SAY CHEESE !!!!!

Life is a wonderful journey. A new adventure begins every moment. At times we are so bothered about meeting the ends that we miss the beauty that unfolds in the moments.

Right in the middle of a very busy work month I have been feeling extremely exhausted and somewhat hopeless about things around. It has been office work for 70 hours every week and things to be taken care of at home.    The bigger challenge I face is the feel of guilt on not have enough time spent with kids towards their growth, their play, their learning or anything that they like doing with me. At times I end up getting irritated at the things and complain about the kids being too noisy or too picky or not listening etc. It all appears a spiral maze with no way out.

Since I said “Kids”, so let me introduce my boys. A five and a half years old “big brother” and a 20 Months old “kid brother.” Both of them are very adorable with their angelic faces and mischievous eyes. Needless to say I love them, who wouldn’t? Still with the stress I get annoyed with them.

This weekend had been no different. Friday evening and Saturday whole day went running one errand after the other; attempting to balance work, home, kids and everything else.  Now comes Sunday; frustrating to think that weekend is almost over. We are going out to buy groceries. The list is on the whiteboard in the kitchen. As a habit I will click a picture of the list with my phone camera to carry that with me. I looked for my phone; and then I saw my sons struggling over the possession of the phone to play. And I was annoyed seeing this. The whole stress of the weekend got concentrated in that one moment. “But; I will not scream at them.” I thought and grabbed my phone from their struggling hands, giving an icy look to them. Then slowly walked to the white board and switched the camera on. Still angry, controlling myself and still about to lose my cool, I raised camera to click the picture and then there were 2 pairs of small hands each one hugging my either legs and the little one gurgled,     “Chey Cheeejjj ” (Say Cheese) in his semi-legible speech. Being blessed by two little angels melted all the stress away.

All three of us laughed. I laughed because I was touched by angels, “Big Brother” laughed because the little one sounded really cute and funny and the “kid brother” laughed because everyone else was laughing. I knelt down and hugged them back.

Few hours later we returned from grocery shopping; tired and not too happy about more errands to run. I looked at my two sons; both wanted the TV remote; older one to play his favorite channel and the younger one for no apparent reason except the fact that big brother wants it so it must be a good to have thing. I looked at them and unlike the usual upset at witnessing such a thing; I picked my Phone; smiled and said loud the words that have been cleansing my soul for last many hours “SAY CHEESE!”

Absolutely Clueless

“The World is so unjust and where has all the decency gone.” I heard her say; she must have been in her fifties. Immaculately dressed lady in a group of 5 women; all of them in the same age group. She had been my co-passenger on a recent flight from Florida to Washington DC. Now standing in the “re-booking” line for United and saying these words.

“I am surprised that they missed the flight” another co-passenger commented with a chuckle. We all in the flight knew that they will.

Flash back to 30 minutes ago. The flight landed at the airport later than scheduled. There must have been more than 150 passengers in the cabin as the flight was full. As it touched down the air hostess announced that people with no connections to remain seated and let the passengers with connections deplane first to make sure that no one misses a connection.  Most of the people in the flight followed these instructions and stay seated.

I was on the absolute last seat of the flight so I could see this whole story unfold. A few minutes passed with most of the people left the plane only last 7-8 rows left. People with connections; as everybody thought; had left the plane earlier and only then rest of the passengers had started leaving. Now with final few passengers left; this group of ladies who had been sitting all the time got up and our lady in the lead said, “I can’t believe that no one gave us way; what is wrong with the people?.” I looked at them with disbelief (and I was not the only one doing that; everyone left in the plane joined me in that) They didn’t even stand up earlier for anyone to know that they may have a connection and now they were just a few minutes away from catching their next flight. Getting angry and voicing opinions about the unjust world and disrespectful people they got off the plane. And our lady in the lead made sure that she complains to the plane crew in detail about that before anyone on their group could leave.  Everyone in the plane knew, that very moment that they will miss the flight

Flash forward t; the group is grumbling to everyone about the unjust they have been subjected to. And anyone who had witnessed this whole episode some time back in the plane had just one question in their mind, “if they had a plane to catch why didn’t they stand up in the first place while other passengers with connecting flight plans where leaving. May be they assumed that people will know. But How?” I know this appears stupid, why would anyone assume something like this?

It has been almost a whole day and I am thinking; were they really being stupid? Don’t we all do this everyday? Not saying things to our family, Coworkers, supervisors, subordinates, store clerks and so on and always assuming that they will figure out what we need. And also we mostly get annoyed at them for not being able to understand. I have done that often. Am I being stupid? I don’t know the answer but I know those 5 ladies were there, in that flight for a purpose. And that purpose is served.

तुम उड़ने की आस न छोड़ो (Tum Udne ki aas na choro)

तुम उड़ने की आस न छोड़ो 

                                                                निखिल डोगरा 

पंख भी उगेंगे इन कन्धों पे 

तुम उड़ने की आस न छोड़ो

जब तक वो सच ना हो जाएँ 

तब तक उनको थामे रहना 

होते है नाज़ुक बड़े सपने 

तुम सपनो का हाथ ना छोड़ो 

डरने वाले को और डराओ 

रीत यही चली दुनिया की 

लाख डराना चाहे कोई 

तुम हिम्मत का साथ ना छोड़ो 

तुम खुद के मालिक हो खुद ही 

या फिर वो मालिक है जो सब का 

अपनी मेह्नत पे रखो भरोसा

तुम किस्मत पे बात ना छोड़ो 

छूना चाहो जब भी नभ को 

भले लगो तब पागल जग को 

बाहें फैलाओ आँखे मूंदो

और अपना विश्वास न छोड़ो

पंख भी उगेंगे इन कन्धों पे 

तुम उड़ने की आस ना छोड़ो