Those simple little things

As someone studying Economics I've been taught - 'There is no such thing as a free lunch' - meaning nothing in life is for free;everything has a cost, implicit or explicit, in monetary or non-monetary terms. In most cases I have found that to be true, but recent occurrences have made me alter that view a little.

There are these little things/events that have immense power to make you happy. Like being treated kindly by a stranger, coming across genuinely polite and kind policemen, helping someone - even if it means putting that foot on the break and letting someone cross the road, genuinely complementing someone or being complemented yourself, etc. Now someone might be able to work out the costs involved here as well, but as far as I'm concerned I don't have to incur any additional expense or effort for feeling the way I do after say listening to my favourite song coincidently play on the radio when I wished it would, entering my college in the morning with this net of sunlight glimmering on me through the tree branches overhead, being praised by someone I respect, amongst a host of other things.

Sometimes I feel the reason for feeling gloomy is because we begin to take things and experiences that are a part of our routine for granted and stop being thankful for them. Because we don't appreciate them as much, we stop enjoying them as well and are constantly fighting or striving for improvements and betterment, both of our life and ourselves. Now, I don't mean to say that that's a bad thing - it is this very yearning to be better that makes us and the world around us grow and become closer to that ideal state we envisage. All I'm saying is that work, deadlines and the stress accompanying it are a part of everyone's life and in all likelihood, will always be. If we're constantly going to be moving towards something and never actually reaching there, doesn't it then make sense that to just enjoy the ride. If not always, we should once in a while (although I'd say, why not everyday) be proud of what and who we are, of whatever we have, of the things we do, of the people around us, of our city, of our life.

So, this one is for the simple little things one can do and experience to make life better and happier, hopefully without any additional expenses. And I do believe in the fact that happy people make successful ones as well (though not necessarily vice verse).

P.S. Rambling and writing vaguely/abstractly happen to be my forte.

Not so long a time ago.

So, I see the date I published my last post and I feel the need to write a new one. But, I have absolutely nothing to say at the moment or maybe I have a lot to say but my mind has sort of degenerated to be able to put it into words.

So, I'm going to post this little thing that I wrote - I call it a mini poem, you may call it anything you wish to. I wrote these lines when I was in Rajasthan this year for a month in June and had the experience of a lifetime! That one month enlightened me and changed me in many many ways. The changes weren't dramatic or explicit, except maybe the glorious tan I came back with. It was more like a reality check, a rekindled sense of gratitude, more satisfaction with what I have and less with respect to how I'm giving back or doing my bit of good in this world, amongst a host of other things.

I don't know if I've become a better person and I don't know for certain how much of a change this actually brings about in my life, but I will definitely be thankful to destiny or whatever it was that made me go there(I'm not a fatalist, just a bit of a believer).

This one is for the extraordinary people I met, the things I heard and witnessed, the simple lessons they taught me, the way they live their lives, their enthusiasm, contentment and unbelievable hospitality. Most of all, to their struggles, which don't seem to have an end - but that only propels them to fight harder and not give up out of dejection. Everyone has a lot to learn from these supposedly illiterate and less enlightened people.

Here it is -

Shining stars in the darkness of the sky
Dreams that wonder, hopes that fly
Colours that shine on barren lands
Unanswered questions are their true friends
Eyes that pray, hands that fend
Is there an answer, will there ever be an end?


P.S. I'll try not to take such long breaks now!