Her Smile His Smile !

A Smile appears,
Her lips lift up.
She's happy,
He can see that.

That's what he had wished for,
And that's what she had dreamed of!

No reason is explained,
No reason is expected.

It simple happens,
And she loves to see it happening!

It may mean four colorful petals
Stuck around a green stick to some.
For her 
It's his love, care and affection
All wrapped up and presented in the form of a flower!


A flower may simply be a flower
throught out it's life
It's meaning changes
When it is plucked
When it is found
And when it is presented
To Somebody by Somebody!

 

Happy Birthday PeeVee :D :D

      Here's to the chocolate obsessed sweetheart on Darlings of Venus

                          

                 Happy birthday to you
                 Happy birthday to you
                 Happy birthday dear PeeVee
                 Happy birthday to you ...

Wish you loads of happiness, love , health, money and chocolates :D 

Why

Why does my heart bleed,
if it is a normal day?

Why does it take an effort
to be myself today?

Why do memories bring me pain
If I'm happy today?

Why lose myself in thoughts
if I enjoy conversing today?

Why does it take more time for work
if it is a routine day?

Why isn't my smile from heart
like any normal day?

Why the tremble in my fingers
as I'm blogging today?

Why my eyes well up for no reason
when I'm fine in every way?

What is it that I'm missing
if I'm happy today?

Is it just that I'm not with you
that makes it  so hard today?

Honey Trap

This story is not fictional and but also not completely real. I knew the characters of this story (though not personally) and has taken up some creative independence to restructure the series of events. All names have been changed. The story timeline is somewhere in early years of this century.

Ankita hurriedly threw her school bag on the bed and rushed to change the uniform. It is already 3:30 PM. Even if she gorges down her food in jet speed then also she is going to be late. 'He leaves the shop by 5PM' she thought in her mind. Anyways, she picked her tuition bag and checked her wallet, 'Wow, with this much money I can buy two cassettes this month'. 

As soon she stepped out of her house, Sonia called her from the neighboring house. Same age, same class although different schools, same tuition classes, good neighbors but still Ankita never felt to bond with her. 'That tuning is not there between us' she always thought. Sonia told her that she is rushing to her friends as there is an accident there but asked Ankita to not to tell this either to her parents or the tuition teacher. 'If Sir asks tell him that I am not well' muttered Sonia in her typical sing-song voice. 'What a big liar.....it was so evident that she is cooking some kind of silly excuse for her absence from classes' Ankita thought but said OKkk and moved ahead to the local market.

'Ohhh Thank GOD it is only 4:10PM', she would surely be able to get a glimpse of him. Who is 'him'? He is the brother of the owner of the biggest & best gift gallery & Variety shop of her so called small town. People call him Champ....'indeed he is, such a good looking hunk and so amiable & friendly...I just looooove the way he ties his bracelet on his wrist' Ankita's mind crooned. His shop is always the happening place of the area. Every month Ankita saves her pocket-money to buy some music cassettes from his shop. Also, buying gifts for friends & usual stationary stuff, all is done from this outlet only. Ankita' mind continues 'His voice pours as music to my ears......Last time also he asked for my phone number....I felt so awkward & scared....Ohh such a goofy I am..Today I would   exchange phone numbers for sure...what if my phone is always guarded by my parents...I can manage to sneak sometime!!'. She reached the shop but found that he has already left for the day. 'What the ...., Why he has leave early today only....her luck never favors her'. She postponed the idea of buying cassettes for some other day....'Searching for a nice album through the catalog takes so much time, she does not want to waste that only opportunity to be with him in vain'.

Heavyhearted, she went to her tuition classes. There she came to know about the 'Gossip of the day'. Priya whispered in a hush-hush tone 'Hey, do you know Sonia is going around with Champ these days!'. 'What!!!' Ankita literally shouted. 'Yesss this news is 100% pakka, they are seeing each other and today also they had gone for a date'. Ankita tried not to listen any more to Priya. She felt so bad. All her beautiful thoughts which she has spanned around him crashed with a jolt.

Next couple of weeks, she tried her best to avoid Sonia and forget her mushy romantic crush for Champ. In spite of her best efforts, her mind wandered multiple times in his thought…'Why luck never favors me, Why it can’t be me in place of that Sonia…life is so unfair' her heart continued to yearn for him…..

 Now, almost a month has passed after that. Ankita has been able to gather herself and continued with her normal life. Yeah...she went to buy those cassettes but after 5PM only....'I cannot face his flirty behavior anymore'...but the shop was closed. She went again after 10 days but still it was closed....'They have closed their business and "bitiya" do not visit this place anymore' one of the neighborhood ageing shop owner told her.

That night while having dinner she started surfing though various TV channels when her fingers paralyzed on one news channel. 'They are flashing a 'Breaking NEWS' and her town's name is there. OMG....What are they showing....it is news coverage of a MMS (obviously dirty!!) flooding the internet where the girl has been identified from her town...these news channel has got other details as well. The news anchor was shouting on the top of his voice.....See where the latest generation is moving....they take everything so casually...this girl studying in Class 11th belongs to a middle-class family and the guy is a local shop-owner. As per our sources, this guy is into this dirty business of luring innocent teenagers, trapping them in his 'honey-web' and after filming them in compromising acts, selling those clippings in market. Police has raided his house and found many other clips & MMS well. He is absconding now. Girl's family is not ready to comment...blah blah. They kept on showing the bits of MMS (blurred though) on their screen...However blurred it is, Ankita can recognize that bracelet on the guy's wrist!!!!

She got up from the sofa and went to her room.....closed her eyes and said 'THANKS a lot GOD.....from now onward, I would never blame my luck...you saved me from falling in that dirty pit'.

The Gift

It was women's day the day after and she was teasing him, posing the question -'What are you going to do for the women in your life?' Though she asked generally, they both knew that she was mockingly asking what surprise he has got for her. Back came an equally notorious reply - 'I am not gonna do anything. That in itself is a great gift!'. And the conversation continued with mischievous questions and answers...

A year back....

she was the girl who would think twice about wearing a Kurti and a Jean. Having been brought up by an orthodox family, she grew up thinking salwar-kameez is the decent dress and the modern wear are for extremely thin women and not for chubby people like her. That thought was so inculcated in her that she refused to even think of trying out. Not only it was about the looks, but she was a confused soul. She never felt completely at ease with herself.

He tried so many times to change her absurd mind-set about modern wear. If you wear the right dress and carry it off coolly, there is no such thing as indecent about modern wear. But how will he get her to realize her? He kept on persisting in different ways. He asked her to wear it and show it to only him so that she would be more comfortable. Once he got her to trying, he was sure he can make his way through. He also knew that once she was more comfortable with herself, her insecurities and confusions can be warded off so easily. He just needed an entry point to her closed mind and this dress thing could be it.

Slowly, she started. First with Jean and Kurtis. She saw that it was not bad. Then with experience, improved her fashion sense and the mentality. Then came shirts, t-shirts, formals... It was clear to her that all that mattered was correct selection of the dress, size and judging if she will be able to pull it off. With every step, he was there giving constructive criticism. His was the final ruling. And slowly he made her rethink her decisions, motives in life. She started seeing it. Although the fears ran very deep, she started to see it was not impossible. It was moving mountains, but she felt she could.

A year hence....
She is a totally different person -both by looks and by mind. Not only did he manage to change her mindset about looks, he had managed to make her see sense in many other aspects. Life appeared more beautiful with him. Though she struggles here and there to completely overcome those core habits, she tries-For him. She is a  more confident person. She has left behind the ghosts of her past. He made everything easier for her. She succeeds sometimes, fails sometimes but now she knows. That with a little more effort, someday it would all be smiles.

On women's day, she was getting dressed up to go to office. He was also joining her in a while as their offices are in the same direction. She looked at the mirror for one final touch and did a double take. She was dressed in a black turtle-neck tee, blue jean and pretty grey shrug. Long silver earrings with pearls at the end donned her ears. Her hair was fluttering casually. She could not recognize herself. Was this the conservative woman who was uncomfortable wearing a jean? Was this the woman who was so confused with herself and her life? Definitely not. This woman in the mirror had an air of dignity. She knew that she was working on a lot of aspects but still she had come a long way. She had her identity but somehow she felt she was better now, in all ways.

A smile lit up her face as she realized what he had given her - not only for women's day but for ever.

Until later,

Keirthana :)

P.S: Happy Women's day to all. This post is dedicated to all women and men who treat women with respect and have helped the women in their life in some way or the other.

W-O-M-E-N

Value the diamond that has emerged from the coal mine just for you, as if not valued, the diamond shall burn like coal, giving away harmful carbon dioxide, unlike the shine and value that a diamond may add to your life!

How true can this be for the women in your life? Value women and you value your own self. Does letting the other person above you means that you are letting yourself down? Think about your mother. Think about those numerous times when she might had put her ill health behind and prepared food for you, for the family. Irrespective of all the pains she would have finished all the house chores. Think about the events when she would have taken all the blame game on her to save you and family.

Women embraces and praises all. Absorbing all the sorrows and turning them into happiness is the quality she is blessed with. All she desires for is Love and Respect. Love for the soul and Respect for the mind. She is an epitome of kindness. Think about your sister, your friend or any other female in your life. How many times you were forced to think by their act of kindness that it would have been impossible for you to react in the similar manner as she just did, on some burning issue! Patience is another virtue that a woman is worshipped for!

Women supports one in all the ways she possibly can! Women are worshipped as goddess, mother. Then why today we have so much injustice happening to them? Why we can’t have a society where we have equality for both genders. Why this discrimination then?

Men think we women don't do what we feel like doing. But that's not the case. We have our own limits defined and we are well satiated with whatever we are provided.

We women are not weak or afraid of showing our strength. Of-course we are physically not so strong as men are but where ever we are pushed to show our strength we show it.

Women is to giving or let's say Giving is to Women. Give, not under some compulsion or fear, but we love to Give. Hence we call it Loving and not Giving.

It's the nature of Women to be so. We don't complain, we are simply made to Give. We love to give Love and surely do we love when given back something in Love. That's why it is said, only a little of His love is required to woo a her while all of Her is required to woo Him.

We are made by God to shower love, bound purity of soul and spread happiness. We have it in our nature to absorb all the pain and are blessed with the magical power to convert it into blissful happy notes of life.

Proud to be a Woman!

 

 

Happy Birthday SMITA!!!

Ohh my God Darlings, are we all so busy that we forgot our dearest Smita's Birthday!!!!!!!!

We are so sorry dear that we are so late in wishing you.

But nevertheless there's still some time left to the end of the day

And here we are

Wishing you an awesome wala birthday...

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Smita
Happy Birthday to you....

We wish you a life full of happiness and fun. And keep the awesome posts coming....

Love you dear!!!!

P.S. Lots of GPL's from me :D

Why?

Workplace flirting has become such a common thing. Honey, Darling, Sweety are words that are just casually thrown across towards women by men who have been just acquaintances for a couple of months. And everyone acts as if this is normal. When some people don’t like such flirting, they are labeled as un-evolved, orthodox and incompatible to the socializing lifestyle of this century.

Most people might think of it as a friendly gesture and might be okay with it. That is none of my business. When people like me are ready to accept that there exist people who are okay with even overboard flirting, why can’t you just accept that there are people who don’t like it. Why are we labeled rude when I humbly express my opinion that I don’t like to be called by names other than mine. I have a name for a reason!

The thing that frustrates me the most is testing the depths by trying out one or two endearing addressing. It is a very cheap shot, I would say. For the sake of professionalism or politeness or fear or whatever, if the girl chooses to ignore it, the guy continues it until the girl is pushed to a place where she ‘has to’ react strongly. Why is this necessary? If this happens in reverse, i.e., if a girl flirts first, I 've heard many guys calling her a woman of a totally disgraceful class.

I know that no amount of ranting or yelling my heart out is going to change this. But I simply won’t go along. I hear people saying ‘Women need to face these situations all the time’. I agree. But why should I face it silently and undergo awkward situations without telling what I feel? Why should I take it in my face? Why shouldn't I just throw it back to where it came from? I'll not accept reasons like ‘You have to work with the guy for the next year or so. If you react to this, it would just be awkward and affect your working environment’ or ‘Hey, this is just so common - you are over-reacting’ or ‘He might have meant it in an innocent way’ or ‘You might be perceived as the kadoos who is unapproachable’. No, I will not take any reasons. Some even go to the extents to say that ‘Guys are like that and it is their instinct’. If that is your explanation, Giving back a nice punch in your face is my instinct and I will do it.

My question is simple. I have come to office to work, just like you. Neither do I know you from Adam nor do you know me. I am just being a friendly colleague. And you know that I am engaged to the guy I love. You know I am not interested in anything beyond a professional relation in the workplace with all my colleagues. Then why do you have the incessant need to hit on me? Testing my depths huh? Whether I am wavering or whether I am good enough for passing your idle time?

I am not generalizing guys here nor am I saying that girls are all good when it comes to this. I am not judging anyone here. I am just saying that this is happening. And often to women. That’s all. If both the people involved are comfortable doing the flirting for god-knows-what, go ahead - I am least bothered. Just don’t cross people who don’t want a part of it and ruffle our feathers. We keep our cool for our own sake. If you put one toe beyond the line, you will get what you deserve.

What’s with the need to objectify women always? When there is a crime against women, the focus gets shifted from the fact that the crime was committed to the fact that the woman in concern has dressed provocatively or was out at late night. I'd like to agree that it would do women to err on the side of caution, but why is that even a factor? Are you an animal driven by hormone binge sans rational thinking? Why can’t you just let us be?  

I have all the questions and no answers!

Until later,

Keirthana :)

Koi Baat Nahin…Lakshmi Aayi hai!!!!

Koi Baat Nahin…Lakshmi Aayi hai!!!!(Translation: Nothing to worry…Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) has arrived)

This is one common line which I heard from couple of people when my daughter was born. However, not to mention that their tone never had that excitement if in real Goddess of wealth had arrived with a big gunny bags of gold & diamonds!!

The consolation in most of the people’s tone was quite audible. Sorry to say but like reading between the lines sometimes you can hear beyond the lines. Few smart ones quickly said “It doesn’t matter it is a boy or a girl, just a hale & hearty baby”. and these are the smart ones to alter their original comments because of my ‘firebrand’(!!) nature but forget to wipe the consolation in their tone.

One of my elderly relative said 'Ohhhh (I am stressing on this big Ohhh)….daughters bring good luck to family'. Excuse me…if I had given birth to a son then why would have his ‘luck quotient’ had been lesser???

When I was in my 2^nd trimester, there were two or three more female colleagues who were expecting. So we used to have our group discussion forum on maternity issues anytime, anywhere…. Few other female colleagues (generally moms) would also join us. One day, a mom of a 2 year old brought a fun test (a questionnaire kind of list which asks whether you like to eat sweet or salty food, which side of your tummy the baby has more movements…) to decide the gender of the unborn baby. All of us took the test for fun. After an hour I found one of the preggo ladies crying in the washroom. When I asked she told me that how mean of that other lady who deliberately twisted the test and told her it’s a girl!!! I got so irked that I sarcastically said that she can very well exchange her result with mine( I got the result that it’s a boy) and barged out of the restroom. Imagine an educated lady, working in a MNC crying because someone told her she would a mother to a girl….horrible!!!!

She had told me later that how her SIL (a MBA, mother of a male child) says that at least the first child should be a boy so that her importance in her household is maintained. I felt even she was also quite convinced with this logic!!!

Another really weird viewpoint I heard when one of my close relative told me that if my genes overshadows my hubby’s genes then it would be a girl  ( we are two sisters only, no brothers  and my hubby has a young brother, no sisters)and vice versa. What a twisted genetic theorem…..I really felt like taking out my notepad & pen and explaining her complete XX & XY chromosome theory!!!!

Some futuristic people advised me to start saving money for my girl. When I asked snapped them if it had been a boy then a saving was not needed, they few got the drift and changed the topic to “money is nowadays such a necessity for better upbringing of a child”.

I really fail to understand why there is crazy attitude to have a son. Might be I won’t ever experience it as my parents never injected this fact that I have done some crime being a girl. We are two sisters and my parents never yearned for a son. When I was pregnant I read the news of a newborn girl killed by her mother in some village, I literally begged to Almighty that “please if a baby boy is in my womb exchange it to someone’s girl who are crazy for a son” (You see…pregnancy hormones were elevated at their best that time…J!!!!)

Jokes apart, I really feel sorry for these people. Some traits are injected so deeply that even high education cannot wash it. Another very common term I had heard that “Ye meri beti nahi beta hai (She is not a daughter but a son to me). This again turns me off. Why can’t we accept our girls as simple human daughters without labeling them as Goddess, good/bad luck charm or a son? Why any daughter has to prove their mettle by camouflaging as a son?

But I had saved the best for the last: My girl is fairer as compared to me and my hubby. So one of the elderly relative told me that “Good she is fair….you won’t face any difficulty while searching a match for her” Damn…Give me a break!!!

NBose

Limtied Options and Unlimited Happiness!

Each of us would have nostalgic moments of childhood and with the world changing at a deadly pace, we know that we have come so far from what we were. However, when you think of it you sense the core personality just lingering in there, despite of any number of masks that you might have to wear for the part of fulfilling the grown-up life.

My childhood was awesome, maybe I didn't know it back then but it was really. The first time when I learnt to ride a bicycle, the first time I fell down, the first struggle or breath as I learned swimming, those kulfis during the summer holidays, silly fights with brother on who gets the bigger piece of cake, the umpteen number of times I fell down and hurt myself... these seem so silly on the outlook. However, now that I cannot go back to those days, these seem like the bigger part that I am missing. When I look at the colorful stationery that's in market these days, I am reminded of the first time I held a micro-tip pencil :) When I look at the dresses the kids wear these days, I am reminded of the frilly frocks that were the only option for small-town girls like me in those days. I know I didn't have a lot of options, but not having so options that it is practically confusing you was good.

Today, I can hardly buy anything without regretting that I could have bought a better one which I see a little later. It happens. There are so many things and so many options. I see parents bringing their kids to malls and letting them play around as they shop. I accept that I didn't get to even know what a mall is back then, but I frankly would prefer that. Eating out was an occasion back then. It is a routine today. When I win the proficiency prize of the year, my dad used to take the family out to celebrate. That elated feeling.. :)

When I see kids playing with ipads and ipods, I am reminded of those days when I used to run around playing all the silly games in the world. I would be tired when I am done, but I never got bored of it. In fact, I used to beg my mom for 5 more minutes of play time. Today, all that has shrunk. My favorite past-time was to try climb to the top of the slippery pillar in our hall (our home was a very ancient one which has all those pillars and lengthy halls with many rooms). Each time I had to try without getting caught by the elders. :)  We had only Doordharshan back then since we were a joint family and one or the other kid was invariably preparing for the board exam. DD and it's silly serials.. Shaktimaan, Alif-laila, Oliyum Oliyum (A friday programme which broadcasts movie songs), the sunday movie.. How can I get over all those?

The little things.. the finer print... You never see it but one day realize that it really matters. I admit frankly that I am a little sad that I cannot give my child that awesome experience which I had. My child would not complain since it never knew what it was. Even if I try to explain, it would seem so plain, simple and restricted. I am not saying everything is wrong with the current lifestyle, but given my choice, my heart would prefer that life. When options were limited and happiness unlimited :)

Until later,

Keirthana :)

P.S: My friend gave me this link and I am awed at how they can enjoy the song this much without even knowing what kaveri aaru(Kaveri river) and kaikuthal arisi (The hand-polished rice) means.