Z- Zero

In a big town, lived a small family. The man, the wife, and two sons. Very simple, very down to earth people...especially, the man of the house. The family was never bothered about anyone in the world. Their network and resources were limited to their own self. No friend circle, no socializing, no close relatives or family members to lean on or let’s just say, they weren’t that close to anyone for that matter.

The man owned a small cosmetic business and made frugal money. As his sons grew old, their expenses started increasing. They weren’t given a fancy education and so the boys didn’t turn out to be that smart. Thus, they became the laughing stock at every place they went. All their cousins were rich and received good exposure in their careers, while these boys were pertained to the vicinity of their small town. They didn’t know how to deal with the world; they had no idea how to handle difficult situations and thus, ended up being bullied by distant cousins most of the times.

Their parents knew everything but couldn’t do anything about it. They thought that the boys will learn with age.

Unfortunately, they didn’t!

The family was always late to wherever they reached! Be it a wedding or a general get together, the family was never on time, because all four of them were dead slow, therefore again becoming a point for everyone to laugh at.

In the midst of meeting ends in life and not caring about anyone around or forgoing that competitive spirit, the man was left way behind. He was so simple and sweet that when people made fun of him, he never got the joke and just gave a passing smile to be a part of the conversation!

As his son came of age to get married, he bought a small flat for his family to live. And yet, when people came in, they never really appreciated the man because at this time his son had joined the small business without contributing much. He wanted to sit in the shop as a part time thing and while away the rest of the time with his friends.

Everyone thought that when the boys would join the business, they would expand and open a new line but here, they started fighting over who will sit for how much time in a day!

The family was soon labeled as a zero! Zero in everything... zero in working, zero at growing, zero at networking, zero at earning... it was only zero that everyone talked and nothing beyond that when the name of the family was mentioned.

Source

The boys always blamed their father for a life like this! They would find faults in him for not making enough money or not give them a luxurious life or accused him of his simplicity!

While the man, on the other hand, kept wondering what did he ever do wrong? Any place he went, everyone made fun of him, his parents boycotted him and left him on road to make a life of his own and he did... but couldn’t make it large... he couldn’t make it big. He was an honest man and never really found means of making more through unfair means. And today, when he is trying to put this value system in his sons, he is being lampooned for the same!

Sure we live in times, where honesty and simplicity are hardly given any value!

Cheers 

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U- Understand

One fine day, just when I was about to leave after my lecture from the center, a student came rushing to me. I could see her wary eyes and knew that she wanted to talk about something. As the exams were approaching, I thought it must be the stress of the syllabus. I allowed her to speak her mind and be all ears to her. What I learned next literally moved me, to the extent that I still think of her sometimes.

This girl, let’s call her Kavya, was 21 and lived with her parents. A confident, vibrant and an extremely hardworking girl she was in my class. She never understood anything at once but she never left the class without understanding her concepts. That is what I loved about her. But in spite of all the efforts, she was never able to score well in her tests and it was that day when I learned why!

First, she asked me about how to go about with her syllabus and the number of hours she needs to give in a day. I suggested her a few ways that she could follow in her routine like keeping away all the distractions while studying (phones, gadgets, etc), making a short doable timetable and following it religiously, keeping short breaks in between and let her mind get back with all the energy. But then I learned that she didn’t have a personal room to herself where she could sit and study peacefully. She stayed in a joint family and it always seemed like a party affair in the house 24*7. But what I couldn’t understand was that if there is a child or a student in the house, how could someone not let them study and give some peace?

Source

Talking to her further, I found out about her past. Kavya was a married girl. She married a guy she loved at the age of 18. Yes! She was only 18 when she eloped with the boy. The boy was a good guy who belonged to a good family and earned fairly well. The moment Kavya left her house; her family abandoned her and refused to keep any relations with her.

But destiny had some other plans for her! It was only after a month of her marriage, she lost her husband in a road accident! Devastated, as she was, bearing it all alone, just at the age of 18! Her in-laws blamed her stars for everything that happened with their son and asked her to leave the house. Her family wasn’t very happy with what happened and took her (because they were not left with any choice). And since then, all they have been doing to her is say cuss words, disrespect her in every way and treat her like a piece of garbage... they believed that the girl was good for nothing and couldn't do anything with her life. Kavya was any way guilty of everything that happened in her life, and that is why didn't say much to her family.

She wanted to study but no one supported her. She had no source of income and so she decided to take tuition classes for pre-primary students in order to have something in her hand. Her evenings went away teaching the little kids and later evenings went off making dinner for herself. No one in the house fed her. She made her own breakfast, lunch, and dinner and did other household stuff. Doing it all didn’t leave her much time to study. With the money she collected, she paid the coaching class fee and then later the book fees, all with her own money. Not a single soul in the family was either happy or supportive of anything. But she was determined to do something. She accepted her mistakes but it wasn’t her fault if her husband died!

Her family said that it was her karma because of which all of this happened in her life and that, it was meant to happen that way, that she can’t do anything fruitful with her life and is simply a waste in the house!

She always kept quiet and thought of giving an answer with her results. Sadly, she didn’t pass. And then she decided to give it another shot.

When I heard her, I was left speechless. I felt helpless! I gave her a hug! It was that day when I felt so strongly about anything in a long time. I agree, she shouldn’t have run away from the house. It was totally wrong on her part but her husband dying wasn’t her fault! She realized her mistake and was beyond sorry for that. Why was it so difficult for the parents to forgive her? Why is it so hard to understand their daughter, just for once! What’s done is done and no one can do anything about it. 

Source

What they can do is punish her if it gives them peace and move on! The girl feels miserable and just expects a little bit of understanding from her parents.

Today, she is working on other exams and is still struggling to earn that respect that she lost years ago! Do you think she deserves another chance?

Cheers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to my Blog! This A to Z Challenge, my theme is ‘Let’s see the other Side’. Through this theme, I'm trying to giving voice lot of things that go around us and yet I can't do much to bring about the change. I feel, sharing my thoughts in my space here will somewhere make someone think and bring about the change we all want to see!
where I’ll be sharing about the daily nuances that we’ve been seeing in the same way since 1990’s! (:P) But this time you’re going to ponder over it a bit differently.

Feel free to express your thoughts and I'd be all ears!

I hope you have a great time here! 

Read More

S- Slow

Ever heard of a house maid who is sincere beyond one can imagine? She is punctual, she is hardworking and soft spoken, she is honest, she is helpful, she hardly takes leaves and works extra if required and doesn’t even ask for extra money, for she is happy with whatever she gets, and she has the integrity towards her work and her employer. Still, she cannot make them happy... there is something that is always left for them to pick out.

Initially, when she joined work, she was bullied by other staff members in the house because of the color of her skin and the way she looked. But slowly and gradually, she won everyone’s heart with her pleasing and genuine nature. She started with 500 bucks a month and then eventually increased her work and now makes 10 grand a month. That’s how she progressed.

But... there is always a but everywhere (I ask why?!)

Source

In spite of trying her level best, she fails and hears cuss words. She is chided from time to time for something or the other and isn’t treated in a good way,... may be because she is an easy target amongst all the staff members?

She is slow and gets scolded for it all the time. It takes more time for her to complete a simple task and in between the employer loses all the patience. She hears everything quietly, without uttering a single word in return because of deep down in her heart, she knows she is wrong, that she makes mistakes and works really slowly and that is why she feels okay to be vilified all the time!

Sometimes, it breaks my heart to see such scenarios... I feel what have we become as a race?! I get the fact that she works really slowly and it’s only natural for the employer to lose their patience but why be inhuman? And if they have so much of problem with her then why not ask her to leave? They know they won’t get a staff like her, ever! They never have from so many years and now when they have her, they don’t want her to go! Why would they? She takes care of the kids, feeds them food, looks after the plants, cooks food, cleans the house, does laundry and several tidbit things that keep on going 24*7! If she has more work than usual, she doesn’t even take a rest in the afternoons! And after doing so much... she gets berated for one thing or the other!

Sadly, that is how things have started functioning in our society!

Cheers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to my Blog! This A to Z Challenge, my theme is ‘Let’s see the other Side’. Through this theme, I'm trying to giving voice lot of things that go around us and yet I can't do much to bring about the change. I feel, sharing my thoughts in my space here will somewhere make someone think and bring about the change we all want to see!
where I’ll be sharing about the daily nuances that we’ve been seeing in the same way since 1990’s! (:P) But this time you’re going to ponder over it a bit differently.

Feel free to express your thoughts and I'd be all ears!

I hope you have a great time here!

Read More

Q- Quit

It was during the middle session of one my previous batches when I felt something peculiar in the class. There was a student who found really hard coping up with the syllabus. Most of the teachers were annoyed with him because he had too many questions to ask and yet nothing really went in his head. He was always filled with doubts... self and in the books too. He stammered while speaking, he was different from the rest of the students.

He was never seen wasting his time, he was the most obedient student in the entire batch and also the most hard-working one!

But that wasn’t enough! Being innocent and different made his life a struggle. He was bullied by his classmates and was never informed about any plans that the class ever made. A few students did make an effort to help him out but kind of lost patience because of his questions.

A simple math problem which a class 4 boy could solve was a task for this boy.

I feared for him. I wanted to help him but I couldn’t understand how? I paid extra attention to him in the class, I made sure he understood everything well in the class by asking him questions and ensured he answered them as well, but then the next day, it all vanished! He wasn’t able to build bricks and connect dots. As it took a little extra time to explain him things, most of the class would often get annoyed with him, because this was something that happened in almost every lecture.

I was worried. With this kind of attitude, I knew he wouldn’t be able to clear his exams. Also, the current course is a simpler one, but the next level ahead wasn’t going to be easy. In fact, it would be so tough that he might end up leaving his studies forever. And I didn’t want that to happen.

What I couldn’t understand was if he was trying his best then why was he facing so much of issues in the class?

And then, one day I got the answer. I decided to talk to his parents to find out the real problem. And here is what I learned:

This student of mine was mentally challenged, with issues related to memory. He couldn’t retain a single thing, no matter how hard he tried. That was the reason he was always blank in the class. He couldn’t do his daily chores and his brain processed only half of the information thrown at him. He couldn’t figure anything at all for that matter. And yet, no one could ever make out his problem... that’s how well and perfectly normal he looked!

Source

I asked his parents the reason for choosing such a tough course? I mean, it would only hamper his self-esteem if he wouldn’t be able to make it. They could have enrolled him for a simpler course. But 

I learned it was his choice... he wanted to go ahead with this course and his parents decided to support him irrespective of the consequences. They wanted him to be happy and help him build the road that he would proudly walk on!

That day onwards, I had so much of respect for this student and I was so proud of him for he never quit. He always tried and found his ways. Despite all the bullying and being a laughing stock for everyone in the class, he didn’t quit! Yes, he took more time than an average student would take, but what mattered was he refused to give up... every single time!

Cheers

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to my Blog! This A to Z Challenge, my theme is ‘Let’s see the other Side’. Through this theme, I'm trying to giving voice lot of things that go around us and yet I can't do much to bring about the change. I feel, sharing my thoughts in my space here will somewhere make someone think and bring about the change we all want to see!
where I’ll be sharing about the daily nuances that we’ve been seeing in the same way since 1990’s! (:P) But this time you’re going to ponder over it a bit differently.

Feel free to express your thoughts and I'd be all ears!

I hope you have a great time here!

Read More

I- Identity

Recently, I met a girl who goes door to door to give salon services to people right at their home, trying to meet her ends meet. The pricing of her products is way cheaper than you can ever expect but the work she does is beyond excellent!

Getting your arms and legs waxed at as low as 200 bucks! What, is it 1990 or something?

Yup that’s true and now you can close your wide open mouth!

She’s married right now but didn’t stop with her work. There was a lot of hassle that her family had to face in getting her married. Why you wonder? A couple of reasons there are.

One, she is black! And by black, I mean a shade just lighter than hair. Two, she has a big scar on her face because of an accident she met when she was a child. And it hasn’t healed as yet. Enough reasons to not get tied, right?

After stuffing tons of dowry, she finally got married. Like every one of us, she too had lots of dreams. She wasn’t very fond of her work and thought of quitting it after marriage.

Source

But fate had different plans for her. Her husband made good money but didn’t give her a single penny. And on top of that, she couldn’t produce children. Her in-laws kept saying bitter things to her every now and then and once tried to burn her as well, for she wasn’t good looking, she had scars and now she couldn’t give them their heir! Basically, she was good for nothing in their family and there was no use of her in the house.

She couldn’t go back to her parents. They wouldn’t take her. She didn’t have the audacity to leave her husband.

With a lot of courage, she decided to start the parlor services by going door to door, so that she could have something in her pocket. But there too, she couldn’t try her luck much! Even after being a pro, not many people wanted to get the services done by her because of the way she looked! What will others think? What kind of people do we call in our houses? The ladies of the society, what will they make out of us if they come to know about it? And so on...

That was the reason behind charging peanuts from her customers. At least, in the lure of cheap services, they would give her some work!

It took a really long time in the neighborhood to accept the way she was.

But because her work was good, she kind of survived and now keeps busy all day. She leaves her house at 11 in the morning and comes home at 9. She has a new identity now. An identity she created for herself.

Anyone who wanted to call her would ask in the neighborhood for the ‘ugly, black parlor girl, one who provides services at cheaper prices’!

And she didn’t mind any of it for she was getting work and that is what mattered!

And there I was, so much pinched, filled with so much agony about how shallow have we become as humans! I saw her struggle, I saw her commitment, beyond the color and the scar, I saw the desire in her to make a good life and for that, she was willing to go any level. But none of that helped. Because most of her clients couldn’t look beyond her skin tone!

We only see what is shown and never look beyond that. We only think about ourselves and crib if things don’t work our way. So much blessed we are for the kind of life we have and still we don’t feel happy! I read this somewhere and it makes so much sense, that I’d like to share it here.

‘People were meant to be loved and things were meant to be used. We live in times where things are being loved and people are being used!’

Can you resonate with this post? Tell me more about it!

Cheers

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This A to Z Challenge, season I’m going to give you a ride and take you to all the places untouched! My theme this year is ‘Let’s see the other Side’, where I’ll be sharing about the daily nuances that we’ve been seeing in the same way since 1990’s! (:P) But this time you’re going to ponder over it a bit differently.

Stay tuned to find out what's more in store!

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B- Beautiful Bride

Once there lived a handsome boy in the city who was the only son of Mr and Mrs Mehta. The boy came from a rich background and beautiful parents. Soon there was a hunt for a bride for the boy. And not just any bride, but a beautiful bride to suit the family image!

As the boy was getting older every year, the number of suitable girls who would match the family status was going down. And this really worried Mr Mehta! He didn’t have any demands, no dowry, no questions about the qualifications... all they wanted was a beautiful, homely, not-so-ambitious girl... to suit their conservative family needs!

The boy didn’t have much of an opinion. He was happy with what his parents had decided for him.

5 years passed, and still no girl for their handsome son. One was too educated, the other wanted to pursue her career post marriage, one wasn’t fair enough, one had short hair, one was too healthy, the other was too skinny, one had a long nose and the list continued!

Finally, the search was over and they found the perfect match for their son from a small town... tall, fair, timid, beautiful, slim and homely­, the one who would fit in their criteria.

Marriage happened and the girl was welcomed with full pomp and show. It was a big wedding. All the relatives were touting about the beautiful bride. People were literally in awe of her beauty. And this made Mehta’s very happy!

Source

But things don’t always remain fair and square. As time passed, the family got over with her beauty and started pestering for her not-so-fluent English, her grooming, her dressing sense, etc etc. No doubt, she was the perfect homemaker, perfect daughter-in-law and perfect wife! But this wasn’t enough for the Mehtas!

They wanted her to represent the family in a sophisticated way and she did try as well but failed them every time. They started lecturing her on the way she should carry herself and speak in public. She felt really embarrassed and... ashamed! She failed to fathom because that is how she was and that is what the family liked about her... and now it seems all wrong! What was she doing wrong? She was trying her best but couldn’t make them happy! And hence, she couldn’t be happy either!

Whose fault was it? The girl who was pure as white, and perfect in every aspect one could ask for? Sure she was qualified, but didn’t have much command in English!

So what is the big deal about it? Had the family gone for the English speaking or the too much educated one, they wouldn’t want her to go for a job!

I pity them! And there are so many others like them of which we can’t really do anything! All I feel is blessed for not being married in such a family! But in some corner of my heart, I feel sad as well for that girl, who is best in every way and yet must be going through some esteem issues!

What is your take on it? Do you only go by the external beauty when it comes to marriages? Tell me about it all here!

Cheers

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Welcome to my Blog! This A to Z Challenge season I’m going to give you a ride and take you to all the places untouched! My theme this year is ‘Let’s see the other Side’, where I’ll be sharing about the daily nuances that we’ve been seeing in the same way since 1990’s! (:P) But this time you’re going to ponder over it a bit differently.

Stay tuned to find out what's more in store!

Read More

Should I walk on you?

Source

As I stand here

On this long path 

Obscure, undiscovered and untamed

I see my whole life ahead

Waiting for me 

To unleash 

The possibilities

And make a life 

Full of dreams turning into realities!
Should I walk on you? 

There's a long way to go

And I should choose happiness 

Above everything else.

Now it may seem hard

But that's the right thing to do

For they say

If it's good, it's never going to be easy!
Should I walk on you? 

I tried

A lot,

But can't anymore! 

Why does it feel so difficult? 

Choosing your own happiness 

Why does it sounds 

so Selfish? 

I know

I won't be happy 

If it stays the way it is.

Sure we need to 

Pay the price 

For things we choose

for Ourselves! 

Should I walk on you? 

~G

Linking with Friday Reflections

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Angels into Demons

The moment I close the doors

Of my room,

And am left with me all alone

The room is filled with nothing but gloom!

The angels that were dancing in the daylight

Get all melancholic, laughing at my plight

That’s when the demons come out in the dark

And show me the reality that is so stark!

‘You’re good for nothing’

‘Nothing good have you ever done in your life,

Not a single thing’

‘You will have to wait more for your happiness’

Thoughts like these bring out all the snappiness!

No Facebook newsfeed, no tweets on Twitter,

No snaps on Snapchat, and no updates on Insta,

Nothing seems to distract away the vicious thoughts

Nothing that can vanish away the woes, no friends, no folks, not even siesta!

The more you’ll lock up yourself,

The more you’re going to get trapped

Go out and breathe away the fresh air

Glow in the sunshine and get all wrapped!

And then I open my heart

And walk my way, for a new start

Finding my inspiration, with hopes held high

Walk past the demons with relief and give a sigh!

 Cheers

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Success for You is? #MondayMusings

At this moment I’m occupied. With lots of stuff and yet I waste my time so much. I should read the lined up books for reviews, I should study for the exam I’m planning to give and I know this is my only chance to give the exam, God knows what’s planned for later. This being the only chance, yet, I’m not getting serious about it! When will I get serious I’m wondering? I want to work hard, but a simple thought of sitting beside A in the room distracts me. Why does this happen with me all the time? I should concentrate on my work, right, and yet I seem to put everything aside when he is around. I don’t feel like doing anything. Does this prove that I don’t love myself enough?

Why do I always take a step behind when the moment arrives of working hard, burning the midnight lamp, and build that laid back attitude of taking things for granted and then cribbing later of not being where I wanted to be, not having the things I wanted to have and not achieving the goals I wanted to for so long?!

Is there a defect in my system? Does this happen with you as well?

Sometimes I wonder, what really is success?

Google says:

the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

Yes, to a lot extent. What if all you wanted was to be happy? And make less money, live in a small house, buy a small car, spending extravagantly is simply not your thing. Moreover, you probably don't want that much amount of money! I know it's rare, but what if?

Is it all monetary? Happiness is often put behind. Contentment is just another word. Success is often measured by the amount of money one makes.

Being busy, working all day, earning that respect, and being recognized for your work sounds all immaterial when it comes to measuring the amount of money one is making. Is the person able to pay all their bills? Is the person able to feed the family well, fulfilling all the demands? If not, one is deemed to be unsuccessful. It’s sad. It hurts and it sucks as well!

Take writing for example. Over these years, I’ve discovered my love for writing. I don’t really know if it’s my passion. But when it comes to paying, it barely pays me anything. Does this make my writing bad? Not at all. But because I’m not making enough money out of my writing, I won’t be called as a successful writer. No matter how much contentment I get doing it. Forget about others, I still have second thoughts of calling myself as a writer in the first place!

The moment writing will start paying me good money, I might be termed as, you know what we’re talking about, successful!

You’re not convinced, are you? Let’s take another example. 

There is the man who loves to drive. He is so fond of driving that he becomes a driver one day. He makes frugal money but he is happy with it. He is happy with his life, with his employer, with his family. But is he a successful person in the eyes of the world? I bet not! The moment he will switch jobs and settle where he could tap millions, he might sure be. And then his example would circulate all over the newspapers, colony, relatives, etc! 

Sounds ironical, right?

What do you think of that? Do you agree with my thoughts? Yes or no, share your views below!

P.S: It’s Monday! I don’t want to bug you more! This is enough for the day :P

Linking with #MondayMusings

I am taking my Alexa rank to the next level with Blogchatter.

Cheers

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Late-twenties crisis: Are you having one? #MondayMusings

Somehow, I’ve started speaking less.

It surely sounds like a relief to the people around me but this thing is kind of taking a toll on me. It is affecting me big time.

Sometimes I wonder am I moving towards depression? What is it that is going wrong in my life? Or what is it that is bothering me so much?

Everything, almost everything around me is in good shape and yet I don’t feel that joy. Even if there is a sense of happiness, it is temporary.

I don’t feel like going out, I don’t feel like meeting my friends and even if I do, I barely speak with them and I mostly prefer to stay mum. And yes, I do cry for no reason. Tiniest of things affect me, my sensitivity is at its epitome! All of it is so UNLIKE me! Countless thoughts revolve around the orbit of my brain and it’s difficult to find an escape. These thoughts are usually negative.

I’m turning into a woman I don’t like. My zeal to do things seems to flicker, the emphatic nature that I have seems to fade away, finding joys in others joys seems like a task, I get unhappy with what I have and wish for things (not necessarily materialistic) that others have!

All this is because I’m speaking less. And I don’t really know why! I always have expressed my heart out, talking to people has been my forte, and meeting them and feeling good has always been on my plus side! And now, suddenly, it seems incomplete.

I know it in my heart when I’m back to my usual self, all of this crap will go away!

Not that I have a lot of free time, a lot is going on but that volition to be good, do things, entertain people, be the heart and soul of my friends is languishing.

Yesterday, I met a dear friend after a really long time. And she was busy on her phone mostly and I was bored and thus ended up being on my phone! Again so unlike me!

I was home after being at my mum’s place for a couple of days and coming home meant happiness, it meant seeing my husband after a while. It was bliss. I loved having him around and things were going pretty smooth between us. And yet, I got pissed on such a petty thing. And spoilt my mood. And mind you, he was nowhere at fault. It was all in my head, all the futile, baseless thoughts that I keep having, that botch up everything around me, every time!

Is it depression? Are these the symptoms? Or is it the late-twenty crisis? Or are my planetary situations a bit deviated from their paths (if only there is a sound reason behind it)? I don’t know it yet and I don’t feel like finding out either!

The situation is not that worse, but it’s not good on the other hand! Something is bothering me, I just don’t know it yet!

Does this ring a bell with you? Have you felt something like this? What did you do? How did you escape? You gotta tell me! It really is affecting me!

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