A Letter to the Ageing Love

Dear Love,

You are amazing. You make everything just-so-perfect! You add sparkle to an otherwise dull day. By all means and measures, you are outstanding and desirable.

The only drawback that you could have avoided was ageing. Yeah! am talking about the grey-ing phenomenon that you probably picked from all mortals. But you are supposed to be immortal, aren't you? Well, that is what they say!

You captivated my heart a few years back. I welcomed you in high spirits and made every attempt to keep you there.

Though you had your own share of tantrums and threw my mind out of its place, I always favored you. In fact, you gave me sleepless nights and mindless days, and I adored you for it! I had hopes that you will start behaving yourself some day and thankfully you did.

Once you settled down, I was high on hopes that you will continue to be that way in the times to come. But oh! how wrong I was. You had found a completely new set of annoying traits. You became erratic and irritating at times. Don't you think the possessiveness was little too annoying? And yes! what was with that 'no friends around- only you' syndrome of yours? Truly its said, you are immature!

And hold on! Your even worse phase is not discussed yet. After all these hardships you had to offer, you decided to get old and sober! Why that? Your grey-ing kills me more than my own ever would. You have lost that spark, you lack the enrgy, you don't have that happy vibe around you any longer... why? No more long meaningless phone calls and chats and there is no more of those sweet-nothings. Why?

I am sad about the way you are turning out to be. At times, I wonder how you will be through the years to come? Are you planning to get depressingly nagging and demanding? As it is, you don't focus on providing anymore.

Please understand and don't let me down! Mend your ways and get better. I want you to be the way you were. I want all your sweetness back into you...anyhow and in anyway!!

Think over it Love. I so desire to have you around!

A Stranger then, a Friend now

Across the road that led to my house was the office where he worked. I crossed him twice a day but we had never met.

Although we had chatted over internet for almost an year now, though with breaks of months but whenever we got back in touch, there was something that neither of us could ignore.

That day was like any of my regular days. At 6 pm, I left my office. And then on, everything was happening like it was scripted well in advance. While I sat in the cab with my earphones plugged in, a chat beeped.

"Hey girl! whats happening?"

"Hey! am awesome as ever :D heading home. Whats up with you?"

And there was no reply. Nothing unusual. People often tend to ping friends on chat for a hello and then get busy with work and forget about the popped up chat window. So, I got back to my music.

After some 30 minutes, the chat beeped again. It was him again.

"I know you are awesome!;)"

A couple of minutes later, "Can we catch up today? How long will you take to reach your stop?"

I have always had this feeling of not meeting up with strangers very soon, Although an year isn't too soon but I just did not have that 'Let's catch-up' feeling and I replied,"Had a hectic day at work & am dead! Dying to relax.."

"No issues :) Am always available...lemme know when you want to"

"Sure! Take care :) " and I ended the chat. I had reached my stop by now and as a habit, was holding my bottle of pepper spray in one hand.

I had an idea! I was not really tired and definitely not dead as I had told him on chat. I usually think and rethink before doing something, probably a not-so-side-effect of being a Strategic Planner.

I called him up.

"Hey Vikram! busy?"

"Not at all! What's up?"

"Am right here outside your office. You mind coming?"

"Whhhaattt??" was all he said and then coming back to our conversation, he continued "Just be there and am rushing through."

I couldn't help smiling with my eyes stuck to the exit of their building. Since the building housed many corporates,people kept coming out every moment.

"I shouldn't keep looking at the gate like that", and i moved a little away.

While I was walking up and down that small area, I saw a guy in blue shirt walking hurriedly through the exit.

"Vikram! right?"

"Yehh Girl! You are exactly the same like your profile picture, except that it doesn't talk! And is that pepper spray for me? Goodness! I won't harm you."

"Oh! Not really for you but you never know!" and we laughed away.

"Come on! let's go and sit somewhere. You want to eat something, right?"

"How do you know?"

"Whenever I ping you around this time, you always say you are busy with food. Little Foodie! Let's go munching".

The cafe where we sat was a nice and happening place beeming with people catching over coffee and discussing work. "So... why this sudden plan? "

"Just like that! When I got down at my stop, I felt like I wasn't that dead", I said jokingly.

"That's like an awesome girl! By the way, If you don't mind, I would like to introduce you to few people. You won't mind, will you?"

"Well, I really don't!But I wonder who those people are?"

"No terrorists and no police. So be the chilled out girl you are! I will just call them up. Although they know you are here", while getting busy with his phone.

I was amused and confused but meeting up some new people was equally exciting.

After he was done with the call, he turned back to me and said "Does it feel like we are seeing each other for the first time?"

"Not to me! You neither look nor sound like a stranger"

"Happy Friendship Day!!" There was such a loud cheer that our conversation came to a grinding halt. And there were those three guys and two girls standing right around our table. I looked at him with those questioning eyes as if wanting him to clarify that they were on the wrong table. Seeing me so puzzled, they prompted Vikram to speak up.

"Relax! we have completed an year of friendship today without blocking each other even once! And that's remarkable!" said Vikram and I happily agreed.

"Tell me something!" I interrupted. "How come you remember the date? Guys are supposed to be bad at that, right?" To this, one of the girls there laughed and clarified. "That was our idea. That's why he was asking you to come over to see him today but when you declined, we returned to our work stations with dumpling-like faces."

"Thank God! I made it." was all I said.

An hour passed by and all seven of us chatted about everything from our jobs, crushes, movies and what not. It seemed like we were friend since ever. As we walked out together to leave, Vikram offered to drive me home. On our way, I thanked him for being a generous friend and for introducing all those lovely people to me.

"Thanks for coming and being so nice to my friends!", he said while waving a good bye.

Right now, as I logged into my Facebook account, there were five pending requests. From those five lovely people I had met the same evening. What a welcome to a gang! And, this one is for all of you out there! (for whatever happened before we all met aka behind the scene)

Workaholics too have a Love Story

This post is a part of the Gillette Satin Care contest in association with BlogAdda.com

I was busy juggling with some priority tasks at my work station when I was interrupted by a deep voice. It was him. The tall, the not-so-dark and handsome Vivan.

"Folding up the blind at your desk can help you see something amazing" he said while folding them up. I hardly had any time to look up and talk but my heart skipped a beat whenever he was around. Vivan wasn't someone I could ignore and as I turned to my left, what I saw was breathtaking!

The sky was overcast with swirling black clouds that almost touched my window on the 11th floor of our building. "Wow! That's so beautiful. There is going to be a heavy rain today and I have so much of work to finish before I can leave" I said while realizing that they were not joy alone. The horrible nagging with auto wallahs was something I hated to do after a tiring day at work. Lost in my thoughts, I did not realize when Vivan had left.

"Poor guy! I did not even talk to him. Mean me! I should have been good to him!" I thought to myself while getting back to work. Another 45 minutes and I was finally done.

As I stood up and turned around, I could not believe what met my eyes. Vivan. Waiting for me. Aaah! What a moment it was!

"Hey Miss Workaholic! I can sense that you are now done with your work for today, so may I walk out with you?"

"Oh yes!" I replied promptly smiling at his superb way of asking me out.

As we stepped out on the road, the drizzling raindrops made everything beautiful. The sky, although dark seemed happier than usual and his company, of course was little more delightful today. We crossed the auto rickshaw stand but neither of us bothered to take one. We kept walking through the street, splashing through the water logs of the evening rain. We were now walking closer. A little closer than usual. A little happier than usual. And then we walked into the Cafe Coffee Day at the end of the street. As we sat across the table, he leaned forward and held my hand in his. Loosened by his gentle touch, my cellphone slipped off my hand and fell onto the table. But who cares?!

He took my hand closer to himself and touched over my nails playfully as he kept looking at them.

And I wanted to pull them off! No Vivan! No...Please don't! Don't look at my hands, was all that I wanted to scream. How I wish I had opted for my hair removal.

Vivan kept looking at them and suddenly kissed my hand as he moved his chair closer to mine and said those most beautiful words in this world. For the heart of a true lover he had, he probably never noticed those imperfect things. For the Man he was, he found his Love the most beautiful and I couldn't ask for more!

All that I could utter in that moment was, "I so wanted this to happen! I am glad it did".

As we walked back , he held me closer. Wrapped in his arms across my shoulders, I felt how beautiful and strengthening Love was!

I am the Santa

Never before had this happened. Never had I felt someone else's plight so deep...so real that I was myself hurt.

The chill in Delhi's air is on rise and it's the time when those steaming dumplings won't let u go away unless you have relished few of them. After a tiring day at work, I was casually strolling down the street with the utmost urge of eating away a plate of dumplings. Lost in my own thoughts, I had hardly ever noticed people who passed by.

I was about to reach my favourite dumpling stall when my thoughts were interrupted by a sudden and scary touch on my hand. Realizing it was rough, my worst fear came alive. As I turned frantically, I saw a little girl standing right beside me.

I would have been pleased to see a little girl. But I was not!

Probably I would have liked her if she wore a cute dress...but she wasn't.

Maybe I would have liked her if she wore a pretty flowery hairband... but she wasn't.

Chances are that I would have loved to say a hello to her, if she carried her doll along..but she had none to hold.

She was dressed in rags. She hardly had anything on her body that could keep her warm. Her hair was unkempt and appeared almost like strands of jute. Her face had patches of mud and she stood barefoot.

"What is it? Get lost!" are my words for any beggar I have ever come across and she got her share of it as well. And there was a moment of mismatch between my mind and my heart. She looked at me with her eyes wide open and showed no fear to my words.

I knew the way she would start begging. They have this habit of calling you in names of Bollywood stars and as soon as you decline to offer alms, they call u a witch or something even worse. I truly hated that part of interaction with beggars and therefore, I started to walk away so that I won't have to hear that everyday drama.

"Didi..! kuch pehenne ko de do." I turned back and looked at her again. Her eyes gleamed with hope. I walked back to where she stood and asked her where her parents were. They lived in a slum nearby.

"Hum bheek nahi maang rahe didi. Koi purane kapde ho toh de do. Ma aur baba majdoori karte hain." I was taken aback. I smiled at her and she smiled back. For that moment, I could not see her unkempt hair. Her smile outshined the dirt that stuck to her face like a native. Now, I could not see her that cold on a winter evening. I was suddenly growing fond of her. She appeared cuter than my neighbor's kid who is always decked up in nice clothes and has a fair, bright and chubby face.

I unwrapped the muffler that hung around my neck aimlessly and wrapped her in it. Funnily, it almost worked like a shawl for her. The little soul beamed with happiness and I felt content... this time from within. It was different from the way I felt after eating away a plate of dumplings. It was better. It was deeper. And most importantly, its making me smile even two days later.

We don't fail to call India a frustrated country. We take pride in discussing our short falls. Talk of one problem and others will help you make a list of them.

Ever tried doing something that would change things even at a very small scale? Talk of it in public sometime and find out how many join you in making things better.

I just did...are u in?

Why not become a Real Santa and help those in need of our compassion this Christmas? :)

No Walls... Only Bridges

"Dad! why are they building a wall? How will I now see their lovely Sunflowers every morning?" said Ann pointing towards their neighbor's boundary wall being constructed.

"They need to protect their house, honey! Its their property and they have to take care of it", John said in a plain voice while struggling through the work on his laptop. Not convinced with what she heard in reply, Ann moved closer to their gate and asked inquisitively, "how many of my drawing rulers do I need to join to connect our gate to theirs?"

"Will you please finish your breakfast Ann? We are getting late for school and your teacher is going to give you that stern look again! No tantrums please. Finish your meal fast!", said John like any father of a 5 years old.

On their way to school, Ann asked the same question again. "I am a good girl today, Dad and we are in time as well. Please tell me, how many rulers?"

"Almost 20 rulers Ann. Now can you please share your secret idea with me?"

Ann smiled lovingly on finally getting her answer. "Can you please help me in joining all the twenty rulers and create a secret path to those Sunflowers? I love them, dad! And am sure, they love me too! They wait for me every morning and stand waiting for me. Please dad! can we?"

John was delighted at her innocence and said, "Its called a bridge, honey! But am afraid that our neighbors won't really like it. Its their choice to block the view and we should let them. Don't you think so?"

By now, they had reached Ann's school and the happy goodbye took place like everyday. On his way to office, John was subconsciously thinking about Ann's question. On reaching office, he got busy with his work and Ann's question had totally escaped his mind until one of his colleagues showed up during lunch break.

"Hey Smith! How have you been? Didn't see you for long."

"Aah... my plights don't find an end, John."

"Is it Smita again?"

John could see the pain and anger in his eyes but could not decide if he should say what had just come to his mind. What if he finds it interfering and feels like I am invading his privacy, John thought to himself. The urge to speak up got stronger and the words almost rushed out of his mouth and before he knew, they stood tall and loud on his lips.

"Smith! You should talk to her. There is only this silence between you two that's ruining your lives.No mistake is too big to be forgiven when your relationship is at stake."

Smith stared in blank and John desperately wished if ctrl+z would just work and things resume their older version. Breaking the silence, Smith said, "maybe you are right, John! Maybe I have not put in the appropriate effort that Smita's broken heart deserves. But what if she declines to talk to me?"

"You will at least know where you stand. But for Smita, I know, she isn't that tough at heart and definitely not in your case!"

Smith stood up with double the energy he sat down with as if it was this moment that he was waiting for and those words of John were sent from heaven for him. "I must see her now. Can you please take care of my work post lunch?", said Smith winking at John.

"Do I have an option, Smith?"

As Smith hurried out of the cafeteria, John shouted,"Hey Smith! No walls..only bridges!"

The Winner

"Good work my child! You make me proud. I am sure each one of us will be proud of you one day." Those words said by Sister Delina some 18 years ago were still fresh in Naman's ears. Their echoing sound made him smile like a seventh grader.He kept flipping through the pages of his Art file. Each page had bundles of memories, some clear like crystals while some faded like the dry leaves that lied scattered on the ground in autumn. Some sketches were even signed by him with unmistakable professionalism that reminded him of how eager he was to grow up!

Naman grew up, like everyone does, into a teenager and then an adult and now of 30 something, as he sat there holding that file in his hands, his mind experienced tides of uncontrollable thoughts.

Somewhere admist his thoughts,he recalled his friend Sultan who was always his admirer, although he too, was equally good at artwork like him. Brilliant were those days when Naman and Sultan participated in Drawing Competitions together. The winner was always one of them and irrespective of who it was, they used the prize money for buying new cricket equipment. There was no envy in the name of competition and it kept their bond of friendship growing unless they parted their ways for the sake of pursuing promising careers.

Still flipping through the pages, Naman stopped unbelievingly. "Genius!" was all he could say. "How could have I been so good?! How the hell am I no longer the same?", questions hovered over his mind like the houseflies surround a ball of jaggery left to its fate.

As Naman walked up to catch a gasp of fresh air in the balcony, still holding his file, he could feel the pump in his feet. He could feel a wave of energy rush through his head. This was similar to the one he used to feel while making all those sketches. It wasn't a deja-vu. He was actually reliving those moments, those feelings when he believed he was a champ,a winner and so was he!

"What do I think of myself now? I am.. I am...probably a struggler.. things don't happen for me right away.If there is anything about me, it cannot avoid complications. Yes! that's me, that's what Naman is today! And everybody knows it. But does everyone really know of it or they have just got used to seeing me like that?" Naman struggled hard from within seeking answers while gazing at the sinking Sun.

The breezy November sky whispered magical spells. That sight shiver of winters that always made Naman feel good was right there and he, undoubtedly, was giving in to the charisma. Allowing the breeze to find its way through his face, he said to himself.. " You last a winner only as long as your thought..!"

Celebrating Life... in togetherness...

The cool October breeze was playful and made uninterrupted passage through Nalin's face. Stoned in his thoughts, he sat on the bean bag he had always loved. It was stuffed with all the memories from the day he earned his first salary till today.And especially, the memories of that special day..when all things wonderful conspired to gift him Love...

Things changed, people around him changed but the bean bag did not!