ये वक्त भी गुजर जायेगा

हर सावन के बाद है पतझड़,

हर शीत के बाद बहार,

ये वक्त भी गुजर जायेगा।

After every monnsoon, there is an autumn
After every winter, a spring
This time too shall pass!

I understand sorrow

I understand sorrow

Doesn't mean I am sad

Not living like you do

Doesn't mean I am dead

It's great to feel joy

But it's okay to feel pain

Universe balances everything

Not every win is a gain

Come, what may bring you

Ensure to have then fun 

When life can be a whirlpool

Be you and next to none

इस साल की सीख

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
सिर्फ़ एक अच्छा इंसान बनना 
काफ़ी नहीं है 
सुन्दर दिखना 
बहुत ज़्यादा दौलत कमाना 
और हर किसी की नज़रों में ख़ास बनना 
सफलता के असली मापदण्ड हैं 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
आप कितना भी प्रेम कर लें 
पर हद से ज़्यादा विश्वास करना 
बेहद फ़िज़ूल है 
लोग सिर्फ एक हद तक ही साथ देते हैं 
और वो हद 
अक्सर उनके मतलब के हिसाब से तय होती है 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
आप चाहे अपनी सोच में 
सारे समंदर समेट लें 
और अंतरिक्ष की सीमायें लाँघ लें 
अंत में अपनी गरिमा का वास्ता देते हुए 
समाज की बनाई किसी सीमा में 
क़ैद हो जाना होता है 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
वादे सिर्फ किये जाते हैं 
निभाना उतना ज़रूरी नहीं होता 
वादों में अक्सर 
मतलब छिपे होते हैं 
और निभाने की वज़हें 
मतलब के आगे कमज़ोर 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
लोग आपसे अक्सर 
हाल चाल पूछते हैं 
पर उन्हें सच में आपके हाल में 
उतनी ही दिलचस्पी होती है 
जितना उन्हें उससे 
मनोरंजन मिलता रहे 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
कि किसी पीड़ा का माप 
चोट नहीं होती 
और हम ऐसी 
बहुत सी चीज़ें 
महसूस कर लेते हैं 
जिन्हें हम समझ नहीं सकते 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
अपेक्षायें और आकांक्षायें 
कभी ख़त्म नहीं होती 
और असीम असंभावनाओं के मध्यस्त 
एक उम्मीद ही होती है 
जो हौंसला देती है 
निरंतर बढ़ते रहने के लिये 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
जरूरतें तो हमेशा ही 
वक़्त पर पूरी हो जाया करती हैं 
पालने होते हैं तो बस कुछ शौक़ 
कुछ ख़ुद को खुश रखने के लिये 
और कुछ खुद को ज़िंदा 
मृत इंसान के शौक़ नहीं हुआ करते 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
महज़ ज़िंदा रहना ही ज़िंदगी नहीं 
ज़िंदगी में स्वाद 
ज़िंदादिली से है 
ज़िंदगी की चाह 
और ज़िंदगी का शुक्र अदा कर पाना 
ज़िंदगी की सच्ची सफ़लता है 

इस साल मैंने सीखा 
वक़्त तो हर लम्हा गुज़रता ही रहता है 
वो नहीं रुकता 
पर हम ही लम्हों को 
कभी यादों तो कभी शब्दों में 
तो कभी चित्रों में उकेर के 
क़ैद कर सकते हैं 
और वक़्त को रोक सकते हैं 

पतझड़

पतझड़ के मौसम में, गुलाब नहीं मिलते
सवाल कई होते हैं, जवाब नहीं मिलते
हक़ नहीं कोई शिक़वा या शिकायत करें
हर दफ़े हकीकत और ख़्वाब नहीं मिलते

तन्हा

इंसान आज इतना तन्हा हो गया है,
खुशी खोजता है और खुद खो गया है

Insaan aaj itna tanhaa ho gaya hai,
Khushi khojta hai aur khud kho gaya hai

Finding love

I often forget
What love is like
And then
I find poetry again!

Successful Sunday

Sometimes I wonder what a successful day is for me. I had a successful Sunday yesterday, well, kind of successful. 

I woke up early in the morning, naturally and not by a alarm clock or phone ring. I felt well slept, refreshed, energized and motivated. I didn't procrastinate as I always do. I didn't lose myself in mundane chores of everyday household this day. 

I had set-up a nice working space for myself. I had put on some on my favorite music and some of 90's Bollywood music too (I must tell you they are an absolute mood up-lifter if you have never tried it, works like a charm). I made a delicious cold coffee for myself; rich, dark, strong, creamy, chocolaty, exactly the way I like it. I held brush after a long time. I tried blobbing paints on paper. I was not really very happy with my first painting attempt of that morning. But I was glad I was learning, I learnt what style worked for me, and what not. I didn't feel scared to try on new things. I started another painting. 

And then, I had to meet this beautiful friend for lunch. It was a simple lunch but oh don't we just love to hangout simply sometimes. Making travel plans, eating, a little shopping may be and most importantly, admiring and supporting each other. 

I continued my day watching old movies on Television and resuming painting. It felt nice. It felt relieved. It felt peace. I was really happy with my second painting I must tell you. I decided to treat myself a little and I put on my headphones and headed out to try some street food. I rarely go out alone to eat, but I love doing that. It feels great, like I have a power and I am enough. 

And those times, I was only wondering that how important it is to have such days, with no drama in it. I agree life is a very long, complicated, dramatic movie. The casting never ends. Genre keeps on changing. One moment you think its a romance genre and other you find it being drama. Its comedy but its sometimes mystery and crime too. Well, I keep trying for making it a musical with romance and comedy and very little drama too of-course, like a pinch of salt in it. And then, some drama did happen. What is this movie called life without drama in it, eh? 

So, I had a kind of successful Sunday yesterday. But it had me thinking, how I want all my life's days like! Being happy and feeling peaceful isn't really too difficult, is it ? But when an external force tries to change your initial inertia and cause you to change your movie's genre, what should you do? Resist? Change? Don't give a damn and keep on enjoying your own musical?! Trying to figure out this last bit... 

I hope you all had a successful Sunday too. Would love to hear what makes it work for you. 

Walk alone

Walk alone. Listen. Breathe. 
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. 

Nature will calm your mind. 
It will relax your body. 
It will replenish your soul.

If you need a mind detox, 
Just look beyond that life of concrete. 
A beautiful sky will show up,
In all its beauty and wonderfulness. 
The hues of pink and yellow and orange and blues, 
And ever so mesmerizing silhouettes of dry branches 
Perching on the trees only to appear standing 
In praise and awe of the spectacular symphony the sky is playing. 

Look beyond the shackles of social networking and internet media. 
Don't give in to the desire of texting or browsing Facebook 
When you can enjoy a swing 
Silently observing its delicate motions. 

Feel the breeze. 
If you try, you can listen to a silent wind too. 
If you try, cold winters wont feel harsh to you. 
You may not find a lot of birds chirping now, 
But if you can still see the twinkling of the stars, 
Feel glad that you are still alive. 

If you look closely, you will see a life too, 
Sprouting out from a shell, 
Because the world isn't dead yet. 
If you look closely, you may have a glimpse of yourself too, 
Because you aren't dead yet either.

कभी आता नहीं बाद

मिनट, घण्टे, दिन
गुज़रते हैं
लम्हे हर दफ़ा
यूँ फ़िसलते हैं
कुछ आस में
किसी पैग़ाम की
और वो जो न हो
तो दुआ सलाम की
लोग कहते हैं अक्सर
वो करेंगे वापिस याद
भूल जाते हैं मगर
कभी आता नहीं बाद

Life and Death

Today I don't want to believe that I'm going to last for 75 years.
I want to feel death. I want to feel what it is like to die?!

I do not mean to say that I want to die. I am not sick, I am not depressed, I am not defeated; and if you must think, I am not bored either. It is not like life is missing big adventures or surprises, I just do not feel that I am living.

Lub-Dub Lub-Dub Lub-Dub

That is how heart beats, that is how we know we are living. I do not listen to that sound. I want to immerse in that music which is above all the worldly pleasures. I want to feel my every heartbeat.

I want to feel the miracle - the miracle of life. Each day when I wake up, I want to be thankful for being still alive. I want to feel every time I breathe, knowing that I am fully alive.

I want to feel free, being capable of choosing every moment of my life to spend my own way. To be able to sing or dance like no one's keeping an eye on me. To be able to jump and try to touch the sky. To believe that I can fly, if not today, someday. I want to live my way with no people staring at me as I am different. Coz I want to tell them all - Yes, I am different. And so are you! What you think of insanity is only a measure for freedom. You dare not to be insane, coz you dare not to be free.

I want to feel a fear of death once; and then let go of all the fears, the fear of hatred, the fear of love, the fear of death, the fear of life!

Good Morning!

Good morning!

It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?

What's beautiful about this morning, do you ask? What isn't, I ask!

The beautiful golden sun rays coming through the window and shining on your skin, a breeze carrying the smell of earth, birds chirping everywhere and music in every sound if you listen with your soul!

Why rush? There are many who needs to, but you don't! You don't have to wake up because the world will stop, if you don't! You have to wake up because its time you start enjoying the mornings rather than counting it as another curse!

You are one of those lucky souls who don't have to wake up early to minister to the sick, to carry food for the mass or guard the boundaries to protect people and things.

Your job is easy. All you need to do is not worry and breathe. Take it slowly. Relax. And start the day with a smile. Can you do that?

You are lucky, because you have time to read this post. May be you are still in your bed, or taking a break from your never ending chores, or travelling in a train or metro. Feel this morning. Yes, this is like every other morning. There is nothing exceptional about today, except that you are trying to smile, aren't you? I will be happy to know that you smile everyday!

Why rush? Take a moment to close your eyes, not sleep, but close your eyes. And say this to yourself. YES! I AM READY!

Whatever it may be, the day will come, you don't have to anticipate everything in the world. But feel ready. In this moment. 

Once, while travelling, I found a little girl, 5 years old, just so happy. She wanted to play with me. So we played. We were playing and her uncle scolded her a bit for being too naughty with random stranger people. She started crying in a moment. I hugged her and she was happy again the next moment. Life is just this simple. Its always in the present, the moment which is NOW! We hold on to our grudges too long, that they become a lot of emotions. They become resentment, they become regret. They become anger, annoyance and blame. They self-destruct our emotional system. We need to feel gratitude. Hope and satisfaction will follow. 

Are you feeling grateful for little things?

You all are grateful for food that you get, do you enjoy every morsel of it that you eat? Do you realize every flavor? There is a lot to feel, if you just eat when you eat.

There is a lot to relish if you are just with the person that you are, and not lost in your world of worries. Do you ever look in the eyes and talk? Do you try to empathize and not just throw mere opinions? 

Look around. There is a whole world just waiting to be cherished. With all its little insignificant moments to offer. Those moments make our life beautiful.

The day will come, you can not control it. But enjoy your morning. And the peace that it will provide to your soul. 

Have a good morning! :)

How are you?

Once I asked a friend 'how are you'. He told me he is 'surviving' and he shared his story. I was glad he was willing to tell and I had to tell him he is doing a great job at life. But when I asked the same question to many other friends, they said "fine" or they didn't even bother to answer or register the question. And in most cases, they didn't ask me back how I am. It left me wondering how people don't ask anybody anymore how they are doing. A part reason could be people don't always tell truth when they tell how they are. We always want to skip the big talks. We like avoiding questions that are asked about our feelings. We hide why we feel what we feel. We don't like to be exposed of our emotions. We find comfort in the fact that not many people can read us like an open book. And we prefer choosing a safe answer over a truthful one.

I have been asked this question a few times. Among those few of the times, I have tried to answer it honestly. Once I told a friend I am feeling anxious. I knew he would ask me the reason and he did; but I had none to offer. I couldn't find the reason of anxiety myself. I wanted to share if somebody is hearing me out but I didn't know the reason. People don't accept that you can't know why you feel particularly so. For them, feelings come in a pair with reasons. And everything has to be combined with logic. Once a colleague asked me at work how I am, and I told him I am hungry. He was very kind to accept my answer and he suggested options for breakfast. Many times I have told my friends that I am feeling joyous. They have asked me the reason. Sometimes I had them, sometimes I didn't; but they celebrated with me. Many times I told my friends I am feeling depressed. They only told me I am crazy to feel so. That it's just in my mind and I shouldn't think much. But I wonder why they didn't want to accept the answer then. Feeling negative emotions is as much a part of life as feeling the positive ones. I am only a human! A human with bones and flesh and all my virtues and flaws!

For last few days, I have been feeling a lot of negative emotions. Feeling of being deserted, feeling of not being cared for, feeling of not doing enough and feeling of regret over all the wrong choices I had made in the past. I know there is no point investing your time over a few things, because thinking again and again won't really make you feel better. But some times all you need is somebody who genuinely asks you how you are, and not give grave suggestions like "stop thinking". Only if I could really stop thinking, life would have been so much easy! But sometimes it's okay to think. All we need is somebody who understands that it's really okay so. Who accepts that it's okay to feel sad or lost. People just need to have a belief that we will come back around. And not knowing and getting confused is as much a part of life as exploring and having faith.

Sometimes all we need is just somebody who listen to us. Everyone has a lot to say. But are we ready to listen to them? Are we ready to know how they are before actually asking them? Are we ready to share how we are?

Find the answers in your heart today. Ask this to yourself, your friends and people around you. 

How are you?

Fear of Failure

Perfection!

It is that one word for which all wanting the best are crazy. I dont know if I really want to be the best, but I'm sure there is nothing lesser than perfect that I desire. Aiming perfection is kinda good. You keep giving your efforts till you know yes-thats-how-I-wanted-it. You might give less results, but sure you give your best ones. But should you really make this a habit; achieving perfection?

Perfection has done something bad to me. It has caused me a fear. You lose your balance just one step and thuddd - you are trapped in the fear of failure. I have done things crazily, giving my best, getting the results which I will like to call just perfect; but in the long time run, it has make me kinda coward and too much afraid. Now I feel reluctant to start a new thing, because I just feel that I might not get it perfect. No one gets it perfect everytime. I still need to learn that.

I have had enough now of not starting few things; if started, never completing them; if completed, never believing that yes-it-is-it! I must learn that imperfection is better than the regrets caused later.

I pray to God that once again I get the courage of doing things.. no matter whether perfect or not!

I pray that we all get able to remove the root cause of fear of failure - Perfection!

Let colors be flown and spreaded in the way they desire..

Let words pour out like little droplets of rain.. unmeasured!

Amen