"Continuation"

In my last blog, I wrote about hope and love. Strangely, I’m doubting myself if it was really me who posted the blog. I thought I knew what I was writing about although it was not wrong. However reality is stubborn and unforgiving. Or, maybe I'm forgetting ‘patience’. Damn right, patience is the need the hour.

Recently I came across a beautiful verse about love from the Bible. It says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” —I Corinthians 13:4-8

By the way, I’m no evangelist or a hardcore Christian but just a guy trying to understand what I'm  feeling, no matter what it takes. In fact, who want to be the person wandering about in a library not knowing which book to read or even without touching the books?

The general consensus with trying to “find” love in our dating lives, is that too often we look at physical appearance, popularity, or wealth. And too often we, unfortunately, negotiate love when it has nothing to do with the surreal things. I believe love is best seen as devotion, patience and action, not exclusively based on how we feel.

Obviously our emotions are involved, but they cannot be our only criteria for love. And sometime our emotions can become too impatience. Like the maxim from the Bible verse, love is patient, and so on.

Food for thought: It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience. Julius Caesar.

"Hope"

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Desmond Tutu.

To some extend or even more,hope seems to the engine in our life after we have come of age. I believe ‘hope’ keep us away from committing suicide when the chips are down. And no offence to people who think of committing suicide today.

I recently met a girl whom I really want to share the rest of my life with. There and then, I felt she is the one. HOPE….. without love is hopeless.

I wish the romantic movie we see today are true wherein a guy fall in love with a girl and then, a happy ending. Reality is strange though it is worth it. We pray to God for strength and He gave us mountain to climb. I guess the mountain is the strength. In the same manner, I pray to God for love and He gave me one but I got to earn it.

Food for thought: You can't blame gravity for falling in love. Albert Einstein.

"Cattle Class"

I remember very well the “Cattle class” tweet by Shashi Tharoor when I was on my flight from New Delhi to Imphal more than a month ago. And I realized the controversial statement tweeted by Tharoor was not very offensive rather very humorous. No offence but I thought an AC coach ride will be more enjoyable than travelling in a low cost air carrier. 

Obviously, low cost means I don’t need to set my expectation very high and I were well prepared for the plastic services and the smile. By the way, this is no way a complaint or dissatisfaction about low cost carrier like Indigo rather my pleasant thoughts...:)

The ticket price was so enticing I had to book the ticket immediately like a mindset of deadline submission of examination forms; so I don’t miss the lucrative price at the final check out from my web browser. Well, that was quite a task because you never know the price changes just in a flash.

After I've booked my ticket with Indigo and was confirmed, the journey starts from the terminal 1D (New Delhi International Airport). Recently, I came to know Terminal 1D is the designated spot for Low Cost carrier. Anyway I enjoyed every moment starting from boarding until I sat on my seat on the plane. There were 4 air hostess, I think, and obviously the attractive ones. But then I didn't quite understand any of the announcements they made as it was quite fast unlike the machine voice. Thank God for the written instructions lying just in front of my seat.

There were three seats in one row and I was thinking if one of the single seats will relax an obesity guy with the height of 6 feet 11 inches during the course of the flight or the journey. That was just a

devilish thought! Anyway I’m a 5 feet 5 inches tall but still my knee can easily touch every now and then the back of the seat in front of me. I always thought a low carrier flights should mean affordable

prices of the snacks and lunch sold inside but that’s not the case. Believe it or not, a cup of masala tea alone cost Rs. 150/- which is quite three stars. And a bowl of Chana Dal alone cost Rs. 250/-

Don’t even think about joining the Miles High Club when travelling in Low Cost carrier. The loo is too small for two people to be in .. whatever it is…. Of course! Anyone can try but I believed it will be a desperate attempt to be a member of Miles High club.

A teeny-tiny edition of Business Standard was all I got to kill my time. Next time, if I travel again, I promised myself to load a good movie or music on my phone or laptop. Believe me! I do enjoy the dull humane announcement from the pilot before the take off and before landing rather the announcement from Air-hostess. I have nothing against air hostess and I can understand their job description but I’d like to hear from and speak with HUMAN.

The question is shall I travel again with a low cost carrier like Indigo? Indeed, I shall travel again if I need to. After all, this is one of the airlines in India offering ticket price at reasonable rate for a cattle class like me. And it quite efficient as it saves time too!

Food for Thought: "The scab is a traitor to his God, his mother, and his class." Jack London.

"Selfies"

The age of selfie or selfish-ism! You may choose one of the two words and it will still make a perfect sense by the end of the day. Of course, a selfie is a self-photograph, a style of portraiture that became popular in the 2000s till date. And I'm also a fan of selfies portrait. However, it came to me as a shock when the American Psychiatric Association(APA) officially classified taking 'Selfies' as a mental disorder on March 2014.

Can you believe it? I thought I might also be suffering from mental disorder because I took few selfies although I hardly upload and share it on my Facebook. 

Thank God! The news turned out to be a hoax as per the article "The 'Selfie': Mental Disorder Or Insight To Getting Better Results?" written by David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom which was published on Forbes news online. Obviously, the article is more than a year old... :) But then I was still in the notion that taking Selfies is still a mental disorder until I read the article yesterday. The moment I realized taking 'Selfies' is not mental disorder, I'm sharing with you all that 'we are not mental' although I'm pretty sure I'm the last one to know about it...:(

Despite the fact, it seemed to me 'selfish-ism' might be the origin of 'Selfies' which actually gives the perfect example of giving importance to ourselves. Do I sound negative? Well, I thought so but I hope I will get you to my point later on. After all, we are living in the age of Internet where there is no secrets about positive or negative except the government...:) Like I said, I'm also a fan of 'Selfies'. And having said that, have anyone of you posted a 'selfie' portrait without thinking for a second or without looking at it after clicking on your Facebook or Twitter account? I meant just like that.....you know.

I guessed most of us will obviously check the selfie or do some touch up before sharing it with the world. Of course! There's nothing wrong with self consciousness about how we look. Am I right?

However what it really scares me is, are we taking our self consciousness to the height of self-pitying just because we have to look good every time to everyone or get all the 'like' from our friends and others? And do we have to be too conscious to be in the league like the celebs 'Selfies'? I'm afraid if this is the case, I guessed "Selfies" might be just the case of disordering our mind to the point of mental state.

To be sure that I'm not that mental but I'm OK with myself, I need to post a random selfies of mine just to say "This is me"!...:) 

'The first click'

'The last click in another room', not bad!

Food for Thought: "Self pity is easily the most destructive of the non-pharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality." John Gardner.

"A cup of Tea"

"Hope"

It might be crazy to be alone

It might might be selfish to be alone

It might seem, an act of coward

Make no mistake, for you're not responsible

I made the choice not hungover

I'm grateful to you but glad it's over

It gave me time to dig the world.

Alone I swim, across the river

The pain and cold I have to endure

It's worth the fight for what awaits

To find the place, where I belong

Without you there, to hold me back

To tell me that the world is black.

Alone I walk into the dark

And hope alone, becomes my light

I'll walk and wait for time will come

Along with music my heart will beat

Then I will kneel and say the word

But hope is all I have for now.

By Lawrence Sevan.

Few weeks ago, I asked my brother to contribute an article for my blog. Obviously, he is busy with his work life and I cannot keep on pressing him for the article. But fortunately, I came across the above poem in his phone note he wrote from his office. And I really like the poem for it simplicity. A big "THANK YOU" to him for allowing me to post it here. I hope you will love it.

If you like the poem, follow him on twitter at: https://twitter.com/sevanlawrence. You may also like his first book "Break Free: The reflection you have always dreaded" already released on Amazon.in at: http://www.amazon.in/dp/B00QDTZLHO .

Food for Thought: “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Confucius.