It was a White Christmas after all!! :) :)

Has it ever happened that every time you think of doing something impulsively it turns out to be the best thing you have ever done. Well for me, it always works best that way. It all started out on 24^th Dec , a friend of mine wanted to go to the church for Christmas eve mass. Now, the only problem was transport because we live outside city, in a residential school and so we had to arrange for transport. What’s the best way to travel? The answer is BIKES of course! So we made arrangements for 4 bikes. We had filled out our late night forms till 3.30am and the only question in my mind was “What will we do until then?”

To be honest, we didn’t get on with a great start, one guy who had said that he would give us his bike, backed out in the last minute and we were 1 bike short. We somehow managed to arrange for another one by sheer luck I would say, it was Christmas eve and everyone were out. We were just lucky enough that one guy in college had no plans for Christmas eve. The 8 of us from college left around 11.00pm all well set in case it becomes too cold. Yours truly, wearing 2 overcoats!

On the way, when we could feel the temperature fall, the gush of cold air hitting hard on our faces, that’s when one of my friends had a brilliant idea. “How about having ice creams now?” I wasn’t exactly excited about it in the fear of falling ill but then who can resist natural flavoured ice-cream. It was beyond delightful to have ice-cream when the temperature was nearly 10 degrees. In no time, we were back on the road, on the way to church. We reached the church around 12.15am and we were there for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes after offering our prayers.We decided to leave and make the most of the day before we head back to the hostel. Hungry as we were, sadly none of the shops were open owing to the weather I guess, led us to hunt for shops that would be open around 1am, and there was only one CCD that was open. Reaching there, I got the shock of my life; people were lined up outside CCD waiting to get in. Never ever, have I seen people line up outside a café.

Well there was nothing much to do in a dead city, there was no option but to head back to hostel. We decided not to take the highways as it seemed like it was getting colder by the minute. Reaching outside hostel around 2.15am, one of my friends wanted to go for ride in another area just close by hostel and since we were already out it made sense to do whatever we wished to do at the moment. We geared up ourselves by giving strength to our numb hands by keeping it on top of the silencer. Even that heat didn’t seem enough for our numb hands.

So there, back on bikes for another ride and guess what catches our eye; a tea stall open at 2.30am outside Wipro. The guy was also offering Maggi, my friend was craving for it, and looks like Santa granted her wish after all. After going for a short ride, we stopped outside the tea stall and had hot tea and masala maggi. It was blissful!!

Christmas has always been known for its “Christmas Miracles” and it was indeed a miracle to find probably the only tea stall that was open at 2.30am way outside city where there is no life nor is called a “happening place” to use the lingo. Getting back to hostel, I took a look at myself in the mirror, white from cold, wide-eyed and shivering yet smiling, I realized that Santa had just granted me my wish – It was a white Christmas after all

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A way to make it work!!

Have you ever wanted something so bad? Have you ever dreamed of holding something you cherish the most? Well there's a little secret to it, If you ever want something so bad, the universe will work to get it for you.

"Positive Reinforcement", something that has driven me my whole life. Keep saying to yourself that something you desire will happen, it will. A little bit of focus, a little bit of determination and conviction behind your desires is all that takes for it to happen. I have always heard of the term "Miracles happen" and I believe in it. It does happen when you really want it to. When a day's going haywire and you want to set it right, you just have to rearrange some thoughts in your mind. :) Keep saying it is always your day and it just keeps getting better, somewhere something out there clicks and you would find yourself having one of the best days of your life.

I recently came across a documentary/book called "The Secret". It was just an emphasis on what I have believed in, or at least a part of it. "Theory of attraction" as they call it, says that you attract whatever that is happening in your life, be it good or bad, you attract not only what you want but also what you do not want. A shift in the focus of what you do want to happen to what you want to happen can just bring about the miracles that you have always wanted to happen. You needn't worry about how it is going to happen, just believe that it will. Even a small amount of contempt or disbelief will not deliver what you want.

A small anecdote crosses my mind, I had performed not up to my satisfaction in my X board exams. I made a vow to myself that when my results come out I will make sure I am beyond satisfied. I just said to myself that I will score above certain percentage. To reinforce this in my mind, I penned it and stuck on walls and wherever I tend to look. I worked just about as hard as I would normally and when my results came out I got exactly .01% more than what I expected. I was beyond happy, flying about simply because something I believed in worked. Call it determination, passion, dedication, positive reinforcement, theory of attraction; they all say the same thing:

"When you want something so bad, the whole universe works to get it for you"

Use it well
Use it wise
Be the artist of your own life :) :)

A world that's on fast-forward

I couldn’t think about the last time I had done something for myself, something that I always do, read novels, regularly keep updated about current events, write a blog post (no matter if it’s a short one). One of my favourite songs is titled “We have all the time in the world”, it feels like someone has just taken away all my time in the world. Whether it's work or fun, I am occupied till I turn in for the night, or I should say for the day as I do around 1 or 2 in the morning. “Sleeping early” has been a part of my mental to-do list for a very long time now, something which I haven’t been able to keep up till today.

A gang that grew: Socializing has never been hard for and it wasn’t hard here either, I quickly made a couple of good friends within a span of two weeks. It came of a surprise to everyone in class that we bonded so well and we seemed like we have known each other for years, that the others in class started moving freely towards each other in the hope of finding good friends like I did.

“Swine Flu” I would call it as blessing in disguise. It forced the government to close down colleges for 2 weeks and voila, I was back at home within a month. The only word that comes to my mind when I think of home is “bliss”. Chennai was hotter than ever, and I loved it more than ever. I got to meet all my close-friends, get introduced to a cousin and in no time I was back where I belong for the next 2 years.

Back in no time and back to work from the very first day, from assignments, case studies, exhibition, competitions, meetings and finding time to dine out, it just seemed like life is on fast-forward. Just to spice things up a bit, I guess the fast-forward is now set to a higher speed; as I look ahead, I have exams to write and in no time I am going to be back at home, running around all over again. It's a cycle that's going to continue for 2 years.

It’s a race against time and the one behind stays behind. You enjoy the race when you are with the best. I would like to say that I am with the best among the best.

A thankful note to all my friends here, who have made it so much easier for me to adapt and keep pace.
My heartfelt thanks to all. :) :)

It's a Great Start!!!

Ever wondered how the future would be? Ever panicked before you knew the results? Ever tried to visualizing how things would shape up? That’s what I have been doing all through my summer vacations. Fantasizing and panicking about how life in a residential school, far away from anything familiar, anything remotely homely would be. I waited long and I now have the answer. Life just doesn’t become different, it gets better. A friend said “I’m sure it’s going to be a dream start tomorrow.” and boy! He was right; it is in fact a dream start.

I never knew that hostel life, managing my own room, washing clothes, cribbing about cafeteria food, the synergy of study groups, getting to know people from different cultural background could be so exciting. The only way to accept change is to embrace it. There are downside to everything as always, I am far away from loved ones and from things I love doing, but guess what, when you are far away, you become closer to loved ones, because they take that extra step to keep in touch, that extra mile to say they care to bring back the smile on your face.

Life in a hostel is so new to me. As a kid, I was always threatened to be sent to a boarding school if I misbehaved. If this is punishment I don’t mind being naughty. The first thing that caught me by surprise was the way birthdays are celebrated in a hostel. There’s always someone’s birthday to be celebrated and people from different rooms watching & cheering the celebrations, like it's a carnival or a parade that's taking place. Friendship Day is celebrated like Diwali, I can imagine how Diwali, Holi & other festivals would be celebrated. People seem to be nocturnal here, sleeping around 3am or 4am is pretty common, I hear from seniors that they make up for it by sleeping during classes. And slowly I have started sleeping late too. It catches on I guess. Never did I once think that I will be one of the those who would organise a class trip within just a week of college reopening, it was indeed a strong foundation to get to know my classmates better. Time Management is what I have learnt here. Battling between assignments, going out with friends, participating in events, managing my room, replying to e-mails from loved ones, one eventually learns to manage time better.

It’s been a month & it seems like life is on fast forward. It has been a rocking beginning and I hope it keeps getting better. Signing off with the biggest smile saying I love my life the way it was, I love the change that's taking place and I am as always happy as ever!!

My Experiment with Happiness! :)

The English language is vast and I don’t know all the big words, but there are 3 words I like the most. These are small 5 letter words; they make up my formula to have a great day, LAUGH, SMILE & be HAPPY :). Ponder over it and you’ll like it too. An old saying goes "Laughter is the best medicine", it is primarily happiness that leads to a healthy lifestyle. I admit I like to laugh out loud for the silliest jokes and smile just like that for absolutely no reason. Today I feel happy, extremely happy to be in particular and I don’t know why! I don’t need to!! It’s my formula that makes me feel this way.

Call it weird or anything, when I get up in the morning, I look at myself in the mirror & SMILE. Yes! It does make a lot of difference. It totally changes the way I feel, the minute I smile, my mind conjures up mental images of memories/ people that make me happy. Its almost like when I start the day with a Smile, I end it with one; things just seem to go right that day, or even better, things that generally annoy me, don’t annoy me that day. When I feel low, I look out for anything that would make me smile or laugh, because the minute I do so, the thing that has been troubling my mind, is either out of my memory or seems so small to feel low about.

It is just time to realize that a small smile, a soft laugh can make you feel HAPPY, make you feel like you have had an extraordinary day for no reason, just like how I feel now... :) :)

Remember, LAUGH, SMILE & be HAPPY!!

A Surprise to Remember ...

30/06/09
11:30 am

I would term the 30th of June as one of the memorable days of my life. I had gotten to know few friends in the recent past who did something that I never expected. Having only 11 days to enjoy Chennai life, I was determined to have fun. And what a better start than today, I had a friend coming over, picked her up & went to Landmark. On reaching home, I found my room all set up and all the friends I had gotten to know recently along with my school & college friends with a cake. Dumbstruck, wide eyed, it was like I was in a dream. It was very touching moment. What more than knowing that people care! I smiled like I have never smiled before. Even now, it seems like a dream, I keep pinching myself to assure that it isn’t. Today I mark the birth of Caesar & Simba (additions to my soft toy family), both unique & totally adorable, how often do we get to see a pink elephant, that's Caesar & a monkey on a bag, that's Simba :)!! Personalized gifts means a lot, shows people care enough to spend their time in doing what they can. I got a very thoughtful gift from a friend who had turned a paper into a parchment & filled it with a lovely quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson followed by a message from her with a sketch on the top. Getting a thoughtful card filled with messages & quotes from people who care can never be replaced by any e-card, can it?

This surprise reminded me of the other big surprise I had for my birthday last year (another memorable day) organized by my college friends. It’s the thought that matters at the end of the day. Knowing that people care & that you mean so much brings about this ever-growing feeling of happiness which can surpass any other emotion.

Almost 12 hours later, I am still here, smiling and reliving the moment. This is by far one of the best days of my life. No amnesia can erase this out from my memory! :)

Thank you all those who made this day very special to me

Happy as always!

Wedding Bells!

Pondering over what to write about, I was just looking around the room and on my bed I saw a wedding invite, a very close friend’s, I looked at it for a while and did a mental count of the number of wedding invites I have gotten this month; 4. Phew! 4 just this month!! A mental count of the number of birthday surprises I attended this month, 1. This just brought out a very small smile on my face. I actually have more number of weddings to attend. Times are changing and its wedding bells everywhere.

A very close friend got married today, she becomes Mrs. Shyamala Benjamin today :). Earlier today, I had a mental image of the way her wedding would’ve taken place and the look on her face; I pined to see it in person. I closed the invitation with a small tear in my eyes. I don’t know whether they were tears of regret of not being able to attend the wedding or tears of happiness that she cannot possibly be happier than this. All I know is that I couldn’t be happier for her, but I would’ve been the happiest if I had been there with her.

This one’s for you Shyamu :). Missing you!!