The Line Of Control

A friend recently updated an uplifting status on facebook and in response to that (among other responses) someone wrote a ridiculous comment on it that only left the friend outraged, asking herself why on earth this person was on her friend list.  

Obviously we meet an infinite number of people in our lives, and the most amazing fact is that we have all shared some sort of a vibe with them, and they have influenced us in some way or the other. These people, no matter how miniscule it might be, have shaped us and who we are, in a negative or positive way. We say, “this person has a negative vibe” or “this person’s aura is so positive!”.  When one of your friends enters the room, the whole room feels lit up! On the other end of the rainbow you fold your arms and put on a fake smile. That is the nature of everyday personal interactions.

Who are these people and how do they influence us?

A sure way to recognize a positive person in your life is that the very presence of that person will make you feel calm and you will put your guards down. You feel comfortable. You laugh at nonsensical stuff. Stupidity escalates to a new level of funny.

Most of the times you have a conversation with such a person you will feel light and happy. They are enthusiastic about everything they are doing in their life and they transmit the same vibe to you. It is almost the same feeling you get when you are feeling drained after a full day’s work and suddenly your best friend calls you to meet, and you forget you were ever tired, hit the local restaurant for tandoori chicken and a pint of beer (as is mostly in Delhi). Positive people inspire others to improve themselves, rather than focusing on other people’s faults. You very naturally want to be around them and for no reason just feel happy. They are confident of who they are and make you feel the same. They are secure enough to feel happiness in your happiness. They are encouraging and bring out the best in you and your goals. And most of all, they laugh wholeheartedly. They naturally have a tendency to make you feel alive!

How do you get surrounded by negative people or come in contact with them? Well, they are everywhere. They are your colleagues, your family, friends of friends or even your friends who might enter your life with a certain agenda. The easiest way to recognize "negative" people is that sooner or later their complexes and insecurities will start trickling in correspondence to yours or someone else's positive growth. Now, you need a certain degree of alertness and a sharp sense to catch it. Negative people will always be heavily burdened by their insecurities. Unfortunately they are so burdened by their insecurities for whatever reasons and experiences they have had or the choices they have made in the past, that they are never able move forward from that to come to a point where they can be happy with their life, or who they are. It is hard for them to appreciate another person’s achievements and successes. Propelled by jealousy, they put other people down or mock them, which is usually a projection of their own incapability.

 I am no sage from ancient times that I will always go by the books and do the right thing; this is 2014 and I am being cold about it, but such people are best avoided, because they will only drain you of your positivity, engulf you in their insecurities and suppressed unhappiness. They usually criticize or go into a mode of comparison, instead of really contributing something worthwhile to their own lives or your own. They offload their negativity everywhere, they hate everything around them, they can’t enjoy the small things in life, which results in you feeling mentally edgy and irritable all the time. This kind of negative influence just deviates us from our goals and our paths, making us feel miserable too. 

Alright, to be fair, if you do want to help a person who you are concerned about, you have to make them realize that they have be the agent of change if they want change. The best way to deal with negative people is to remind them of areas where they need improvement, not to hit back on them. Encourage them to re-direct their energies to do something more constructive. Step out of their way after that and re-direct your energies too.

I have become very conscious of who I want to be surrounded with. This has left me with very few friends, but the ones who remain are positive people. I’d rather have fewer friends, than have many who are pretentious and don’t feel genuine happiness in my happiness, and that is my choice. 

Living it Full

After many months I sit down in front of my laptop at my blog site and I decide to write something.

A lot of things have been happening at all fronts. Changing seasons, changing faces, changing spaces and changing phases. A roller coaster of emotions and settling of issues. The calming of the madness in the mind, the dust settling down and the sweet stillness in the air after a storm.

I almost feel like I am sitting in a cafe, with my cup of coffee, silently watching out from a window, the bustling city of people and machines moving about in their business, constantly in a hurry, fighting and stepping all over everything, cutting throats, spilling blood, fulfilling their daily routine of karma and some where between the insanity and the violent bullfight, you get to see a pretty sparrow in her nest feeding her little ones. Love.

All of us move in a direction, with the herd, in an acute need to satiate ourselves with our needs and wants, money, a good life and power. Moving along with the herd, adhering to whatever it's norms are and stop when we reach the fences. Who made these fences? Or maybe not stop at all and fall.

How essential it is to slow down, stop, halt, step on the breaks...I'll say it again, slow down. Make a change. Give the mind a rest. Sounds familiar? Some people associate slowing down with age..."WHAT!? But you are just thirty, lost the battle already?"

Wait a minute...when was I ever in the battle? I did not know I was a soldier. Why does it have to be a war? When was I at war with my life?

Are you at war with your life?

Slowing down, making a change, being the agent of change, being happy... it can be difficult to get out of this quick sand called 'Society', the more you move your feet, the more you sink in. People morally convict you, emotionally bludgeon you, try to pull you down to where you came out from, because they could not do it themselves, but as long as you know what path you are on, and have faith, staying steadfast and strong is not impossible.

Do not worry about slowing down, it is not the end of the world. It is God's gift that he personally gave to us. Being happy doing what makes us happy is the right of the Self. No one can take that away, and if they did, WE allowed it.

Just random thoughts, of a thirty year old something.

Sticky Fingers/ Les doigts croches - A movie Definitely to be watched.

Sometimes situations in life bring you to a point where you are taken out of your comfort zone and and you end up doing things that are totally opposite to your nature and habits. 'Sticky Fingers' or 'Les doigts croches', is a movie that I watched recently at the on-going Canadian Film Festival in Delhi. The movie is about five thieves from different walks of life, who are forced to walk a path together, that is completely opposite to their nature and profession, for their selfish interests. It is about how these people, while on the path discover their own moments of truth individually and not only find their real selves, but also develop a bond of friendship and togetherness at the same time.The essence of the story might sound serious, however the film takes you through their journey in a light and humorous manner. 

It made me think of how comfortable we all get in our lives doing the same things over and over again, without realizing how much we are in denial of our true potential. It made me realize that being out our comfort zone is not always a bad thing, in the bigger picture. A film definitely worth a watch. 

For the Soul

There are such few songs in my ipod that i keep going back to over and over and over again. These are songs that I can listen to my entire lifetime probably and never get sick of them and I get the same feeling I did when I heard them for the first time. And that is exactly what music is supposed to do to your soul. If it takes your soul to the same place it did the first time, thats the music for your soul.

My everyday religion after I come back home from long hours of work and insane driving is to turn up the decibel levels in my room and let my ears do the rest of the talking to myself until the moon is high up in the sky and shining boldly. Occasionally my dad wakes up and walks into my room just to re-assure himself that I haven't gone completely berserk listening to music instead of catching some sleep after a long day of work. What music does to my soul is something that even sleep cannot do.

Thinking aloud here on this blog, I do feel, that it is such a miracle that the human mind has the gift from God to make, create and give birth to waves of sound we call music. It is the unspoken language transcending all forms of communication,expectations and judgement, that has the strength to break all barriers of the heart and enter boldly like a majestic lion entering his kingdom, yet, as gentle and subtle like the touch of a feather, stirring the soul to unfathomable depths of ecstasy.



"..And in the end, we lie awake, and we dream we'll make an escape...."

Dancing Leaves

I shot this in Hinchingbrook, England on a very windy morning. Beautiful trees dancing. Enjoy :)

Sweetness

How beautiful it is to see the connection of love and companionship between two hearts. True love is purely infinite and boundless. Whoever said it has to be between two human beings! The smile and joy on the face of the old man says it all.

The Last Knit