It’s been sometime

Maula maula maula mere maula 🙂

So, I have been fairly occupied outside work. Given the amount of personal time that I get, I got involved in many things – that said, I still bore myself at times. And before I head off to Kerala for the long weekend, a few notes.

First things, one of the best conversations/debates I had – at the most unlikey place with the most unsuspecting people at the least expected moment – outside Bandra station on our (Dharmesh and myself) way to Mazgaon Dockyard. Muslims, on the occassion of Muharram were distributing booklets on Islam and making people aware about the concept of Jihad, the causes for all the trouble, spread peace and condemn terrorism. Ok, so one of the guys, from our age grp, comes up and starts a talk and before we realize, we end up discussing world issues for 2 hrs right there, outside the railway station – the two us and around 15 of those guys!! Ofcourse, we solved all the troubles that plague this world 🙂 The good thing was the awareness levels and the understanding of the conflict, the information shared, the mutual trust and respect and the realization that the change begins from you & I. Its the wrong that defines the right, technically there is nothing true or right or correct – it only comes as a reaction to something false or wrong or evil.

Next, On a lighter side – there are 35 girls, studying at the International school of management excellence residing at the floor(in 5 apts) below my apt. The long loud conversations they have with, I guess their boyfriends or potential ones in their balconies (which is right below mine), the discussions they have on the presentations/ case studies across the balconies and the birthday parties they have reminds me of IIT hostel days… girls are loud and not the best neighbours, especially at 7 AM on Sunday mornings when you so want to sleep.. Boys – they complain when they have none around and when there are too many as well, its hard to please people – my friends are so willing to swap their apt with mine 🙂

Hmm.. and then – the semi conscious state of mind on the weekend, a consequence of a sleepless night and the subsequent travel to Nandi Hills at 4 AM. Good trip – the drive, violation of HSE driving rules, the sunrise, the trek & the woods 🙂

I was looking forward to my trip to Bombay – had to visit home for personal reasons and managed to time it with the final leg of the Dutch ladies’ India tour – Claske and Jose. They were eager to play Holi and so they did. It was one of the best holis I played – relatively neat, with gulaal and lots of water, literally. The baloon fight, the light bollywood dance, salsa with Jose, Claske’s green and blonde hair after six washes in as many hours – it freaked her out, the friendly neighbours, the multi coloured goras at Mocha and their 20 L beer pitcher, again the converstaions, the spicy Indian meal, the local train travel between Bandra and Churchgate – with the ladies in the gents compartment (Well, it didn’t end up being a big deal as they had the gumption to travel Bom-Ahd with unreserved tickets in the general compartment of Karnavati express for 8 hrs – I have not done it and neither will),  more conversations/ hanging out with more friends, the football with the kids, reliving Paris/Etretat in Bombay with Tissky over a gelatino – all in all a wonderful week with Bombay meri Jaan 🙂 

Thought of the day:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light and not our darknes that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world, there is nothing enlightened about shrinking yourself so that others do not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It is not in just some of us but in all of us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same as we are liberated from our own fear. Our presence automatically liberates others.

One of the equations that this translates into is – The change begins from you & I.

Of late I have come close and in a few cases even experienced the above.. You surprise yourselves with the energy levels and it’s so infectious. You feel content.