The Strings of Life

Play the strings, create your harmony

Music is a part of me, a part of my life without which I would feel undoubtedly empty.  It elevates my mood, makes me reflect on myself, brings me peace, but the most important of all, it teaches me a lot of things about living.  Yes, living!  Our heart beat is the steady rhythm that marks our aliveness; we dance to it throughout our lives, trying to catch every beat and looking to make all the right moves.  This rhythm is more than just simple notes though; it is a harmony of different chords from different scales, progressing at changing tempos.  There are times where we encounter chords which are harder to play than others but it is only with practice and calloused fingers that you learn how to play them.  In the same manner, the strings of life are never just pulled individually and exclusively.  We often have different strings being pulled all at once, but it is with experience that we can smoothen out the sound and harmonize them.  There are many times you will need to adjust the strings to make the melody sound better.  Your choices will not always improve the melody, but even making it worse will teach you something.  Likewise, we have innumerable decisions to make in a day itself, let alone even considering our whole life.  It may take some terrible decisions to learn how to make the right one, but once you learn that, no one can take it away.  What matters is that you learn from your experiences.  Keep in mind that the rhythm, of music and of life, is not infinite so you have to make the most of it while it is possible to do so.

A Trapped Soul

Beyond the horizon, past the bars

A prison. What is it?  It's something you are put in by society when you do something wrong.  But today's post isn't about that prison.  It is about the prison that you make for yourself.  The prison where it isn't you versus society, but you against YOURSELF.  A figurative take on the topic, discussing why we put ourselves behind these barriers that restrain us.  We are so afraid of escaping our so-called comfort zone that we allow these restrictions to bound us, despite not needing to do so.  Protecting oneself is good, in fact, it is encouraged by evolution, but to shield yourself from the outer world can impede upon your goals and stop you from taking the ventures that you really want to explore.  You might think of the world as a cruel, harsh place; a place you are not comfortable stepping into (especially considering you'd have to let go of your safety blanket).  But if you never break free, then how will you ever realize what life is about?  Fear is undoubtedly genuine, but it just makes you hide yourself.  You just have to break those barriers around you and soar yourself high in the skies.  Leave every hesitation behind and break free from the bounded chains which do nothing but hold you back.  The world is yours to take, only if you have what it takes to fly away.

The Peace Within

Inner Serenity in the Outer Turbulence

There are instances when I am amidst hundreds, but still feel singular.  My soul emanates an aura of peace, despite my brain being exposed to countless, infinite thoughts.  It is this inner tranquility which seeps through my veins, relaxing each nerve of mine, letting me reflect on myself.  Some people are blessed, in that they can obtain this peace with practiced exercises.  But me?  Nope; yoga makes me wish time would go fast so the session ends and mediation puts me to sleep.  You know how I find this inner peace?  By being around nature.  Simply put, I like to feel the wind caressing my hair, touching my skin, and rejuvenating me by its very essence.  To feel my lungs take in the fresh air, and to exhale out the expendable.  It reconnects me with the more important, but intangible soul, while dismissing the more tangible body.  Peace isn't necessarily when you are physically well, but when you feel a wave of calmness soothing every tiny fibre of living in your body.  The external world is a chaos; the law of entropy obeyed incessantly.  But inner peace, that is what differentiates you from the outside.  To have the ability to absorb true calmness within yourself is an art.  Not only does it help maintain sanity, but it gives you a new appreciation of everything.  The yin doesn't exist without the yang.  In the same way, peace doesn’t exist without disorder.  We can choose to find the serenity from the turmoil, or to find the turmoil from the serenity.  But in the end, it is inevitably up to you to acknowledge which choice you make - the yin or the yang.

Droplets of Joy

Treat for the eye, medicine for the soul

The rain?  Yes, it makes me feel alive.  Droplets of water trickling down your skin.  The cold liquid brushing past your body before reaching the ground.  The rising goosebumps on your arms.  If all this doesn't make you feel alive, then what will?  The rain can capture each and every sense of ours, rejuvenating them.  The mere sight of raindrops can relax you, not to mention its steady pitter-patter  which can sooth any mental calamity.  The taste of  warm beverage as you feel the wetness of the drops with your other hand.  That experience is invaluable.  And what about the smell of the cold, wet soil?  That really beats it all.  Furthermore, the thunder and lightning only add to the theatrics.  Lightning, a flash from the camera above, and thunder, the *click* of the taken picture.  The lightning really brings a smile to my face every time; as if someone from above is actually taking my picture.  Smiling at the windows as my eyes witness the rain just adds to the overall atmosphere.  I'd consider it rather shocking if one does not enjoy these experiences, even though it is quite subjective.

But for me, as I watch the rain, all I can think of is brewing a nice and hot cup of coffee to take with me as I embrace the monsoon.  The point is not to get all philosophical; nope, that's not it.  But rather, it is to enjoy yourself without worrying about what others think.  If it means going out in the rain and jumping in puddles, then so be it!  Don't worry about appearing too childish (which by the way, many of my friends worry about).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is important that you don't forget to enjoy these small things which often bring a smile to our faces without requiring anything in return.  We seem to take too much for granted anyway, so lay back and observe the atmosphere.  Take it in; soak it in, if you have to.  Because as they say, in the end, you won't regret the things you did, but rather the things you didn't (even though you had the opportunity to).

The Incongruent Reality

Step out of the boundaries; break the norms

Yes, I am a girl.  But no, my purpose is not to serve you.  My life should not revolve around you.  Just like you have goals and ambitions that you want to fulfill, so do I.  I, too, want to make my parents proud.  And if given a chance, I would work hard to do so.  But for that to happen, I need a chance.  One chance to prove my worth.   A chance so often taken for granted by you, but so rarely received by us. 

But what will you do?  And anyway, after marriage, you will be busy doing household chores and raising your kids; so what’s the point of wasting resources over you?

Why is it that we hear these rebuttals but not you?  Why are we the ones solely responsible for such obligations and not you?  These conditions themselves are internalized from childhood.  Ever noticed how when little children play, we were dedicated wives who cooked and played with our children, while you were the husbands who went to work to bring home the bread.  These role associations are in no way innate or natural.  We all learn via mimicry; mimicking that which we observe from our surroundings.  So until the cycle is broken, we will keep passing on such ideas about gender roles to the future generations.

You have the power to help us, to break this cycle.  And no, it does not require any resources.  Rather, it requires something much more valuable, an open mind.  Consider being stuck in our situation, being oppressed by a patriarchy which runs deep and efficaciously, bounding us with restraints.  After all, the glass ceiling does not break by itself.  Women empowerment is the hammer with which the very real barrier can be broken.  This glass ceiling that I am speaking about is the reality for most women, even in the Western world.  It often leads to reinforcing your male ego at our expense, whether it be by something like under-paying us for the same job comparatively, or by limiting our chance at a promotion by not giving us the opportunity to show our worth.

It is up to you to accept that we are just as human as you, and that we are just as worthy to be treated with equality.  This pervasive idea of patriarchy can only be eradicated when we all start believing that the idea itself is flawed.  Society is not something abstract; WE make up society.  So with a shift in our views and emerging support towards women empowerment, we CAN bring forth a change to level out the field for everyone.

Unfortunately, many of you will never really understand our situation unless you actually experience life in a matriarchal society.  But, what you can do is perspective-taking at the least to try and understand our difficulties.

So open yourself up to accept the idea of true equality and help us with our purpose.  And that includes not just you, but us as well; all of us, together.

Yes, I am a girl.  And yes, I too deserve equality.

Strength in Numbers

Don't underestimate the power that the youth holds

The population of India is in the billions, and out of those, the majority of them falls under the classification of youth.  With an already existing strength in numbers, if we encounter a prevailing unity amongst the youth, then there is nothing that can stop them.  They have the power to change the world.  If they decide to fight for a cause, then nothing can impede them.  They have the resources, they have the knowledge, and if we can ignite their passion, then they can take the nation to new heights.

With proper guidance, we could encourage the future of this country.  A significant difference between us and them is that they have a different outlook on issues in comparison to us.  Their framework is much different than ours, which can be a good thing.  They have countless ideas with which they can contribute to the progress of our nation.

If we provide them with the right tools and knowledge about the betterment of this country, then they will be unstoppable, and that too for something good rather than destructive.  This is crucial because many youngsters are capable of doing so much, yet do not have the opportunity to do anything.  Too often, we (the elders) disagree with their solutions, labelling them as illogical.  But on the contrary, we should be encouraging different perspectives.  With the same recurrent ideology, this country is obviously not progressing as much as it should.  Therefore we should be in support of a fresh new set of ideas and solutions which the youth propose.

In fact, with the current trend of politics, even politicians have recognized the importance of youth support.  While their population makes up the majority of eligible voters, it is obvious that political parties will need to appeal to that sector in order to obtain the support of the youth.  Now, consider this: if the youth can be trusted with the responsibility of choosing the prime minister of India, then why can we not trust them for the future of this country?  Why do we undermine their capabilities?  We need to support them and encourage them.  But mainly, we need to trust them.  Place your trust in the future of India, and see where they lead us.

Take into account this analogy.  A drop, by itself, is pretty insignificant.  But when the drops unify, then each one has contributed to the formation of an ocean.

So give them a chance to prove their worth.  Let them show you what they are capable of.  But more importantly, be the role model that today’s youth needs because with the right guidance, progress is inevitable.

Your Footprints

Make your mark amidst the chaos

Ever think about changing the world?  Or about being the game changer of the century?  You're definitely not alone.  But chances are that the fact that everyone wants to be THE one to bring about that change may discourage you.  The fact that many have walked on the path to find such success without succeeding may frighten you, or well, make you feel insignificant.  But the key thing to keep in mind is to carve yourself a new path, oblivious to the presence of others.  Too often, people follow the same paths as others to find success.  But in doing this, they are losing touch with their raw passion.  You are not supposed to follow any people; it's about your choices, not theirs.  Instead of following people, you need to focus on your own path; focus on your own footprints that you want to leave behind.  If you feel passionate towards a goal, then you will find a way to achieve it.  You don't need to rely on others.  All you need is determination and faith in yourself.  Self-assurance can do wonders actually.  It won't always tell you the right path, but it will definitely keep you going.  There can be many people on the same journey as you, but they will not have the power to distract you from your path unless you give them the authority to do so.  Undoubtedly, there will be many other footprints present, increasing uncertainty in your choices.  But it is up to you to be confident in the decisions that you have taken.  Ultimately, it is your journey so you have to be the one to decide.  So don't fear a pursuit towards your goals and dreams just because it leads you to a road never taken before.  It may just be your path to success, just waiting to be discovered.

The Inevitable

One of the many different colours of life

As you can see in the picture, the leaves are in their last phase after having passed their previous life stages.  Leaves changing colour, falling from the stems, and leaving their bound existence to wander in the wild winds.  The different seasons have much more resemblance with our lives than we think sometimes.  If you think about it, we too go through the same stages.  Change is just one of those things, but nevertheless, a very important one.  Not only is it inevitable, but also necessary.  The spice of life, as it can also be called.  Too much of one season at a time can often bore us; make our days rather bland.  As if we need any more dullness in our already routinized life.  After all, who likes monotony?  Like the much needed rainfall after a drought, change is a good thing more often than not.  As humans, we obviously don't change colours.  Okay that was a bad one.  But in all seriousness, as humans, our changing opinions and perspectives indicate the transformation we undergo in our lives.  From infancy to old age, we too (eventually) learn how to fulfill our duties towards our family and our society.  Although we are wary of new circumstances, we can usually adapt ourselves accordingly.  For that reason, don't restrain yourself from accepting changes because we are capable of handling novel situations.  So from now on, I'm deciding to enjoy every moment of my life.  What about you?

Solitude

Your secret self, the real you

A little clichéd, but this is a perfect picture with which to begin the blog.  Have you ever experienced solitude?  Although it can be scary, it is wonderful to be with your own self sometimes.  You must have felt a kind of energy in such situations.  The things which you may hesitate to share with others can be easily shared with yourself, without any feelings of shyness or even inferiority for that matter.  It is, undoubtedly, important for the presence of others in our lives, be it for networking, for moral support, or for any other matter.  But in the end, one cannot deny that the strive towards any goal originates from within a person.  Any person can motivate you, inspire you, or even encourage you, but they cannot persevere for you.  They can praise you for your strengths, but they cannot make you believe in your abilities.  It is all dependent on YOU.  Positivity within yourself will lead you to feel empowered.  The milestones you have set for yourself will then appear to be easier to accomplish than before.  Solitude gives you the chance to encourage yourself and recognize your true inner potential.  It is time you realize that your all-time partner is yourself, indeed.  So spend some time with yourself and refill your body with some much needed positivity.  It will never go to waste.