activities have changed like showing off their skills at PS2 & PS3, doing yoga and pranayam, hairstyles & dresses (specifically my niece).

Acceptance...

Recently i came across a lot of Indians who have settled abroad (basically America, Australia and Singapore). Most of them have been born and brought up in India and then went abroad for either higher education, work or both and have managed to successfully live there for almost 2-6 years.

Obviously, these are the people who basically like it there and have adjusted well. They came with a dream and have fulfilled it.Most of them have a desire to go back to their native land someday but are clueless when. I respect these people because its no easy task to have a flourishing career in a foreign land. I have very closely interacted with many such people at different times in my life.

I have observed a very paradoxical behaviour among most of them. Though, some are still non-immigrants, that said, they are not first citizens of a respective nation they are working/studying in. Therefore, logically lack a sense of belongingess but the irony is they show and portray such a strong sense of belongingness towards the foreign country that its impossible to know their national status.

Its strange, how human being starts owning a place in his mind, where he has lived for few years. Any remark against their (current) country is taken personally. For a person like me, who has her feet planted in India and abroad most of the time, have definitely experienced the pros and cons of staying in India and abroad. There are a hundred things which are better here and maybe less but still, a lot of things much better in India.

My question to these people is- why get defensive??? Why not just accept the fact that life is good in India too but maybe not how they wish it to be. Just because their so called 'second home' gave them everything they ever desired, doesn't necessarily make 'not so good' things 'good' abroad. Liking certain things abroad which are not so 'likable' is plain acceptance not choice.

I am not biased about India or any other country but the only point that i am trying to make is be vocal about your true feelings and be yourself in accepting what you are and not what you think you are!!

The religious side in me urged me to find and visit a temple in Minneapolis. So, the other day i went to a Balaji Temple here. It seemed basically like a two floor office space which was converted into a temple.

The temple fulfilled all the criteria of being a holy place namely, the beautifully decorated idols, camphor smell, striking aarti plate, prasad, chants, priest, etc but still i missed the 'feel' of a holy place. This absence of emotion was due to the shape of the building and an office type entry and exit .
I realised, how even the shape of a building contributes to the holy 'feel' which we are so used to in India. Generally speaking, the temple buildings in India are tall with either a large or a small mount or a stupa at the top with a big entrance.

As i was going to the temple, i wanted to carry some flowers or sweets. Since the only flowers accessible here are in the form of bouquets or single roses and the sweets are frozen, tinned and insipid, i decided to just carry some cash. To my surprise, i was amazed to see others offering bouquets, frozen sweets and also some stale looking-fresh sweets.
Later, this wasn't overwhelming but maybe i thought practical and convenient.
My idea was not to compare temples in U.S. with India, as i understand it cannot be the same. Rather on the other side, its good to know that some Indians are still initiating to keep their culture alive but sometimes certain feelings overpower your logical side.

This whole experience was definitely different which doesn't imply it was unlikable but just plain "different".

Contradictions!

Our world is full of contradictions. Following few statements will throw some light on the subject:

1."Be satisfied with what you have got and thank god for all that he has given."
"Desire for more than what you have, else how will you grow as a person?"

2. "Always help others."
"God helps those who helps themselves."

3. "Accept yourself the way you are."
"Don't limit yourself, expect more from yourself."

4. "Don't take life so seriously. Enjoy and have fun."
"When will you start taking life seriously?"

Well, am sure there are more such statements and everyone comes across such paradoxes in life at one point in time.

Maybe these are not contradictions to some and are only two different school of thoughts, but to those individuals who partly believe in both the thought processes, these are nothing but Contradictions.

For believers of both the schools, the search for understanding 'life' begins with realizing both sides of contradictions. Life is complicated and there isn't just one right way of looking at things.

If there was, i would have never understood -'Giving charity versus my belief of everyone should work' or 'Freedom of speech versus cheap and loud shows like"Laughter Challenge on TV' or 'Indian spirit during Cricket match versus need for Vidarbh as a separate state'.

Human mind...

The functioning of human mind astonishes me at times. I mean there are so many things for which there are no convincing answers yet. For instance take my current situation for an example.
Few days back, I had a very settled life back in Pune (not that i don't have it now), with a good job, good salary, busy routine and big group of friends! If somebody would have asked me to give up all that in Pune, he/she would surely have had a nightmare of his/her life!!!!
But here i am in Minneapolis, living happily as a homemaker with no friends around and with no fixed routine (so to say). But i am frankly enjoying this phase. This is because before i came in, i had prepared my mind for this life.
Mind reacts funnily if its not prepared. In life, our actions/reactions are based on our own intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought, perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination. Of course Science has helped and explained a lot that goes behind working of a human brain but are we all cent percent convinced? No science can convincingly explain each reaction or an action of a human mind at each instance because human mind is a private sphere to which no one but the owner has access. No one else can "know our mind." They can only interpret what we consciously or unconsciously communicate.
Even "MIND" itself doesn't know that we are talking or writing so much about it !!!!

Font sick!

While i chose a font to write, i am reminded of my Ex-Boss who was always so stuck at choosing the right fonts and standardizing it. Though its a good habit but sometimes it just gets a little too irritating!! I am reminded of a funny incident.
My boss always wanted Verdana font whether it is our mails, mail signatures, letters, presentations etc. to a limit that if somebody did not follow the font, was asked to redo the entire work.
One day a placard had to be made of his name to be given to a cab driver to pick him up from the airport. My documentation writer came worried and asked me- Antra, do i use "Verdana font" for this placard too??

That was funny but as a matter of fact we did use verdana so that at least he doesn't send the Cabbie back to get the font fixed!!! lol :)

Finally Blogging!!!!

This is my first post and i am so thrilled to have finally started blogging!!!!
For quite sometime, i have been thinking, and thinking and thinking and guess what? Bang!! You got it!!!
THINKING!!!
to start blogging but for whatever reasons i have not been able to do so.

Well, here i am in Minneapolis, USA writing my first post on my first blog.
I wonder why does these "first" things always give so much pleasure? Be it your first bicycle, first watch, first bike, first crush, first kiss or FIRST BLOG!!
I guess some questions are unanswerable and unexplainable.