An ode to the dreamer....

I could fill a million reams,
writing of those unspoken dreams,
those that were and those that will be,
Dreams, perhaps, I never stopped to see.


Dream of sunshine cutting through the long winter night,
The hope that no matter what, it will work out right,
Hoping I'll catch just a little stardust,
As in the unborn morning, I place my trust.


A road so long, with shades so few,
And I try to balance, as I stumble on the dew,
I dream to make it to the other side,
Hell, no one promised, it would be a smooth ride.


So again today, those gusty winds, I'll fight,
And try tiding the storm, with all my might,
Yet again today, I'll swim a few miles more,
Who knows... I may not be too far from the shore.

Child forever..

Have you ever wondered, how as we grow older, we let the child in us disappear. One of the most striking vision of a child is when it has its eyes widened in surprise...that expression of complete amazement. Probably as we grow up we lose the ability to be surprised or shocked by most things. Its like...Oh that’s no big deal!!All grown up...
The number of things that can excite us keep lessening, works a burden you must carry on to survive, responsibilities are ever mounting, time’s always at premium and worse that chocolate brownie you always enjoyed is just a ticket to more calorie trouble.
We are sometimes like robots so attuned to doing the logical. Everything is planned, for a reason that has perfect explanation, our schedules preecided. There is hardly any room forsurprises, for the unplanned.
Truth is there is so much joy to draw out of little things...Standing on the shore feeling the sand sink beneath your feet, watching your favourite cartoon, burying yourself in an Enid Blyton, playing a prank on someone....For those who think its childish or stupid, its by miles better then being boring and lifeless. Its important not to let that enthusiasm die...it could be anything that you have always been passionate about....Figure out for yourself
To let that child within us stay or to let it go....the choice is ours. Gotta get it right!

Memories Bittersweet...

Times in memory one can always cherish
Sometimes sweet, Sometimes nightmarish.
The comfort of warmth, the feeling of togetherness
If it be possible, those moments I'd harness

Sometime it'd be a cold winter night
Sometime the sun shining bright.
All'd be happy, sharing all mirth,
while someday an incident may truly hurt

It could be tears or perhaps smiles,
Some close one may be at a distance of miles
Time may not always be a friend
But warmth of sharing with memories will blend

Years pass by....
And my best I try
to capture back those unforgettable times
The first big joke like a nursery rhyme
I still reminisce like an incident of yesterday

.....But all I possess are its 'memories' today

Nemesis or boon

Well today i'm writing about something which has both intrigued and amused me ..and at times made me feel apprehensive too....This huge phenomena of our times ...social networking sites. Fulled by the rapidly spreading internet across the globe, social sites like Orkut, Myspace, Facebook have gained mammoth proportions too in terms of their reach. And like every powerful technology this one is laced with its flipside too. Its a great medium to catch up with old friends....wherever they maybe, share thoughts and express opinions...but then far too often it gets misused too. I mean think of this (and if it sounds like some sermon or self indulgent gibberish, its unintentional), Not so long ago if you wanted to catch up wid ur buddy, you'd probably just drop at each others place or go out together...check on him/her in person....birthdays, achievements...the high and the lows together. As life got busier...a phone call sufficed.... hearing the voice of a loved one substituted for physical proximity....but like that song goes...times they are a changin....now at click of a mousepad, you can connect to 30, 40...heck 100 frnds if u're popular (or in the irritating habit of sending a friends request to every next person out there..whichever). But on a more serious note, these sites are reflective of very basic human instict to feel part of a group...too seek attention...to share...to know what's going on in someone else's life. The problem is when this fine line between the need to feel connected is crossed and transformed to addiction.
You green with envy, seething red with anger rollicking in the good times or facing the blues, just shout it out and loud....Is anyone there??..More importantly does anyone give a damn.
This piece is not about network bashing esp given that one who's writing is a regular user too. Infact thankful, for a means to get in touch with friends spread far and wide...But one can't help but investigate deeper on what makes it tick. Some say the net is the most interactive place, you can ever be in....some say its lik shouting into a voiceless, faceless hollow....To each one his own as long as you stay on the right side of the line...

Till then happy networking

Musical notes

God must have been very happy with mankind to gift it with the power to create music...a language stronger than any other...beyond the barriers of countries and ethnicities. Be it classical, pop, country....
Classics for instance...the Sinatra variety can stll give you goosebumps and old hindi melodies still continue to mesmerise after decades. While modern music continues to evolve technologically, you wonder if the soulful music of a flute or strings can ever be replaced by electronic keyboard/synthesizers.The latter is more in sync with times but the longevity circumspect...If you are a music lover, its unbelievable how much there is yet for you to discover....
Music has varied dimensions... somedays if one is really stressed out, which by the way comes easy, given the hectic patterns that we have fallen into, it might just take a few minutes of closing your eyes and listening to a favourite number....and feel your worries melt away....its truly catharsis for the soul, if ever there was one....Go catch some for yourself and you'll know.

Of summers and pickles...

Each season brings its own flood of memories...Having spent most of my summer vacations in Rajasthan....my recollection is that of flavoured ice golas or 'Chattas'as they resemble umbrellas. The afternoon heat was so unbearable, we were instructed not to leave th rooms wid their coolers...Of couse my enthusiastic cousins always sneaked to play chupam-chupai/loh lakkad an i would reluctantly tag along...never having been a great fan of physical sports....For me cards and ludo were the saving grace...Coming to other summer memory was that of pickles and papads....in twenty or thirty kgs, it is a team effort all the way!! As i went to pick up another 10 kgs of kairi today for another round of pickle making...was almost like walking back in time. Atleast in Mumbai wid, so little time and space, people either depend on readymade pickles or ones still enthusiastic pick up 1 or 2 kgs of these gigantic mangoes....
Summers may never be the same again...so this time its abt learning this disappearing skill:-)

Zero sum game

Have you noticed that as we grow up and go along life...how our measure of happiness changes? As kids we are used to ready recognition, winning awards in competition, constant encouragement by elders and pat on the back whatever we do.....As teenagers, where peer group assumes importance, there is more a growing need to feel 'accepted'...As independent adults...the bar gets higher, the appreciation thinner. The need to excel at your job and have a promotion to show for it....the need to be a good parent and have your kids' grades show it....its endless the pressures we bring upon ourselves.
From my perspective, at such times, one needs to figure out what is most important to him/her.
Few months back...I saw colleagues lose jobs....some of whom had put their personal lives on hold so long....worked either like the company depended on them or worse still that without their company, they would be no ground beneath their feet...they practically had no time for families....Even if they had continued to retain their jobs....what's it worth?
Looking from the sidelines, I get the feeling that each of us needs to figure out where our balance lies...when to let go and how much and when to hold back strong..........Cause after we have fretted, questioned and played to our heart's content..life might still be just a zero sum game.