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Showing posts with the label Living a Meaningful Life

Can we have another lockdown please?

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Dear Ms.Harris, Congratulations on making history. Of everything that you stand for today, Momala is my favorite. It gives me a hard nudge on my rear to stop lamenting being single at 38 and childless. Unbelievable, right? 2020, right? I admire you for the two key choices you made for your life- marrying when you felt it was right and becoming the mother you felt was right. Both fall outside the ‘acceptable’ and the ‘standard’—both subject to indiscriminate scrutiny and gossip. Because you are Kamala Harris, the gossip dare not raise their hood. For me, they are sleeping partners. Although I know- we all can choose not to deter, digress, and divert. That, I am sure you will agree, requires immense courage and conviction: most of the days, I surrender. It is not the status per se that is bothersome; it is the verdict that people pass without understanding and awareness. Just yesterday, they babbled with impudence, “ That happens. Marriage provides stability, and you wouldn't feel so

The Part-Time Indian

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She stares idly into the distance, an empty ceramic tumbler in front of her. “The beach there is different…in my country.” She says, lost in the reverie of the waves.  Did she say bitch to me? No, No, it’s the beach, the beach of Mexico. I remind myself of the Mexican Spanish accent. People’s vowels and consonants, my own diction, is my Achilles heel even after years of mac and cheese.  Why would she call her life coach a bitch? Calming my heart, I try to concentrate. Usually, I am the focussed type; I can come to the point quickly. As a seasoned counselor,  I can anticipate the story which has got the weary heart to my doorsteps in the first five minutes. To read the full story- Click on - The Part-Time Indian  on Kitaab International.  Image courtesy-Pixabay. 

Covidiary- I feel lonely with the Virus

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Literature, on its own, I wonder, can change anything? The qwerty key could be mightier than the virus( isn’t that the most potent weapon available) but words alone don’t bring change. People do. Hence I write. Though, as I write, the word ‘change’ rushes adrenaline into my system so fast that I am ready to vomit. Click on the link  I feel lonely with the Virus  to read the full story on Medium.  Image credit-Pixabay

Trapped

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He smiled and handed it back to her, “I love this hot pink Maa. Do you think Draupadi would like hot pink? I forgot to tell you...I am playing Draupadi in our college production... rehearsals started a week back." “Oh! That’s nice. When is the program?” she asked. “On the day of Diwali. The team thought I could really do well as Draupadi. You know I have those  adaayein  Maa,” Arjun threw his hand over his bosom, lowering his eyelids with the coyness of a girl. Click on  Trapped  to read the full story. Image courtesy-Pixabay

Life Calling

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“What’s the difference Naina? I understand your pain. But people make a living because it is important to live life.” “I am making more than a living Chandana. It’s just that I find it all meaningless… an emptiness where I am all about numbers, targets, awards, promotions, pay package, a kind of excess which is making me unhappy. I think I am missing out on life?” “And what exactly is that?” “I am not sure; I can’t put my finger on it and say- this is it, but I know that the abundance that I have is not making me happy. It doesn’t give me joy.” Click on  Life Calling  to read the story. Image courtesy-Pixabay

Phew! From the diary of an obsessive thinker

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"I see her again and I feel the envy rise. 120 seconds before I had decided not to ever visit her Facebook profile, exactly 120 seconds later my mind forces me, and I read her new post, actually old for me, it has been 16 hours since she posted, and I have visited, read, re read, processed it 16000 times. With father and son on a camping trip over the weekend, I am drowning in the company of happy faces on Facebook.   FB ruined me, almost literally. If I had the powers, I could get the owners of FB arrested for unleashing a heinous social crime on us. Or is it just me? May be, just me. My mind cannot stop. I need to see a shrink." Click on  Phew!  to read the full story. Image courtesy-Pixabay

In the Business of Life, Don't leave Gratitude Behind

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My most precious Gratitude, Your accent, dialect, jargon, and lingua franca are difficult to decrypt, decipher, and understand. I have struggled all my life and realize that you can only be felt. I read somewhere today that you are dying a silent death. It gives me immense satisfaction to know that you choose to live in me. Is there something special about my heart, or is it my stubbornness that I don’t let you go? Either way, I am happy. You see, you have kept me right where I belong- ON THE GROUND, IN DUST. I started a life with my parents where we were always ‘IN- NEED.’ A humble life brings in its own grand challenges and turmoil. I hated the thriftiness then, despised the frugality which enveloped my life, and once even thought of stealing a Barbie from a friend’s house because I didn’t have one. You saved me then. But I didn’t thank you. You see then, my eyes could only see that much. Later, life blessed me with abundance beyond my appetite, my needs, and my

May your 2019 fly like Bugatti Chiron 261MPH

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You see, A PARADISE DOESN’T EXIST. YOU MUST CREATE IT. And to top, it all, rule your thoughts with tyranny and dictatorship. I have never seen a worse master than our THOUGHTS. You let it loose, and it rains mayhem. Make it your slave; choose the thoughts that facilitate your well–being. You leave the gate opened, and serpents will enter your living room, pull out your favorite wine, take control over your TV and have merriment at your expense. CHOOSE WHAT YOU THINK, AND THAT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I wish you all a busy year ahead... have an overflowing plate. To read the full article, click on  May your 2019 fly like Bugatti Chiron 261MPH Image courtesy- www.wired.com

Gujiya- The roads never end.

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It is another thing that you do not want to look at the one opening in front of you, that you are not able to gather courage to take that first step, that you are so attached to your previous road that you do not find any other road worth it. Click on the link to read the winning story----------- GUJIYA Image courtesy-Pixabay

Choices

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“ Happiness is a choice Naina. Comparison is a choice. Making a choice is a choice . I am just trying to get across one point Naina.  CHOOSE . Is it so difficult to not look at others? Are you so unoccupied and if that is the case Naina Roy, I Sanjukta Sircar will tell you the biggest secret why I choose to work till now. An empty mind was a devil’s workshop and continues to be so. Social Media has added to the power of this demon. If you do not have something productive to do, find one, start one. It requires one to be brave because we love our comfort zone. It is the best place to settle in but it soon starts rotting and decaying and you have to get out of it. That, undoubtedly calls for some effort and courage which you have shown. To me you are a bright kid and your start –up looks like a great idea. What is the problem then? Your friends and their FB posts? Delete your FB account if you cannot handle it. Click on the link to read the winning story- Choices   Image

Just living is not enough.

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Both came from small towns, Durgapur and Lucknow, respectively, and both placed their career chart much above the marriage  kundli  and the ‘ chattis gun .’ 7th August 2018 “Naina, come on in. Congratulations. How does it feel? I am so happy for you. You deserve every bit of it,” said Chandana, the 42-year-old, Director, Marketing, Xerox India, rising from her seat, hugging Naina as she entered her room. “You are the Virat Kohli of my team,” she added, patting Naina’s back and pulling a chair for her. Click on the link to read the full story - Just living is not enough. Image courtesy-Pixabay