The picture of the campus

Today is the last segment of a phase where I spent years in the same institute. As I walked through the Heber gate towards QSC and sat on the very same bench that was specifically my reserved seat. There was one tree slanted towards the window which was my friend as it was part of the conversations. The long talks about random topics with different bench mates were also shared to the walls and the tables that would have already carried a million stories. 

From there to the corridors towards the department was another memory of waiting for professors. More than the wait the gentle breeze and the chatter of students walking up and down the stairs were much more interesting. 

Now the pathways are all adorned with flowers and leaves as if an invitation towards a different world altogether. The welcome of deer at every corner peeking out from the bushes was a unique sight I saw on the campus. Mcc was a time loop where it was similar to the Garden of Eden completely different from the outside world. It felt like a different time frame where life was at a slow pace rather than a rat race.

On the way towards returning the ID cards, a symbol to declare my identity as a student has been taken away and currently, I won't return as a student but as an alumina. The last goodbyes, hugs and wishes remain static in my mind wondering when would be the time to meet again in the future.

Comfort zone among the souls

Today being the last exam almost marks the end of two years of returning to campus. I don't have much impression regarding last year but this year I met a few wonderful people who were part of my growth.

I remember not having an impression of a few of my classmates but as we grew closer this year some of the stories told were something I labeled as insignificant. 

The days of loneliness and homesickness were struck off because of the few people who were a comfort space for me that made this year better. 

I remember my second home where I spent time in her place usually to take an afternoon nap. Then later to "Karupatti"  shop for tea. The long strolls in the Gandhi Park and hours of talk. I still remember you staying back during the holidays because I couldn't go home. It might not seem important but the relief I felt of not being alone in this city was abundant. 

The singer among us spent most of her time in the music she sang which was melodious. Our common topic of discussion is very vibrant and enthusiastic. I was worried and cautious in the beginning but time tells a different story altogether.

Today like old times one more day was put apart for our regular juice shop. I hope this contact never breaks but stays for a very long time...

One more chance as a singer

Today as I sat in Bishop Heber Chapel I was reminded about my first day in college which happens to be my visit to the chapel right after joining the college. When I came five years ago my senior akka took me around the college. It was a hot summer holiday when all the trees were almost dried and the whole college was empty apart from dry leaves and trees as a companion. 

When I entered the chapel I was taken to the choir audition almost waiting to be eliminated. Before that day I always made sure I was never audible to someone as I sang but that day unexpectedly I got selected and became the part of the alto singers. After one day of practice, I gave up as I was never able to understand music. I always felt listening to music while enjoying and singing are two different entities but later on, I learnt it was not necessary that way.

As I tried to quit two of my seniors also part of 'alto' convinced me to attend for one month before I made a final decision. And the most exciting part of the story is, choir became part of me that I would always cherish. 

Apart from the beautiful memories, the chapel has a beautiful infrastructure with a lamp hanging above, that is said to never stop burning from the day it was placed till today. The pipe organ in its small space gives a melodious ring soothing one's soul. A place that I enjoyed for its peace and the history that is being created every day with its services.

Today being my last Sunday in Chennai made me want to attend the service one last time. That place has my joys, fears and tears, not just mine but many more in the past as well as those coming in the future may have similar stories to tell but every story would be different with its unique touch.

An unending loop

As I was going through the news page one title unintentionally led me to open to do further reading. The article was titled "10 Reasons Why Grandparents are Important for Children". This article seemed like a need of an hour in this modern generation.

In this fast-moving world where we are always in a race, there is no time or space for family. This race is never ending where individuals do not have time for themselves and always look for personal gain. Long gone the time for family, long gone time for relationships, now it's just an obligation that needs to be fulfilled. When this change came it was something that needed a lot of pondering.

The article talks about the need for grandparents that we all know. As we travel from place to place we find a lot of old age homes so this article is a need of the hour. Children rarely know their grandparents because we only find a nuclear family where parents are busy earning and children stay all alone not knowing the need for an elder.

I remember a classmate who lived with her parents but they were so busy that she had to learn to live on her own at a very early age. Is it the right choice to let a teen or a child grow by themselves?

There are always a lot of reasons for adults to justify themselves but the longing a child feels as they grow cannot be compensated, as it's their loop that they are stuck for eternity.

(This is the article page)

A few more days...

Another monotonous day
Passing by slowly
Few more days to go
The end of another phase.

Will we meet again?
Or when will we meet?
All scattered across the globe
With independent lives to build.

As days get nearer and nearer
Anticipation to make memories
A whole year neglected by
At the end a desperation.

Will it succeed
Or remain the same
With lots of different groups
To be one again.

Not a goodbye yet
Still days to go
lots of plans ahead
Before the final day arrives.

The girl who drank the moon

Children's literature is a genre that we all love and enjoy reading. Usually, the readers expected to read are children so the plots are very simple and easy to understand. These novels or books talk about friendship and relationships with morals added to the story. Adventures and self-discovery would be one such theme. Children's novels will have fantasy and magical realism to pique the interest of the readers. 

The novel I would like to talk about is "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill. This is a fantasy fiction that itself could be understood by the title of the novel.

Firstly, the story is a journey to self-discovery. We see the protagonist Luna growing up and discovering herself even though there were people who tried to keep her hidden. 

Secondly, we find the concept of good and evil like every children's story. The bad villains and the hero who saves them. The defeat of bad and good triumphs is what is portrayed in the story.

Thirdly, we see the importance of relationships portrayed, especially maternal love. The relationship between Luna, Xan and the biological mother is portrayed. Both the mothers sacrificed a lot. Even though Xan was old she made sure that Luna was protected and fought to stay alive to keep her safe. The biological mother becomes insane at the loss of her child. In a way, the novel teaches how pure maternal love is and should be cherished.

Finally, the novel has fantasy that deals with superpower of the protagonist Luna. The magic keeps the story more interesting till the end. This novel is interesting as well as teaches morals to the young minds.

The body and consumer culture

Featherstone's essay on "The Body and Consumer Culture" talks about the influence of consumer society on the perception of the body.

Firstly, he talks about the commodification of the body. The body commodified and changed according to the presumed societal needs. Due to the high beauty standards some of the industries thrived greatly. The demand for beauty products, cosmetic surgery and fashion has increased over a period of time.

Secondly, the beauty standards decided by society vary based on the media's description of beauty. In the entertainment industry, celebrities had to pass certain beauty standards to remain in the lead roles. Once these standards are not fulfilled their value diminishes. This is widely accepted by the viewers both consciously as well as subconsciously.

Thirdly, due to the standardised beauty concept many youths change themselves to fit the notions of the society. They even wear clothes that may not be visibly comfortable or apply cosmetic products that may damage the skin in the long run. They slowly change themselves as they follow the consumer culture.

Finally, he talks about how technological advancement played an important role in manipulating beauty standards for their benefit. These unnatural methods deteriorate health and shorten life span. It causes harm both physically and mentally.

Even though people are aware they still tend to choose artificial rather than appreciate natural beauty.

Culture is ordinary

"Culture is Ordinary" by Raymond Williams redefines the understanding of culture emphasizing everyday aspects and lives of the people.

Firstly, Williams emphasises that culture is strictly not defined by arts or literature but the way of life also is part of culture. In different places, households carry many rituals and traditions from generation to generation. This too is a part of culture. For example, every morning some of the families draw "kolam" in front of their houses, this practice does not change even after the relocation to a place or a new environment. These cultural practices continue to be passed on to the next generation.

Secondly, William says that culture is not static but it changes regularly based on social interactions. People often migrate from place to place and interact with many individuals. In this process, the cultural practices are also shared. These practices change throughout time due to the influence of external factors. For example, years back women were given a stereotypical gender role confined in their space but now they are not restricted to their "roles" that have been dictated by the patriarchal system. 

Thirdly, William talks about how culture is connected to social and political factors. The powerful can decide the cultural changes accordingly. For example, the cola company designed Santa Claus as a stout bearded man in red and released it on Christmas Eve which began a tradition that continues. Children are told about Santa Claus and the same costumes are worn during that festive period. The influence of the advertisement on the people became a culture of its own.

Finally, when a topic of culture arises it majorly focuses on the elite segment of the society. The art forms are highly praised and celebrated but what about the local games that are played on the streets? Culture is defined only based on popularity often neglecting the other practices that are part of daily life. Raymond William tries to shed light on the neglected aspect of cultural identity.

Thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird

"Thirteen ways of looking at blackbird" by Wallace Stevens talks about different perspectives on life. The blackbird can be seen in a different perspective and it is equated to the force of life. The bird is a symbolic representation of nature and the way of life. The perspective of life changes from person to person and every individual finds their own purpose and meaning in life.

The poem is divided into thirteen stanzas giving thirteen views on life. Blackbird becomes a symbolic representation of inspiration and motivation.

The poet talks about how our consciousness shapes our reality. When we tend to believe in ourselves the power to overcome challenges strengthens us. The poet uses the mystery of ice and can even be used as a sharp weapon. Ice is harmless but can be molded into a sharp object. The poet also says fear can be turned into strength with the strong determination an individual can posses.

There will be obstacles often just like the ice covered path but the bird waits for an opportunity to move forward. The poem paves way to motivate the struggling individuals to look through different eyes rather than just focusing on one.

The colour combination is also interesting where black turns out to be inspiration and white the path to be followed.

Curse of the starving class

Today as I was going through the play "Curse of a Starving Class" by Sam Shepard few thoughts swirled in my mind. This play touches upon various aspects of the themes found in American plays.

Firstly, this play talks about the idea of the American dream. Even in the most struggling phase, every member of the Tate family has their dreams waiting to be fulfilled. All their dream comes to an intersection at the idea of living a better life.

Secondly, we find a broken family struggling to make ends meet. The father, Weston who is supposed to lead and guide the family is stuck in debt and is an aggressive drunkard. The mother Ella is left to fend for herself. We see how there is no emotional connection between the parents and the children. The lack of communication confused the plans and caused a disruption leading to chaos. As the plays move forward we find how the parents refuse to take responsibility and the children are left to fend for themselves. Emma has to choose to provide sexual favours to save herself from a situation. She even chooses the path of crime as it earns a lot of money, and the lack of parental guidance leads to such a choice. We slowly find the downfall of every character eventually.

Thirdly, we find the idea of alienation very prominent. Even though the Tate family is a member of four everyone is living individually. Family is just a term without any emotional pillar. The lack of warmth is one reason for the choice made by each individual. There is also the concept of identity crisis which is depicted through the character of Wesley. We find that as Weston looks at himself he feels as if he lost a part of himself and is slowly turning to be like Weston. This becomes more evident when the mother, Ella addresses him as Weston instead of Wesley.

Fourthly, the use of animal imagery is very significant. There is a story of an eagle being mentioned we find it as a foreshadowing that further happens in the play. The lamb is also seen as a symbolic representation of the family. It looks very lean and malnutrition just like the family members who lack even proper food to feed themselves. The lamb is sacrificed in the end just like the slow impact on each family member.

This play is a real depiction of a society that is very unstable and lacks warmth. The lack of meaning in the word "family" is one reason for the loss of individuals physically, mentally and spiritually.

A lonely friend

Lonely looking bird

That flies above the head

Always being cursed

By a bunch of human heads.

But there was one bird

Who visited regularly

Guarding the house

Just like a member of family.

Always cursed for it's color

"Is it my fault?" he asked

No one replied

Feeling ashamed of the answer.

"Why am I the one blamed?"

He asked all around

No one answered no one believed

To prove his innocence.

On day he met a friend

A guest from far across the land.

With a welcoming aura he said

"Now my heart rests upon thy words."

The moving cloud

As I sat under the night sky and kept my eyes moving all around, a few observations came to me.

Today is a cloudy night, till yesterday I could see stars even this very but it was still there blinking in the sky making it more pretty. But today it was different there were clouds and it was moving. It would often shield the sky making the night darker and other times there would be a small ray of light apart from the city lights. 

Where would be the clouds travelling to at such a faster pace? When the moon is at the brightest phase how will the city without light look? It would be aesthetic with the only natural light falling on earth. Was it because of clouds the stars hid away? The clouds look greyish covered all across the sky distinguishing it from the dark blue sky.

The cool gentle breeze flowing through the tendrils of my hair giving a different feeling compared to the sunny and humid afternoons. Sometimes I feel like staying on the terrace the whole night but the mosquitos are not friendly enough to welcome me.

The clouds are still moving past house to house like a guest making sure every house is safe. It might see varieties of people and I am one among them. It might be so lonely to be wandering all alone just like how Wordsworth claims in "Daffodils" saying "I wandered lonely as a cloud". Clouds travel from place to place and at some point might cover all the places on Earth. They are just like an artist moving from place to place till they reach their destination.

"Daddy" by Sylvia Plath

Daddy by Sylvia Plath talks about the poet's relationship with her father. As the poem progresses the anger and frustration the poet has on her father is expressed. I would like to point out a few themes from the poem.

Firstly, the poem focuses on the father-daughter relationship. It's obvious that she is scared of the father because of the domineering and aggressive nature but as she has only experienced aggressiveness she fails to distinguish or without strong protection from her father she again falls victim in her married life. The father was not a choice but the husband was, but her lack of paternal love and support led her to a wrong choice that she regrets. She even compares her father to Hitler due to the similarities she found between both individuals.

Secondly, the poem talks about power leading to suppression and oppression. She gives the imagery of the Nazi as a bullseye point to equate her life with the Nazi victims.

Thirdly, the poem talks about identity and self-discovery. The poet's life has been shaped according to the parental care she received. Even though her father was dominant and restricted her freedom she still craved his love. He haunted her when he was alive and never left her even after death leading to her carrying his shadow everywhere.

Fourthly, the poem talks about trauma and its long-lasting effects on the poet. Years and years of suppression led her to continue living that life. Trauma follows like an invisible ghost where it's easy to get triggered. The fear continues even after the person has left the experience is still alive and the victim often relives those. 

Finally, the poem also talks about gender stereotypes and how the poet fell deeper into that pit. Her whole life was controlled by men both very similar to each other. She was tired down by the patriarchal notion.

The poem portrays the years of frustration and anger the poet carried and this poem was like a therapy where the poet faces her past and embraces it.

Domanda, Risposta

Today as I was watching a few music videos, two songs had a very similar theme but the interesting part I felt was one song seems to ask questions whereas the other seems to be giving an answer.

"The Man" by Taylor Swift talks about how women face discrimination in society especially in the workplace. The recognition and achievements that she deserves is denied because of her gender.

" I am so sick of running as fast as I can wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man"

There was a time when I asked myself that if I was a man I would have been treated differently and I think most of us would have thought this way. I also have heard stories of how sometimes it becomes difficult to shine even though they have the ability. The label of a woman being weak haunts them in every aspect cutting down the wings whenever it grows slightly.

The next song I chose is from the movie "The great Indian Kitchen". The song talks about woman empowerment and the strength she has within. This song gave me goosebumps every time I watched it, giving a new feeling at every watch.
" With your wisdom, if you awaken your inner self, you are relentless woman spread out across the world."
These few lines are not for one woman but equally appreciates all the women across the globe. If we look at the current scenario we find woman excelling in fields once cut out only for men, it's a great progress that we see.

In conclusion, I found that the first song talks about the struggles a woman go through on a regular basis. The endless questions asked along with bearing the pain of being trampled on is addressed.
In the second song we see the strength of a woman being underlined along with her determination to never succumb to circumstances or 'fate'.
Every woman has strength within her, she needs to embrace and accept that inner strength.

Just a few words

"Words can hurt as well as heal" is a statement often heard. Few days back I had a conversation with an individual, she spoke to me for a long time and when the conversation was over I was very depressed and almost regretted the choice I made. The conversation still stuck in my mind causing anxiety and occupying my thoughts completely. Those few words from the person were enough to hurt and discourage me. I still remember leaving her place with a sweaty forehead, shaky hands and tears refusing to fall. I do not know whether it was intentional or unintentional but I believe and hope those were unintentional words. 

Today after a lot of thinking and overthinking finally I had a chance to talk to a friend. Since the person was far away only phone conversation was possible. I had to hear her suggestion to convince myself about my choice. It's not because I changed my decision but to be sure that one more person supported me. The conversation wasn't long but it was comforting. 

A supportive idea always helps to move forward. When I decided to take literature for my bachelor's degree I had a lot of disagreements but one positive remark strengthened my determination. I realised just a few words can help a person. It might not be fancy or ornamental words but it would be powerful enough to guide a person to remain strong in their own decision.

Restarting the lost and a new lesson

The library was one spot that gave me solace. Among the books or the study area downstairs was my place of stay. Staying back after class for hours was a relief not just from the sun but also leading me to read. 

Today while I sat in the same library at the corner of the room I couldn't concentrate on the essay that I was reading due to scrambled thoughts running around. I felt so lost and hopeless that I decided to doddle.

I am not a very perfect artist but during my school days, I used to draw during arts and crafts class. As years passed by never touching a paintbrush led me to lose the confidence I once had. After a long time, it felt good to draw as I got distracted which was very necessary at that point.

The library brings back hidden talents. I remember I cultivated the habit of reading from the library and after a break, I again restarted from the very same place called the library.   

Apart from my visit to the library I also spent time on women's launch. I saw an interesting group of girls practising dance steps. It was confusing as no events were coming up and it was almost the end of the academic year. Then I found out they were practising for reels. Isn't it too much hard work just for 30? This is what I thought initially.

There were around five friends. One girl was in charge of the camera, another was in charge of flashlights and the rest were the dancers. There was one choreographer among the dancers who taught the steps very diligently and they all followed. They made sure that the shots were perfect, so they took them multiple times to perfection. In the end, they even had to edit the video before uploading it. Just 30 seconds but the time consumed was almost 2 hours. 

I admired their dedication to finding time and putting a lot of hard work into the short video and I realised that it's not an easy task. I would find it hard to make a video but there are a lot of talents who try to express themselves.

As I began the day I did not expect a visit to the library and a live video making. It was an eventful moment that made me be free and enjoy myself.

A way for a will

Ruth being one of the strongest female characters in the Bible taught me about how to work for myself. Today as I sat distressed, the lesson spoken today gave me courage.

Ruth is a very strong woman who never left from her responsibilities. Firstly, when her husband dies she stays with her mother-in-law Naomi despite Naomi asking her to leave. 

Secondly, her responsibility towards work outshines her from others. As a widow she chose to work hard, she had opportunities to slack but she never misused her rights. She worked hard not for others but for herself. 

Today apart from her story I heard a testimony that inspired me. In a village where people are treated as an outcaste from the society, a group of people spend their time playing cards even though they had qualifications to get good jobs but they do not have faith in themselves to try. A person went to that village and spend time everyday with the card players. He talked to them, encouraged them to look past their fear and within one month everyone managed to find a job. 

This story might be true or exaggerated but still made me feel that we often step back a lot. Whenever a step is taken back we will always have someone to push us forward, it may be a stranger or a friend. 

Moving forward and working hard not for others but ourselves is what I learnt today through the story of Ruth. If one door is closed there would be many other doors open. As the saying goes "Where there is a will there is a way".

Nightingales by Robert Bridges

Today after a long search I stopped at a poem by Robert Bridges titled "Nightingales". This poem provides a beautiful picture with it's words.

The poet tried to show the difference between illusion and reality. The poem is short but the poem draws a thin line between illusion and reality through the bird nightingale.

Escapism is one reality that is portrayed, how nightingales sing to escape from their pain and suffering. The first part of the poem shows a beautiful world but the reality is portrayed in the second half of the poem. In various situations, we tend to want to escape and choose different mediums to cope with it. It is said an artist with pain is capable of being great in their work as they pour out their pain in the form of art. 

The poem shows the fleeting beauty that slowly fades away. The song may bring lot of beautiful sights but it slowly fades away to the reality. Meaning however ornamental it may look it only remains for a short while.  

The song sung by nightingale is beautiful but it has a melancholic touch to it. This is shown in the poem through the contrast between beautiful nature and the reality. Sometimes we tend to hear melancholic songs because it is beautiful to hear and can touch one's soul. 

This poem is a journey through both the sides as it shows how two sides of the world exists and the coping mechanism to move forward in either paths.

Ansia and Speranza

Tomorrow, again tomorrow

Creeping the fear within

Unknown of the next minute

Increases the anxiety within.

Words words words

Question the decisions made

Still the crave for the rigidness

Only wavers me a bit

Standing tall like a tree

Despite not knowing  what next

Striving forward with trust

Not just me but a lot more.

Am I fragile

Weak minded or indecisive

Even with the thorns

The pillar is still as strong as a bark.

This too shall pass

A mantra that's been repeated

Everything falls in place

Just as it always have been.

Time

Today I came across a phrase by one of my friend which states that "Kya jaldi jaldi bade go gye yrr" which translates to how quickly we grew up. This statement was posted along with a video of my school premises bringing back the memories of the lost time.

Time passes in the blink of an eye. As years move on I find myself looking back and seeing a blurred version of time. It's like a game, sometimes it seems so slow sometimes too quick. 

One video took me back to the time where I still was a carefree soul. Apart from studies everything was smooth. It felt like a different world altogether. Everyday going to school just to maintain the perfect attendance title. Being excited for the certificate all seems too far away. Even though five years have passed I still feel as if the time in school was much slower than these five years.

I still remember the road to the entrance gate. A small garden where I had my plant to water everyday. Library near the balcony, a place which was always empty apart from library period. My class near principal's office and the staff room. The huge ground with a hidden spot where there is no camera. And lots and lots of stories the we're shared in these places. 

I still remember in our ninth class when we celebrated our sir's birthday with cake on his face along with his specs and having a long conversation with him. And also in 12th class the farewell of our class teacher who had to leave in the middle of the year but she made sure to finish more than half of the portion. A teacher who always had a smile on her face and a person I never saw angry in two years as her student. I also remember our Sanskrit sir who tried his best to teach the subject but I was never able to understand the language completely.  My inspiration to literature was also ignited in that four walls I called classroom. 

Everything was not a beautiful picture but if I look back now all I could bring back are the beautiful days I had in that small world. 

Yellow Tree

There is a yellow tree near the selaiyur gate. Like a painting adorned and stood proudly among all the remaining green trees. It danced to the rhythm of the breeze and made soft sounds expressing its happiness.

The bright yellow shades were the flowers that bloomed and covered the entire tree. The petals covered the paths as if a carpet of flowers was laid especially for me. While walking through the path petals fell on me like showers of blessing for a bright new day.

Sometimes the yellow tree looks lonely as its families are all scattered in different parts of the vast campus. Since they are far from each other won't they feel lonely at times.

The rays of sunlight falling on the yellow tree highlights the colour giving a bright glittering texture. Sometimes a part of the tree brightens, but other times it glitters altogether.

I wonder if the yellow tree could talk what could be its first words? Will it welcome me like the inanimate objects in "The beauty and the beast"? During the day when the path is empty what does it do to pass time? How fast or slow would time be for the yellow tree? Will the yellow tree gossip with the neighbouring trees during its spare time?

If all these were possible it would be so dramatic. Despite knowing its impossibility it does not hurt to imagine the activities the yellow tree does since it is rooted to one place.

The feeling of loss

Today being a holiday is the best moment to rest and relax at home the entire day does not give any hint of the hot weather outside as it's pretty cool inside the house. Then there is lot of time to browse through the pending novels and completing the watch lists.

Today I would like to talk about the feeling of loss that we feel right after finishing a series or a book. As a reader, I often tend to get too involved in the story or the character. It is not the same for every other book, movie or series that we invest our time in. There are lots of pieces of literature, be it movies or series that we look forward for the end half-heartedly. But there are also some books or movies that make the viewers want and wait for the second part.

I can give few examples from my experience.

Few days back when I finished reading a book titled "Ladies Coupe" by Anita Nair I was not very happy about the ending because I was curious and wanted the story to continue but the story ended with an open ending. This ending ignites the curiosity within the reader wanting to fill the blanks that was drawn by the writer.

When I finished reading a book titled "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah I felt very emotional and empty. The novel ended but the impact I felt the novel had on me was very strong. I still go back to read the last chapter of the novel. The events in the novel may not be relatable but for a short while I transform in the particular character making me go through their same emotions.

So these can be pushed back to consider old emotions but today I completed watching a detective series which felt too short. The series is titled as "Good detective" that talks about how two detectives try to solve a case and catch the criminal. I took lot of time to complete the series but I still felt attached to the characters as the feeling of frustration when some evidences are fabricated or sad at a character being wrongly accused were too real to be false. 

Even though I  tried to be a passive viewer or a reader at some part of the story I get involved and empathise with the characters. I guess this feeling is inevitable.

Why fast food?

Does the title look like a blog supporting fast food? Then I have to clarify that it's just a misunderstanding.

Why do we like junk food even though we know it's bad for our health? The love for healthy food remains but still, the cravings often betray the healthy diet. Have we noticed such foods are more expensive than healthy food? But still, where do our eyes and hearts go, we sure know.

This blog is not about healthy tips or the side effects of fast food but it's rather about the feeling of craving. A few days back I was craving fries so I planned to make potato fries. After eating those still the feeling of wanting the fries made in some shops didn't erase which was weird because the raw material is the same so why did this feeling continue to exist?

We all watch YouTube and often curse the advertisements that pop up in the middle of some interesting video. Some advertisements are related to food delivery tempting the viewers to buy the food. Do cravings arise from those advertisements? 

Today I saw a group of school students in front of a stall trying to gather all their money to buy something. This might look so insignificant but we can see how these things influence the children. I look back to the days when my brother fell sick due to having such oily and unhealthy food. This situation is not just for him but for a lot of people who eat these on a regular basis.

We regularly see and constantly hear about these fancy food style. The feeling of wanting arises slowly growing to need. And finally we fall for our cravings because food wins.

There is no expectations to completely stop this trend because it has become a habit that needs to be minimised before it's too late.

A hot summer day

Today being Sunday I decided to go to a different church. Everything was good except for the weather. It was so hot that it almost burned me alive. Usually, the heat starts at noon but now it starts in the morning itself. And my room is special as it's always an oven. No matter how cool it's outside the room will be a heater.

I think I went a bit off-track. Yeah, let's go back to the topic. This heat outside made me feel not to leave the room but be lazy on the bed. I had to fight laziness and leave the room in the morning and on top of that yesterday night there was no electricity for some time. Wow, summer really drains a person. 

During lunch also unable to have food as all that I cared about was water and 'Moore' which was too chilled. Aaha! That is another feeling altogether. Later while sitting on the bus stop under the shade did not provide much relief as the wind itself was hot, the shade did not help at all.

All these are natural and can not be changed but then I saw various vendors sitting on a sunny path doing sales. Even the construction work was going on without a pause. I even saw a granny selling 'Moore' and a lot of people buying it desperately to cool them down.

Finally, after a long travel and a long distance walking, the only picture I saw was watermelon juice. After reaching the shop it was empty giving a whole shop to myself. While waiting for my juice I looked at the road ahead and found it almost empty and I thought the power of the sun was great. 

The Park

Strolling through the path,

Along the cemented pathway,

With bushes on the left side,

With varieties of plants.

A budding of hibiscus

Even banana leaves

Some neem leaves

And lot more greenery.

Lots of little children,

Even adults relaxing,

Some walking with music,

Others playing badminton with kids.

Adults turning kids,

And kids turning adults,

In a short game of badminton,

A competition along with fun.

A lot more slides and swings,

Small children running around,

A cute couple talking with a smile,

And a grandpa walking along the path.

All these cute little sights,

Some familiar some different,

A fresh breath of life, while

Strolling through the path.

Jab we met

We all love watching classic movies as it is nostalgic and reminds us of a different style of movie creation. Today I re watched a 2007 released rom-com titled as "Jab we met". This movie stars Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. I would like to highlight glimpses of my observation. 

Firstly, this movie is a typical romance movie where the hero is depressed because of love failure and decides to end his life, that's when the heroine comes as an angel to save him. Even though the plot was predictable and obvious I still sat and saw with the same enthusiasm. The title itself is a combination of two languages Hindi and English which directly gives away an important part of the plot.

Secondly, the plot does not drag much but there were some emotional scene that did not impact me but made me feel as just a mere observer. The plot mostly revolves around travel and the idea of seeing life in a positive mode. We also find that even a person who has a positive view on life  might face circumstances that could suppress them. This segment is portrayed through the character named Geet. 

Thirdly, we see various themes that is discussed in the movie. We see how a person battles with inner conflict and the societal expectations. We also find self discovery that happens through the journey and how the life he experienced during the journey transformed his life. The choices made by an individual keeps them accountable till the very end. Even a wrong choice can be changed.

Finally, the music in the movie reminded me of the days when I sat in front of the radio to listen to these old songs. I almost forgot the lyrics of the songs but all the they still are beautiful. This movie is melodious not only because of the music but also due to the places that have been highlighted providing an aesthetic appeal.

A feast

Today unexpectedly we had a guest. I promised her a long way back to cook for her but the circumstances were not favourable. I was able to fulfil my promise today which made my day.

Today we had chapattis, fries, spring onion sabji and egg curry. All the dishes were prepared by the three of us together. The process was fun as we listened to music and danced to the rhythm to give a flow to the cooking. It's been a long time since I prepared food and it was different to have lunch together giving a feeling of home.

Today my special recipe was egg curry. I would like to share my recipe. 

• First, the eggs were boiled for around 10- 12 minutes to get a hard-boiled egg.
• Then few onions and tomatoes were sliced along with garlic and chillies.
• In a pan, a tablespoon of oil needs to be poured followed by half a teaspoon of cumin or jeera.
• Then sliced onion with some salts needs to be sauteed after adding some salts
• After the onion three golden tomatoes need to be added along with a pinch of turmeric powder, chilli powder according to the spice and half a tablespoon of chicken powder.
• Then after cooling the mixture above it needs to be blended. (this step is optional)
• Then lastly it needs to be boiled on low flame with boiled eggs added and sprinkled with some Kasturi methi. After following the whole process the egg curry is ready.

When I cooked this curry for the first time I thought it wasn't edible but when I got positive comments it gave me the motivation to cook better and better every day.

Why disconnect happens?

Why disconnect occurs in a relationship? This question was asked which gave a common answer of expectations but is it only that? I heard multiple ideas from different minds all coming to the solution to some of the experiences they too might have faced. There were many ideas shared like miscommunication, lack of maturity to deal with a situation, lack of listening to the other person and so on were some of the ideas shared by my friends.

I think the disconnect between two people might be because of the comparison between two different individuals. Every individual is different so when a comparison happens gradually the relationship gets strained leading to breakage. The expectations that arise due to comparison put mental pressure on the person pushing them to get exhausted in the relationship. Once exhaustion hits it's a sign of disappearing relationship. 

It's never easy to maintain a relationship but to keep it alive an understanding between two individual needs to be there. Every individual has their own personal space and when that space is respected an understanding between them strengthens. In certain. families the husband and wife even though are in a marital relationship have different career paths and they do not interfere but support each other. This is a healthy relationship that I saw years back after having a short conversation with the couple.

Apart from personal space I believe assumptions should not be there in a relationship. For example, when a problem arises the required individual is to talk to the other person rather than assuming and creating their own scenario. Assumptions lead to overthinking gradually causing a strain on relationship and developing a grudge deep within. Anything harmful when accumulates in the body affects the physical health, similarly any overthinking or negative thoughts emerges it affects the perspective of the person.

Relationships are complicated and difficult to find the balance, but proper communication and genuine interest in the other person breaks the barriers and provides harmony to the relationship .

Fading away

Melting slowly

The illusionary state

The low loss of consciousness

Almost a drunken state.

Moments before the inevitable

Wanting to stay awake

But the droop of eyes

Disobedient to the mind.

Gradual shut down of body

The tiredness taking over

Taking to a dreamland

Of unspoken fantasy.

Listening but not hearing

The world around fading

A calmness washing over

Cleansing all the worries away.

Midnight's Library

Don't we often feel like living a completely different life? What if we got a chance to explore different dimensions of possibilities? I often imagined the concept of the multi universe or alternative world where we are living as a different personality just like in one of the episodes of Doremon.

The curiosity of wanting a different life is due to the desperate wish to escape suffering. The novel "Midnight's Library" by Matt Heig talks about the possibilities of exploring different identities.

The protagonist tries to escape reality but gets stuck in a time loop where the clock is stuck at midnight. The person lives different lives and explores all the possibilities that one lifespan can offer. One thing Nora (the protagonist) cannot escape is the pain and loss which haunts her in every life. When she succeeds in changing one reality the butterfly effect causes her to lose something.

This short novel teaches how life is precious and that every short experience that an individual faces shapes their personality. Suffering is inevitable as life is a mixture of every little thing. We all are Nora wanting to escape one reality but will there be a structured reality. The simple answer is No. The perspective on how to pictureise is what makes the experience special.

There is one beautiful quote in the book which says:

"You don't have to understand life. You just have to live it."