Happiness is...

This was not my first experiment neither would it be last. Gardening, I find, to be something very interesting and engaging, especially planting edible plants.

I had earlier planted Pudina, Black Beans, Chickpea, garlic, onion, groundnuts. These were the plants I had deliberately planted. Besides, Mango, Black plum (Jamun), Gooseberry (Amla), Sapota (Chikoo), Tamarind grew in my plant containers (kundi) because I was too lazy to throw the seeds (after eating these fruits) in dustbin and instead tried throwing it out of balcony. I realised these landed in containers only when they grew in saplings. (And yes I have changed my bad habit of throwing waste here and there).

So as these saplings were growing and containers were too small to accommodate them, we took these not-deliberately-planted plants (unplanned plants) to my uncle's farmhouse and planted it there. They (plants) are happy to grow on big ground there :)

Coming back, as mentioned earlier Pudina was my first deliberately planted plant. I had put few stems and it grew occupying whole container. I was very happy to see that. However, Sharuk (our neighbour's cat- who was our daily visitor) ate it whole. I loved Sharuk and so let go of Pudina.

Black Turtle Beans was next that I had planted. It grew well and had loads of beans. I re-planted those in the same container. However, consequtive plants grew weaker. Same mistake happened with groundnuts. I mistakenly over crowded containers and plants grew weaker or died down.

I again encountered failure when I planted chickpea, garlic and onion. These plants died because I had planted them wrongly. I did felt bad.

This time I tried planting (my favourite) Potatoes. I took seed potatoes (one having sprouts), cut them and planted in October end. As leaves and small branches developed I became more hopeful. I even gave some sprouted potatoes to my friends in enthusiam. I had high hopes that potatoes will grow. However last week I noticed that this has plant got infected with some white insects and gave up all hopes. Today I noticed dry leaves and branches and so decided to uproot it. Frustrated, I did uproot it only to find small potato there. I was so overwhelmed, amazed and happy that I showed it to everyone in my house (even to Bunny). Mom said there might be more. I started digging the container in excitement. I found two more potatoes. My happiness knew no bounds. I was and I am extremely happy right now.

I thought that plant has died out but it did left me some potatoes. I am aware I cannot make anything out of these potatoes. But, God, it is such an amazing feeling, as if I have given birth to them. Itni khushi....

One thing I learned in this process is that Nature is the best and the most wondeful thing in this world. You put one thing as investment and it will give interest along with bonus in return. It shows how to nurture, how to grow.

Patience along with hardwork and hope is key to achieve what you want in life.

Thanks Mother Nature!

Dreams and Hope

Dreams and Hope

Everyone is a dreamer. Everyone has a dream. Some do try to fulfill it, but only few succeed. Why is it so? Why do some not pursue their dreams? What holds them from fulfilling their dreams? Why do they view it just as a pleasant mirage?

There are some who think dream is just a dream. Some think dreams guide them to their intended path in life. Some just get mesmerized by its very being. Some purposefully dream a dream. They believe they will achieve it, come what may. They work hard, make improvement in self; they always have strong quest to have their own better-version. They TRY, they BELIEVE, they SUCCEED!

Then why do some, who have equally believed, equally worked hard, equally did anything and everything to see their dream come true, do not succeed? Why does it happen that, they think they have done it, proceed further, but then realize their dream getting away or been taken away? Why this reality turns in mere illusion?

It is good to read inspiring quotes, stories. They motivate, boost your morale, ignite fire in you. That just help you to give your whole-hearted efforts to fulfill your dreams. But FATE too has a role to play! It is said that if you honestly believe, try, never give up, your dreams will get fulfilled. WRONG! This is not always the case. It is a myth. These things just add on to a false "HOPE". Nothing can be most "hopeless" than "HOPE".

You give absolutely everything, put all what you have at stake. But what is end result? Dreaming, believing, hoping can itself be too taxing and mentally draining. Circumstances are such which instigates you to abandon your dream. You feel very helpless, directionless. Every dream you saw was a reality for a while and mirage for a life time. You even feel that you do not deserve to have a dream. You start feeling very ordinary, miserable, stereotypical, Live-Earn-Die! You want and you expect something more from life, but it seems that you do not deserve anything, any happiness. Hoping leads to expectations-which in turn are nothing but illusion in making. You gave whatever you had, every bit of your own soul, only to realize that you just got poorer.

Motivational, inspirational posts, self-help guides-you start thinking- are just waste of words. They are there to take advantage of your weakness. At the end of the day, they are ultimately there to do business, mint money, thriving on your own weakness. You feel all this is nothing but crap. "Hope", "Belief", "Prayer" seem to be just meaningless words, promising false relief.

All this while, little do you realize that all this is what "YOU THINK" is true. However you fail to understand that truth too has its own versions. Also, what "YOU THINK" might be false as well. It is just a probability. Ultimately, "your thinking" depends on your "logic", your "reasoning". In short, "thinking" is just end result of what you put in a thought. No one can control your thoughts except you. You feed good ideas and end result would be good thoughts and vice versa. These thoughts would determine your actions after all.

So, to make you think in right direction or less violent, less self-harming directions, you need this fodder of "good thoughts". They are just ideas-raw material-you need to feed to your mind. Essentially, it is your mind which is playing these "mind games" with you-instigating you to "think" in a wrong manner. Mind need to mind its own bloody business. It is not greater than you or your being, though it has immense capabilities. It is like a compass showing you the directions. But like any other machine, mind may also get corrupt. To prevent it from getting corrupt and stop its harmful "mind games", you have to control your mind, your thoughts. Mind is within you and not outside; it is a part of yours and you need to train it meticulously. It indeed is a painstaking exercise. For these motivational, inspirational posts come handy.

Fine, you do not believe in 'Law of attraction', 'Self-help motivation'. But once you set your mind-YOU will guide it. For this you need motivation. Let mind not overpower you or compel you to think adversely. 

Spend some time in nature, connect to it and you will realize that everything happens for a reason. Tree shed its leaves only to make way for new ones. These new tender shoots, flowers are nothing but "Hope". "Hope" is not a hopeless thing. Mother Nature teach 'to hope' -'night' has to make way for 'day'; tide has to rise every time it fall.

Adversity in life is to make you strong, to increase your willpower. Do not let it kill you. You are Human-with immense potential. Do not surrender to petty 'mind games'. For this you need to "hope". Mother Nature made you, nurtured you, at least do not let her down. Also, think of your loved ones depending on you. At least for their sake believe, pray, hope! NEVER GIVE UP. Just RISE AND SHINE!

उम्मीद पे क़ायम है दुनिया। ज़मीर जिंदा रख, कबीर  जिंदा रख। 

सुल्तान भी बन जाये तो , दिल में फ़क़ीर  ज़िंदा रख। 

हौसले के तरकश में , कोशिश का वो तीर ज़िंदा रख। 

हार जा चाहें जिन्दगी में सबकुछ , मगर  फ़िर से जीतने की उम्मीद ज़िंदा रख। 

He!

He!

I know not everyone like him. But I love him. He is himself a phenomena. He is of that category- "Love me or hate me, you cannot ignore/avoid me." 

Yes, he is inevitable. He is magical; he carries with him that mystical aura which drench my soul! He is so sensational, beautiful, one of his kind, awesome, naughty, playful, peaceful, fierce at times and even destructive, but also soft and soothing...Am just short of words to describe him. He is all that, everything at once.

True, at times, he is beyond my comprehension. Sometimes he really tries my patience and get on my nerves. Many a times, I just want to see him, quietly watch whatever he does. And yes there are times, when am so angry on him that I feel to say this on his face-"Why are you even here? Just get lost!" But ours is "long distance relationship" and so I cannot even in my dreams afford to say this. That way his behavior is unpredictable. It is true, he makes me feel vulnerable. But it is only him, in his absence, who make me strong to bear absolutely anything life throws at me; he ignites that fighter spirit in me and that 'never say never' attitude. Yes, loving and hating is part and parcel of any relation, right?

Yeah, and he loves to give surprises a lot. He always like to catch me unaware and that too when he is least expected. And yes, though, I get pissed off at him, I do enjoy his this habit. I just love him madly.

Am overwhelmingly excited right now. His is going to come soon; eagerly waiting for that day. His mere fragrance is enough to take me high on "Cloud 9". They call it "Petrichor". Oh, rain come on, do not make me wait for long.

Daydreamers like me, poets, writers, kids, farmers, peacocks, policymakers, meteorologists, in fact my whole nation is eagerly waiting for you. We all need you desperately. Now please do not make any "El-Nino" excuses and delay your arrival. MONSOON come soon!