The blank space!

I used to question myself sometimes; a lot of times, in fact. And in those times, the answers were usually a blank space. I wondered. Still I continued; never stopped questioning; and the blank space expanded each time. Worst is, I wondered with ‘strong feelings’ about the questions. I gazed; stared; and smiled at ‘em rarely too. Often I prepared myself to be obnoxious towards it but that used to overrule in no time. Prepared myself to be patient and that used to get under-ruled. Now what else? The questions remain and the blank space still remains.

But then I changed my gazing. That perhaps without my knowledge; turned it around. I ignored questions. I started gazing at the blank space instead. Figured the vast space lying there. The happenings, the connection of dots and the effortless knit. I took a deep breath and was in shock many a times. The process stunned me, leaving me contended and easy, calm, serene and filled with love. Moreover, the blank space has given all the answers that I was looking out for. It was there, right there! Duhh!

Signing off for now,

Achu

I didn't …it just did!

There might be two reasons for taking a break from anything. One, when there’s nothing to do and other, when there are lots of things to do, and you’re feeling overwhelmed and fatigued. The latter scenario has been caught up with me from last two months, sort of causing a forcible break from the blogging space in this brand new year. I just didn't know what to write because of so many things crossing my mind and them competing amongst themselves.

I was not sure which topic to bang on until this day, this time. I was contemplating to write on the second chance I got, twists in my journeys, the first real shooting star I saw, diligent garbage worker I observed, my adventurous travel, and a new perspective for a work-life that a start-up company introduced. But everything takes a toll, steps aside when there are deep human emotions involved. It’s easy to pick on this. In fact, it just gets picked, you see.

Coming to my actual topic, it overrides me to even think how some people can live so contentedly and enjoy spreading that warm feeling across. The affection they render every single time is so pure, so intense that it catches on to you even if you meet them once in a while. It’s very seldom that we get to experience the magic of love that’s so real and true, making you feel the emotions cutting through your veins. These people go on creating endless impressions without any effort until one day, when they don’t exist anymore.

My heart goes out with gratitude and respect to a very special lady, an old friend’s mother, who had nothing else but to offer true love. It is such people who flood our hearts with emotions that breaks the ice, like for this blog in this year, it just did!

Signing off for now,

Achu

My wistful fantasies…

Guess I was just out of college...perhaps in my early corporate days when I jotted down my fantasies listed in this blog. I remember travelling in the bus, spontaneously scribbling on the paper, my defective handwriting giving me the hardest time possible…but on the contrary, thoughts flowing so easily, naturally and unstoppably.

   

Having lost my poems collection, now after a few years, a friend of mine recently found this and shared it back with me. Reading this does put a smile on to my face, making me realize how much I love to hold on to the same fantasies……………still….:)

My Wistful Fantasies:

Wish I could walk on the surface of pond water;

Forming ringlets with my damp feet:

Wish I could catch hold of a rainbow:

Swinging n swaying to the glory in the sky:

Wish I could reach a paradise;

Aiming to get an angelic face:

Wish I could reach the top of a misty mountain;

Dancing to the music of nature:

Wish I could go places across boundaries;

Witness every amusing gift of god:

Wish I could spend a night in the beach;

Bathing in the sunset notes of water:

Wish I could sleep on the bed of green paddy field;

Tossing with the pleasure of scenic beauty:

Wish I could get hold of everlasting love;

To kiss in the middle of a crowd:

Wish I could acquire the power of granting;

To bestow all requirements of my dearest ones:

Wish I could have live talk with a creator;

And talk about the ‘irony of beautiful life’:

Signing off for now,

Achu

A rare city...

It’s been a fresh start today, this sunday morning, all to myself and so peaceful. I do have such awesome feeling when I travel; visit places that give me enchanted experience, making me feel the beauty and that beauty so unspecific. As I am having this soothing mind-set, I thought of jotting down my experience about one such place, which gave me the best time couple of months ago… a place that makes you either to love it or hate, sparing from hell of a confusion.

Having waited for couple of years to get there, I was excited to death when my good old friend and I finally made it. I couldn’t wait to witness the overwhelming mixed culture, a deliberate fusion at one stop which was my main curiosity. But that was out-beaten in no time by the other aspects of the city beautifully architected in blocks, nestled with calming aura, peaceful beach, with a thin-line separating east from the western culture.   

I being the person who loves to explore by walking, felt like that place was a boon. There was inspiring art, detailed sculptures, tireless pathways, beautiful beach-side; in addition to the shacks with their authentic French cuisine, good inexpensive wines, spicy Indian chaats, refreshing ayurvedic massages, and moreover a sheer home for leather-goods shopping.

The city simply felt like a strong-character driven, offering to varied interests. Few of my friends and I share the same feeling that, one either gets totally conditioned to this place or turns otherwise, which indeed is the rarity. And I just can’t stop thinking about anything that makes me feel like going back to it. Pondicherry, Puducherry or Pondy as its popularly known, is surely one among them!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Even the Cactus can be beautiful!

It felt Amazing to see how amidst the bluish, darkish, fluctuating clouds; turned-on luscious mountains; solacing hovering birds; that were sensitizing each moment of laughter, fun, frolic, calming moments, depth of feelings; and thus sun raising, afloat drives, romantic roads, wet markets, gullible nature, wild flowers, haunting boars, tempting sights, local savouries, endless hilly lights a la made up stars, personified lady lying down on rocks, misty breath, and smoky cuddle, cosy feet, pondering thoughts, soaking dreams,  smile within, natural happiness, full of freedom and warmth of life; 
- sinking into me the Realization that I had taken just one picture on my phone…

Cactus…of all, giving me the awesome feeling, the rattling fact that it can beat up to any other phenomenal beauty, a swell with which, I can’t stop feeling the dulcet notes in my veins poked with the thorns of mesmerizing 'Subtle Music' of the Creator.. SIGH!!!!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Falling in Love!

Love – an emotion so plain and true which can sweep anybody off their feet. The feeling of finding undivided attention, affection, feeling of security, safe and being unpretentious is pure bliss. A feeling that someone just accepts you the way you are. The whispering of sweet nothings, holding hands, sharing meaningless stories, the feeling of belongingness, of walking in the air, having the power to conquer the world, the extreme feeling of freedom even when locked up in his arms is as beautiful as being one with nature. That real feeling of intimacy, warmth, bonding, of being fearless, of your heart being touched, and being able to totally open up and trust someone is profound. The feeling of this emotion is so splendid that the world without one’s sweetheart seems completely empty. 

Love has the meaning - and the meaning is feeling - and the feeling is experience, which one needs to go through once, for a day, at least for a moment. It’s a feeling just worth longing for, waiting for, even if it’s for a life time!

As much as one can hope for the above to happen, I wonder sometimes, how it takes years together to understand that all the above is right there within, hiding within us. It begins from inside, inviting the other person to patch the missing pieces, of emotional feelings – Wholeheartedly!

It seldom sinks in us, that to experience priceless trust, security and happiness, one has to first feel all of them within. The ultimate truth is that we can open up doors for such invaluable feelings only when we trust ourselves, feel secure and happy, feel good, valued and worthy of being loved and in fact when we - Fall in Love with Oneself! 

For all its worth, falling in love with oneself creates an adorable relationship with oneself that lasts long, a feeling of completeness, by making us able to experience and embrace the sweetness of love around us. Falling in love with oneself is a blissful process, and a feeling that one has to acquire and stay on, which makes everything so beautiful and indeed graceful.

For a change, what’s within us is worth to die for!

Signing off for now,

Achu

If no pain, no fun in gain!

I can’t stop grinning while typing this blog post! I am thinking about how Life plays around with us giving the ‘same damn’ realizations over and over again, but with a twist. Gosh!! What a feeling I have gone through today…Ultimate! It was a feeling of complacency, struggle, stubbornness and finally an accomplishment. To top it all, the reward was so short but then felt - plenty! 

The task was not easy today. It gave me nightmares thinking about the cycling distance with my friends that included 8 kms uphill with a total of 42 kms. I had not touched a bicycle after school and the mere thought of a gear bicycle freaked me out completely! All in all, it felt like an absolute testimony for my mind.  

Friends picked me up early in the morning, reached the location, chose my cycle, learnt the technicalities and got ready for the adventure. We started cycling on the flat road – what could be called the complacent phase. Initially, I was having intermittent reminders about how I used talk to my bicycle back in school. Ah, I love those real pals of mine. Anyway, after warming up with the first 13km- stretch on foothills of Nandi hills, we got set for the dreaded 8 kms uphill, the hairpin curves, and the nerve-wrenching steep roads. 

Next, the struggle began and was progressing. As we neared to the 3 hrs of cycling to our destination, the test got tougher and tougher reminding me of Robin Sharma’s words- “ 99% of people give up when they are one step closer to the success” , which made me - not to give up! I pursued and achieved like all my friends! It gave me an immense sense of accomplishment as people who make it to the top were the only ones allowed to ride back downhill by the organizing team, which was the reward and an experience by itself. And I wanted to experience it, badly!

The tiredness instantly faded. I was extremely excited to ride back downhill. We started within no time and the feeling was truly flabbergasting! It was so much the worth cycling for 3 hrs just to experience that 10 mins of flowing down. The flying experience, the sumptuous breeze, the pleasure of achievement and the fun of the entire trail felt inexplicable. I didn’t want it to end, the feeling of exult, of being on cloud nine seemed gushing through my veins.

Once again, through this event, I realized how valuable the reward is when you go through enough efforts to fetch it. It needs no explanations, no sharing, and no justifications when you experience it as a deserved return. Any gain that comes in shortcuts, is a short of real fun which anyways is the whole point of - Celebration!

Signing off for now,

Achu