Thanks :)

“Through literacy you can begin to see the universe. Through music you can reach anybody. Between the two there is you, unstoppable.”

- Grace Slick

Thanks, mum n dad, and above all God, for having given me this gift of literacy.. Of being able to read, for one, coz without this wonderful ability to read, I would not have been able to peek into the lives and works of people I can look upto – reading makes me feel connected, to the world around me, to people of the present as well as the past.. It opens so many new horizons, and gives me, in a way, so many different “worlds” at my disposal. And unlike movies, books do not complete the picture; it is left to me and my imagination to fill out the people and the scenes, so I can make everyone look exactly as I want them to. As for writing, apart from using it as an excellent means to vent out any joy/anger/frustration within me, it gives me immense self-satisfaction. Being able to pen down what I think, so that I myself, if not other, can read it anytime I like, is believe me, an exhilarating feeling.

And this encompasses the way literacy is instrumental in the acquisition of knowledge, and in widening our mental horizons, to enable us to think, reason out logically and “discover”. Yes, as people round the world today expand their knowledge in every sphere possible, I am lucky enough and proud enough to realize that I am among the “more equal” people, who have the ability to follow what goes on in the world..!

The Genesis of Nemesis

She came into this world wrapped carefully in a cocoon,

Was cared for by tender eyes, brought up by Nature in tune..

They raised her with grace and warmth, she came to love her world;

For neither envy nor vice she knew, as with her happily time hurled!

Alas! Came the usual twist >Why's there a tragedy in every tale? :( <

The tables turned, the outlines swirled, a new world unveiled..

Once all were friends, now with foes she'd have to fight;

Once there were hues, now her world was black and white!

She was now the queen, in complete command of her fate

>Or so they say<, for there was hardly a true mate..

No room here, for innocence, purity, or blind faith;

Evil wore a kindly mask; There were many a living wraith!

As she would command each bishop, rook and knight,

There was none she could trust to aid her in her fight..

Alone and helpless, she looked on in turmoil

For in every single war her own men beguiled!

Twas with her no more, that life she missed!

The life she'd loved! The life she'd lived!

She had suffered enough, enough did she tolerate

She'd no longer remain a manipulated bait!

She'd stoop to their level, her miseries she'd avenge,

And thus were planted within her the seeds of revenge..

Of revenge, of hate, while Satan himself

Constricted her love to serve only the self!

Her adversaries now paid for every single tear

There was no going back to paradise from here..

The war turned brutal, and she all the more

She fought till she had equalled the score!

The more she conquered, the more she rose:

She'd risen alone, alone would her life close..

Her time was up, she had grown old,

But her soul was soiled, to Satan it was sold!

Home..

The world is a small place now.. so much so that going away from home to even a foreign land for higher studies is no big issue at all. But trapped here in a foriegn city, in what is supposedly a place many yearn to join, I'd barter anything for the life I enjoyed two years ago..

After having lived here for more than a year now, I'm no better off here than I was after the first month. Having relived few of the most beautiful memories of my life in the last few days, with the most wonderful friends I have.. in an environment where friendships did not occur or break just for the purpose and sake of benefit, I did realize how badly I miss those times, for all that we did then seems so much more warm and real compared to the hollowness that seeps into every word and act of people in this place. Inspite of having made a firm decision to try to stick here n not rush home at every opportunity, I find myself itching to escape, every time there's a weekend off..

What is so different about the life here, I do not understand.. Is it that the innocence of childhood has been replaced by the cut-throat competitive spirit everyone here seems to be overflowing with? Or is there something about "home" that nullifies every negative influence? Or perhaps theres something about the people living in or coming to a "big city" area.. maybe a high degree of self-concern is required for survival here..

Whatever be the reason, it sure is high time I learned to adjust according to this horrendous place, for, obviously I cant stay stuck feeling lonely n missing home forever!

Prags :)

Friendship-- a term so obvious, so simple and yet so multifaceted that it is impossible to limit its definition to words, phrases, statements, paragraphs or pages. Yet I'd like to illustrate what is perhaps a small drop in the ocean of friendship by describing a very, very special friend of mine.

By the way, this post is meant to be a birthday gift for her(last time twas a testimonial n before that an online friendship band). Though she never celebrated any of her birthdays with me (n that means we werent together even for a year) but we did spend such a wonderful time together- gossiping about, atually she would be chitchatting continuously while as she herself admits, I got around 10 mins to speak in every 1-hr conversation.

So, we stayed in the same colony, had known each other for 5 years before we actually became good friends, for we joined the same coaching ( actually, it was through her that I found out, applied for and joined the institue) . Went together for coaching, studied together many a times, and our mums found it hard to call us back home after cycling, for we would pose outside our places n stand there chitchatting for hours.. the way we had the ultimate time together on New Year's Eve- they were golden days. When u had to leave the next year- the last day u spent at my place, and we had a most wonderful time!

It is sometimes strange how time or effort or choice play hardly any roles in developing the bonds of friendship- how sometimes its just destiny that brings one friends- for the two of us, with opposite choices and preferences learned to be wonderful company to each other, changed each other here n there( she did change me a lot for the better!) and here I quote her back-- "but still we r best frnds, probably bcoz she is so unique.... or mayb coz God wanted me to b d luckiest gal in d world!!!"

The power is yours??

Another day gone and over with..The one day I’ve been so excited about always, n undoubtedly my favourite day-- The World Environment Day. I have been upbeat about this day since class 5 (the particular reason being a cartoon show on tv I used to regularly watch- Captain Planet. Twas easily my favourite TV show and I hero-worshipped him).

So, I think I’ll begin with a tribute to that great show—I vividly remember mother Gaia, representing nature and all creation. There were the five planeteers who wore rings representing five elements of Earth: Kwame(Earth), Wheeler(Fire),Linka(Wind),Gi(water) and Ma-Ti(heart). When these planeteers united their special rings Captain Planet rose- he had superheroic powers and rescued the planet from villains who were harming and polluting it for their own self-interests, not without giving them appropriate punishment. The show, apart from being highly entertaining had such a strong impact on my mind, which I little realised at that time but I do realise now that it was the biggest factor that motivated me towards doing something for the environment, bringing about a change in the way things r going n try to restore a clean, green earth.

So in class 5, thanks to the aforementioned show, I learnt that June 5 is celebrated as World Environment Day and realised that it would be a good day to start doing “my bit” for the Earth. I used to plant a few saplings, at least on Environment Day, Earth Day, my birthdays and other such events. I would also start planning so many other things as well.. hardly a few of which would work out in the end, (sometimes thought of organising Save The Earth programs, and that did work out too once!!). But by the end, I atleast had the satisfaction of having made efforts; and would also have gathered knowledge in the process, as I would go through material I’d collected, including newspaper and magazine clippings or other bookmarks I’d set on the net.

This year it was all so different. I had joined college with a firm decision, a decision that had come after two years of being so busy with studies (maybe not really busy, I had that excuse atleast) that I really had no time for helping out and doing my bit for nature. I’d thought of establishing a nature club, one that would continuously strive to educate people regarding the atrocities we all are committing on the planet. I did start by daily picking up articles from newspapers and even made a webpage, but after joining college my enthu somehow seemed to fade out :( Instead I joined a number of other groups and started actively participating, so I was again left with no time for this particular interest. And even though I’ve been home doing virtually nothing for the past one month, this environment day has been the worst ever :(. I did nothing this time, even though I’d been thinking about it a fortnight in advance.. and somehow I got so hooked up in other things(which were of absolutely no importance) or perhaps I did not care enough to gear up and do something good this time. Infact I let it go without so much as sowing a seed this time..

(to be contnd, cz I am still wondering how to rebuild that enthu in me..do help!)