The Mirror and The Magnifying Glass

Most people I know lead their lives holding a magnifying glass in their hands. They are always looking through it in order to find faults in other people, things, institutions, and the world in general. The magnifying glass-holder is quick to judge and finger-point. The magnifying glass feels nice to hold and I must confess that sometimes, I too use it. The mirror-holders, on the other hand, think and act differently. Every time they are faced with a problem, they take out their mirrors, work out what's causing them to suffer, and find a great solution. For the mirror-holder, the problem ends and begins with the self. They are not afraid to own up to their mistakes. They are willing to rectify their mistakes and move on. They believe life is a gift and they want to get the best out of it.

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Good and bad,
Rich and poor,
Smart and dumb
Thinkers and doers,
Dark and fair,
Young and senile.
They all look the same,
When they smile.

On Making Decisions

Life is a constant struggle between this and that, if and but, why and why not. It's always tough to make decisions with long-lasting consequences. But I've realized that growing-up has a lot to do with being able to take sensible decisions. Even if we end up taking a wrong decision, it is better to accept it, make peace with it and do the best that we can instead of constantly regretting it. So when it's too hard to decide, just listen to your hunches, follow the signs and take a leap of faith. And don't forget, no matter where you go, let your conscience be your guide.

Those Special Songs

You heard the most beautiful songs back when you were in high school; or even before. Now you've grown out of that phase and you don't listen to those songs anymore. Your playlist gets modified every season and you cannot say who is your current favourite band or singer. But every now and then, once in a blue moon, you happen to find yourself gawking at that old, old playlist of yours. Or you spot that familiar-looking video on Youtube. You press the play button.

Literally, takes you back in time. Like it's yesterday once more.

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The other night I couldn't sleep a wink and stayed up reading books and feeding my belly till the wee hours of the morning. It was depressing to be in a bed room which wouldn't provide me a night full of rest. I decided to go for a walk. As I was walking down the street towards the community park, I noticed some daily-wage earners sleeping peacefully under a tree, with no A.C. to chill them, no mattresses or memory foam pillows to comfort them and no mosquito repellents to save them from the mosquito bites. I am also sure that they don't listen to any soothing music or count sheep or guzzle down green tea to get a good night's rest. How incredibly jealous I felt at that time! 

A Thought Worth Sharing

We spend too much time talking about other people, analyzing their views and actions, appreciating or criticizing them for no reason. If we could all just focus more on ourselves, work a little extra hard on improving ourselves, the world will be a better place to thrive in.

Beating The Fear

Most people are essentially afraid- afraid of taking risks due to the possibilities of failure- afraid of stepping out of their comfort zones- afraid of voicing their opinions owing to the fear of being ostracized or simply criticized for not trying to "fit in". Although people tell me that I come across as a very self-assured and confident individual, I've been afraid too. I have missed out on opportunities to experience something new, add a fresh perspective to a discussion due to my fear of standing out and, perhaps, being the odd one out.  But I've learnt through my experiences that it is better to push your limits, defy expectations, say it as it is, be more expressive and less me-centered and fearful of other's perceptions than any of those other things. After all, we've all been granted just one life to live and we should choose to live it on our own terms, assuming that we would act sensibly and respectfully. 

Guest Post: Home

Home was written by Mahima Kukreja, a former classmate and an avid blogger. Check out her impressive blog here.  

The TFI Journey, In a Nutshell

My fellowship with Teach for India is coming to an end in five weeks. A friend on facebook requested me to describe these two very eventful years of my life and this is what I wrote:-

"The two years were full of highs and lows. There were lots of moments when I felt at the top of the world and there were many depressing moments too- Like when my kids would not learn a topic despite my trying my best, when my school principal would not get convinced of my ideas, when my manager would complain that I didn't meet a deadline on time. But I took all these setbacks positively and worked towards them with complete dedication. Now that my fellowship is almost over, I know I have achieved- both personally and professionally, my students have achieved-academically as well in terms of values, mindsets and attitudes, and somehow my efforts have paid off; they have made an impact. So while this journey is finally coming to an end, I am really satisfied and happy with the way it went and look forward to a new journey in life."

Dream A Dream

Every dream may not come true. 

But then some do. 
And since some dreams come true, 

Don't fear dreaming a dream or two.
'Cause what else is there for us to do, 
When the stars come out 

And the sky turns blackish-blue?