Serendipity

While I’m no marathon runner, lately having taken-up light jogging as a hobby, primarily in absence of an opportunity to swim in the cold winters of Delhi, I feel I can share my experience which perhaps can add some value to you. Disclaimer: Please do not blindly follow anything I say. In case of doubt please refer to an expert. Jogging clears your mind like no other activity does. It helps you think better, get new and fresh ideas, and buoyants your mood in a way that you can implement them. It makes your heart pound faster, opens your lungs since you breathe harder and makes you sweat which opens the pores of your skin. It helps you to get into a habit of setting goals, aiming for them and achieving them. It sets you into a routine and hence a sense of rhythm. It gives you a chance to appreciate your surroundings and feel the nature beautiful. It’s one of the most amazing exercises for those who spend long hours in front of their laptop. It gets you back into that ‘feeling po...

Have you ever pondered how we are what we are today? Most of us, most of the time, believe that it’s we who shape our lives, it’s we who cast ourselves in a mould which we chose for us and it’s we and no one else, who bring forth the beautiful human being or the ferocious animal that we are today! Nah. We don’t deserve neither the complete credit nor the utmost reproach for what we are. While I agree that a large part of us is what we think, act and do, however the entirety of us has a significant contribution coming from what I call our ‘Life Shapers’. What / who are our ‘Life Shapers’? Certain set of people who come our way during certain set of path breaking events which occur in our lives, and do something which is not less than act of God, and in the process very deeply and strongly influence us, is who I’m talking about. It’s irrespective whether these people influence us positively or negatively. Either way they make us think, act and do as we think, act and do in those si...

When the mind starts too much to wander, It's the time to surrender; For its surrender which gives mind a chance to ponder, Whether it's worth so much for the mind to wander. When things go wrong, It's time to surrender; For its surrender which gives mind a chance to ponder, Whether things have gone wrong or just their own way, And right or wrong is only due to mind's sway. When you feel there is no other way, It's time to surrender; For its surrender which gives mind a chance to ponder, When last did it get the right pause, because there is always more than one way. When you feel like having been wronged, It's time to surrender; For its surrender which gives mind a chance to ponder, Whether it's wrong or it's your perspective which is so strong When you feel like giving-up, It's time to surrender; For its surrender which gives mind a chance to ponder, That life is all about getting-up (one more time).

Different people have different philosophies in life. One common philosophy I’ve come-across  among  many people is to get-up late on Sundays. Their logic is that on Sundays they would want to catch-up on the lost sleep, to compensate those hours of their siesta time which they have sacrificed on account of work, partying, etc. If for any reason they have to get up early on Sundays, it would spoil their mood. They will go to any extent to preserve their Sunday morning sleeping hours. I’m reminded of a time when I used to vouch for the above philosophy. Even if I would get-up by habit, I would continue to lie in the bed to justify that I must get-up late since it’s a Sunday. Naturally as a partner, my wife would get influenced by me. Invariably after getting-up late, there would be activities for each of us where we would have to hurry-up. Somehow the whole of Sunday would feel like going away in completing some tasks, almost all of them in certain feeling of hurried...

History repeats itself. This time, for a change, it’s not the father-son example but an uncle-nephew episode. Anil Ambani, a well-known billionaire and younger son of the late Dhirubhai Ambani, used to weigh 105 kgs at one point in time and reduced his weight down to 68 kgs by running. I’m sure that if not for wealth creation, he has motivated a many for his determination to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Many years hence, Anant, his nephew and son of Mukesh & Nita Ambani repeated the history. In fact he went much beyond to reduce a whopping 108 kgs by means of following a strict diet and exercising for five to six hours every day. Both the above are nothing short of being shining examples of self-determination. It is perhaps true to a large extent that if parents take care of their health, children are most likely to follow the trend, if not always. Maintaining a sound health is more a result of self-determination and choice than circumstances. That way I and my younger brothe...

Disclaimer: Some people might be religiously offended by reading this blog. My intention is not to hurt anybody’s religious sentiments. Pls. read by choice. The Navratris are back. They are back as usual. Something unusual this time is the intensity of the question knocking the door of my brain is as to why we observe some days as ‘pious’ where we abstain from eating non-veg, drinking, etc. Of course there are people who go one or two steps further and don’t eat onions, keep fast, some on select days and a few on all the ‘pious’ days. It’s not that this question has bothered me for the first time; it’s just that its intensity is much higher this time. It has made me think really hard whether it’s more driven by Belief or Superstition. I’ve been born in a family where my mother doesn’t take egg and non-veg. During the early years of my growing-up my father used to enjoy eating non-veg but would abstain from it and drinking on each Tuesday. Also, we would not get our hair-cut d...

Pleasant surprises are not limited to only fairy tales, they do occur in life. The point is when they suddenly come in front of you, are you ready for them? Do you embrace them or avoid? Do you make hay while the sun shines in all its glory or do you simply watch while the opportunity passes by in front of your gleamy eyes? There is nothing right or wrong, do as it suits you. Most important is whatever you do, never regret. Fortunately for me, before my challenge to myself of writing one blog every day for 30 days could start appearing more like a liability than fun, I got this invitation for attending a bloggers’ meet, courtesy Indiblogger. As sometimes stars would match, so did the day and timing perfectly matched with my schedule. Sunday, urgent office work for Monday already almost covered on Saturday itself, no compelling work instructed by wife (rare). In my view, there cannot be a more opportune time to attend a meet of this kind, especially it being the first one. The exc...