The Water Droplets

The best moments in life are like water droplets. Once you start paying attention to the smaller details, you see the water droplets falling from the partially closed tap. One of the sayings on the page of my favourite author Paulo Coelho, always brings me back to things that actually matter:
"Life is Short, break the rules, FORGIVE quickly, KISS slowly, LOVE truly, LAUGH uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you SMILE. "

A normal day is like water gushing from a tap, there are no particular moments you remember. You need a change, when you see your life as a journey from one weekend to another (yes, that boring high paying job which you ache to quit).
 It is so easy to say this, but truly difficult to follow. The time to enjoy life is now, not tomorrow, not that vacation  you have been planning. If everyday we can do one thing that makes our heart smile, we have a droplet when we close the tap at the end of the day. It does not have to take an hour, even ten minutes of watching the sunset with your best friend would do. It has become even harder to do this thanks to the "virtually connected" world we live in.

The water droplets are relative. What one person sees as a droplet, might not be the same for another person. Social media like facebook can muddle our thoughts and confuse our perspective of happiness. I feel liberated to say that my facebook usage has reduced to a bare minimum (yes, I think it is right to say I was a facebook addict).

Life is finally back to those droplets that matter, made up with people we care about. Have a nice day folks. Hope you see the droplets that make up the flowing water.

Do we really want to know?

Scenario: Late Night Thoughts
Inspiration in bits and pieces: *Onky and Fred

So, I have heard that when people really figure out what they want to do in life, it's true bliss. But, do we really want to know what we want to do in life? Isn't the uncertainty, the bursts of happiness, the understanding of small things and everything that comes with it what constitutes a wholesome life?

Maybe, if you really find out what you are supposed to do, life's no longer interesting. You have to give a shot at stuff, try different things. I have tried small ones and yes, it is hard initially but later on it gives this huge experience, that you probably would never get if you were so hell bent on sticking to a master plan.

Sometimes, when you see people, you know they are meant to do what they are doing, since they do it so well. But, really that does not mean that's what they are supposed to do. Take a break, try something else. Why should life be so serious? I strongly believe this train of thought stems from moving to Canada and the influence of some of my labmates (truly admire their decision process). I have heard of investment bankers who completely change from what they are doing 18 hours a day to doing labour work like plumbing. If it helps clear the mind and do something satisfying, it's totally worth the 'risk'. Yes, there will be the sceptical looks and the nagging feeling. I don't think I would do something like that, because while ibanking is software development for me, I do not know what's the analogy of plumbing for me!

It takes truck loads of courage to do something like this, but it should be fun and probably scary initially. Might be not right, but yes, you tried something different.

Similar thing goes with the small things... which is what I decided to start with. Yes, I am scared of the uncertainty. Wish me luck, I am sure I'll need it!

*Pseudo names are used, yes these people are called by these names.
F uses Fred when he wants to order pizza and people find it easier to to pronounce Fred rather than his original name.
Onky was called that by his college mates at NIT Trichy.

P.S: Just saw this video on TED. Something along similar lines, trying smaller things for 30 days.

http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html

Life is a Tree

Disclaimer: I am not referring to the tree of life.

Life's like a tree, this makes sense when you look at a tree that has shed its leaves and all that remains are it's barren branches. When we are born, we do not have a choice regarding the time and nature of our birth. We also can not choose between parents, the life we would lead, the religion we would follow etc. That symbolizes the trunk of the tree, thick and strong, no choices, just accept... your childhood.

Slowly, the trunk gives way to branches, which leads to more branches and that goes on, till finally the branches give way to twigs and there is an end, The branches represent the choices we have, the decisions we make and we follow one branch. Ultimately, whichever path we follow, there is death in the end. However, some branches have seeds which end up having fruits. These are those tiny moments of accomplishments in life. As life progresses, the decisions we make increase. Every day we make choices, some are too subtle to even care.

Finally, there is the unseen, the roots of the tree, the foundation. I like to think of it as the 9 months we spend in our mother's womb. When the foundation is strong, the tree is magnificent and healthy.

Lastly, the picture is the tree outside my home, which brought about this philosophical note...

A Paradigm Shift

Okay whats this all about??
A paradigm shift is a change in our inner selves.. we view things the way we want it to be.. and our behaviour and attitude stems from the primary way we view things.
So a paradigm shift is something like changing the basic priorities in life..

whats your basic priority in life??
Okay this varies from person to person, time to time.. but here’s the difference. A primary priority should never change.. if it changes it’s a secondary priority.. like when I was in school my priority was to do everything in the best manner.. be it studies,sports, helping friends…anything for that matter..
Now that I’m in college priorities change.. away from family..with friends 24x7.. they’ve become an integral part of every student (at least hostelites wud agree to this..)… to give our full in everything.. from social relationships to studies… but these are secondary priorities.. one of my friends stumped me with a question.. she really keeps me thinking.. makes me wonder what are we doin here… was my roommate.. okay enough of her..she asked me.. wat do u wanna do in ur life ,anna?
family and friends matter, Grades come n go, gpas matter, but whats the basic priority? A gud life.. why do we wanna do well in life?? Its just like after skool , u think “hey college life’s coming..its goin to be complete masti..” ..u reach college and you might change part of your opinion..! then you think.. okay after this work.. its gonna be hectic.. but finally some cash.. big pay cheques.. for what?? To have a better life? What’s a better life when you have stressing work, ground breaking deadlines.. hours in front of the computer..or whatever..? when you work you have to work on something you are passionate about..forget the work part for now.. coz I’m not working to know what it actually means to be having deadlines or anything..
coming back to the basic priority in life: be so content with what you have ,..that no matter where u are or what u do… u wud be happy with it.. that doesn’t mean you should stop trying.. but within your limits.. you should realize when you are going over the limit stressing yourself..
I was just reading this book..Tuesdays with Morrie.. one of the most awesome books I have read till date… it’s about a prof named morrie and he knew he was about to die in a few months time… coz of the disease he had.. but he continued doin everything he could do as normally as possible.. the story is narrated by a student of his.. rather his fav. Student.. he wud spent Tuesdays with his prof at his home and they would talk about everything.. work,family,emotions.. its an awesome read.. makes u realize that whatever you do, whoever you are wherever you go.. finally you have to face it.. the brutal reality.. how you have to cope up with it..how you deal with situations in life.. setting priorities.. it’s a really wonderful book.. read it.. its worth it..
Chal then.. serious talk for a while..hope it keeps u thinking….
Tc
Anna
PS: 3 posts published on same day.. but had been wirtten earlier.. cudn't publish due to net problems at grand mom's place.. finally made it.. still no net connetcion at ggrand mom's place..;(

V-day dhamaka

Disclamer: i thut i wud rite one for this post coz i dont want to get on the wrong side.. this post doesn't imply anyone in general.. its just a true piece of my mind on what i actually feel about this stuff..no offences meant to any pairs in nitc.. note da point...;)
okay rite now i'm in the blogger mode.. but lately we hav been having discussions in the LH (read it as ladies hostel.. for the uninitiated guys around here ;) ...) regarding the effect of valentine's day in the college campus.. firstly the 1st years hav this miserable job of trying to sell cards to the seniors or their batchmates.. cards include red card(i've fallen in luv wid u..cud just b a prank.. also!) ,yellow card(i value ur freidship..) white card(lets b good friends..da strt of a beautiful friendship).. chilly cards(any ill feelings against anyone) and ginger cards(meant for bugging people.. ; )
finally they decide the rose king or queen.. based on who gets da maximum number of red roses..
the idea of cards... i think this is not a great idea.. coz there hav been many instances where ppl sent cards in others names n fool ppl.. i hav seen many ppl who hav stopped talkin to each other coz of misunderstandings.. i guess in other colleges also its da same ol' stuff..
its not dat i'm against valentine's day or something..but this idea of conveying ur feelings thru cards when ppl r actually present in the colg.. its not like they are in another country all together!!... is really absurd. nad mostly its just a time pass relationship.. friends.. sending yellow roses is a gr8 idea.. i mean i like it.. but to sent red roses n chilli cards to someone in others names.. is called cowardice.. express those feelings urself.. not thru someone else
its like dere are so many pairs in nitc.. they will find all this fun.. it is meant for them..valentine's day ....but others.. just stick on to ur friends for their friendship will defenitely be more important than a relationship.. yup i talk like i hav loadz of experience.. believe me..i dont.. but there have been many cases as these which can be an eye opener for all of us..
ppl just roam around with their boy/ girl.. they lose the valuable time they can spent with their friends..friends in both the genders.. i know there are ppl who still hav time for thier friends in both the genders even after they are commmited.. but they defenitely lose on a lot of things they wud hav done otherwise..they are like bound .. to tell the truth.. most of them won't feel it.. coz they belive they are in love.. but are they really??? thats a question they have to answer once they leave this college and ener into the world.. the real world. when they hav to stand on their own feet.. when they can't run to the solace of the atm.. where their caring parents will deposit money evry week (okay dat mite be an exaggeration.. ;).. but there is money wheneva they need it when they r in colllege.. ) .. all will be hunky dory till they leave college.. after dat??? they mite end up marrying.. den its fine(hopefully..;) ) otherwise they MITE end up regretting all those times they missed in collge days.. no doubt the time they spent with their partner mite be fond memories.. but still there will be some pain deep down inside their heart.. why go for that? why suffer such a pain when this is the time u can actually enjoy.. life to the hilt.. defenitely after marriage.. u'll hav the trouble brewing up..;) so why not have your freedom till dat moment..??
i guess da best relationship status is single n ready to mingle.. okay i can c many raised eye brows.. ppl dont curse me.. its just an opinion.. n i'm sure there will b many who agree to this and many more who'll b really critical about this...
anyways HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.. to all the happy pairs out dere...
okay signin off...
n one more thing.. single?? don't be lonely.. loadz of ppl out dere who wud value ur friendship.. ppl all around u mite b in pairs.. but believe me .. life is not so easy for them too...they have their ups and downs..
singles have their family friends teachers.. relatives.. n ofcurz..........FREEDOM......
think about it...
tc
k signin off
bye
anna