Tagged: happiness
A Quaint Evening In Bustling Mumbai
Pics from the place I visited in Mumbai
Juxtaposing to the busy life of Mumbai is this scenic place, a quaint cosmos altogether with lush green and all hues of nature. I stumbled upon it being a nature lover, I love all picturesque places, the solitude, and the quiet they offer. A mini fantasy land which caught my fancy as I was walking by. The earthiness of cobblestone street, the rustic seating, an avalanche of nature in all colors, filled my mind with a landscape of imagination to pen down some stories. A place that put all of my tumult to rest. It reminded me the philosophical side of life we tend to ignore quite often. What beauty, serenity, and harmony does to your subconscious mind, and the easy fix to clear your head if taking a long walk on the beach is not in the vicinity.
Nature mother is the most potent medium to answers to lot of complexities of life. In the serene and harmony I sit and watch the beautiful drizzle which wet the cobblestone pathways, glistened the rustic rooftops, and dressed the leaves and foliage making them blush. There are many more green pastures in Mumbai to explore for those who love solitude and inner peace. This place is a sanctum of serenity and harmony. I personally believe, you cannot pass a single day fruitfully without feeling inner peace. Inner engineering, a path to abundance you feel from within and live life mindfully.
Mindfulness is what nature teaches you. Stillness is not a programmed practice, but what you start to experience when you explore the nuances and tranquility nature offers you. It sets in with every tryst of nature making you want to look at the beautiful side of life you can consciously choose to look at and imbue. You can a choice to drain yourself with anger, anguish, painful emotions, or flush them away looking at all the wonderful things in life that are there sitting right in front of you to explore and take a cue from.
In the manicured greenery I was feeling still. A kind of stillness that is essential to practice daily and feel one with the universe. Everyday is a journey into mindfulness, the quaintness, the stillness you can choose to imbue to find more meaning in everything you do. There is more to Mumbai than street shopping, nightlife, and Bollywood. You can rediscover yourself strolling through these quaint pastures at your own pace and bask in the serenity.
Your Grandparents are The Best People That Happen to You
I Love My Grandparents. They are no more. But, those memories of happiness are forever. They teach you fundas of life with a blend of love, and minus the dose of strict self righteousness that is patented to parentology. My maternal grandmother was avant garde. Ahead of her times. She knew flawless English. She loved cricket and Sachin Tendulkar. Highly artistic, she made jewelry, the famous halva ke dagine(worn in Maharastrian Weddings). She read the newspaper and could hold intellectual discussions. Neverthless her taste in selection of colors, clothes, and saris, simply outstanding! What a woman I have always been proud off. She was a highly creative and a talented person. A very patient, enduring, sweet, and a compassionate person, whom I simply can’t stop loving. Nobody could make rotis and the famous ‘Maharastrian Varan’ like she could. My maternal grandfather was a noble man. Simple, sweet, hard working, would never say a word to hurt anyone. They are the best examples and ideals in my life. I don’t need a Richard Brandson or any hot shot’s biography to imbue.
I have had the privilege of experiencing the love and company of my great grandparents too. They were happy, cheerful, dynamic, avant garde people, who exemplified the finer things in life. My great grand mother was an epitome of kindness, compassion, and goodness. Her values about life is something we cannot find in books or parchments. My great grand father was a humorous man. His timing of wit and enthusiasm for life and everything new is hard to find in people of today. They showcased the lives of people who have been through real struggles and honored them through their trust and organization, Vypari Foundation. Educationists true to the core, who define the very definition of ‘Guru’ in its truest sense.
The ideals and principles my grandparents lived by are enough for me to follow for the rest of my life. My paternal grandmother was a dynamic, strict, and highly organized woman. Her sense of understanding relations and life is on par with what you wouldn’t even find in ‘The Secret.’ It’s hard to find people like them in this life, you know. The values they lived by, the gumption they had were so urban, it would put a modern man to shame. She was always up for learning something new. I have such deep admiration for them all, they have left indelible imprints in my subconscious. My paternal grandfather had a great sense of humor, was disciplinarian, sweet, hard working, religious man.
When I look back at these memories, and see the way they lived their lives, facing bitter and bigger challenges, our lives look less challenging and simpler; it works like an epiphany. I love them all, through to the core. Grandparents are special! They are like your guardian angels. Those are the kind of people so full of love and kindness. All of your mischief and rebel is accepted with warmth only to condition you into a better human being.
My interesting Routine Speaks of My Love for Life
Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity- Lao Tzu.
My day starts at 6am. I do the breathing exercise for 5 minutes before I get out of bed. I love my king size breakfast. I rustle up a planned breakfast every day. Mostly salads, doused in seeds and olive oil and a whole glass of fruit or vegetable juice. I have been on an organic diet for a really long time. It helps me keep chronic ailments at bay. I look at the silver lining of a good routine despite challenges.
This is my routine. I get better at it everyday. At least, I am not running inside the hamster’s cage, day in and day out. I don’t feel the onus to deal with the daily grind of compulsions. I retain my natural, spontaneous, spur-off-the-moment independence. I wouldn’t give away my sense of freedom for million dollars or the mousetrap of true love. I do miss people and socializing daily. I would love that too, but my love for ideas is high!! Higher than the need of finding a middle ground that trammels my sacred religion of being free spirited. I don’t give a dime to epochal thinking, or doing something with the intent of creating an epic. I cannot miss the pleasure out of doing things I love.
Freelancing, working from home, afflicts social life, but you do not miss out on the rich inner world. You might communicate more with birds and plants than humans everyday. The ‘Me’ time becomes so potent, you develop a strong reason to shut down the rigmarole and the mundane small talk. I have never been the small talk kind of a person. Though, it is an ice breaker in any conversation. My self absorption with ideas has taken over social life. I jot down, write, read, sketch, cook, clean, and create.
I have a heavy breakfast and lunch light. I love cooking for myself, as well as people I love. There is true joy in doing that. I think, I have come so far because I have not given up holding on to good dietary habits. I am a massive foodie. But, I prefer not to get into temptation habits, not cause of self righteousness, but for the love of my own well being.
Then my work starts at 7am or 9am, depending on random stuff I choose to do early morning. Sometimes it could be a morning walk, or listening to music, or grooming plants, or just sitting still. Stillness is vital to me. I have a dislike to be shaken up. I, especially, like my mornings quiet. Then goes on the roster of things planned ahead of the day. Writing, mostly. I pen thoughts for myself and also take up the technical and mundane formats of writing as a part of my daily work.
This has been a long, unwinding journey having its own pitfalls. But, in all the chaos, peace, and a motley of incidents, my yearning for a disciplined life remains consistent. My core values have not changed, and nothing will change them. Nobody or nothing is so potent enough to change them. I love the pace at which I move my own life. i love it, because I get to choose the pace of my own life, in the case of happiness as well as adversity. I love it that I am incapable of being pushed for anything that does not coincide with who I am. No temptation of money, fame, or allure of true love is so big that it can put a veil on me. There is hardly a scope for boredom, with or without people. I am comfortable in my own skin.
