Life is a Gamble

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Everything we do in life is a gamble. Who knows how it will turn out?

When you put clothes in the washing machine, you do not know if the colour from one is going to run and ruin all the white clothes.
When you go out to enjoy the rain, you do not know if lightning is going to strike your head.
When you stand carefully by the side of the road, you do not know if a crazy driver is going to lose control and crash into you.
When you send your child out to play, you do not know if he is going to be okay.
When you light the stove in the kitchen, you do not know if the gas cylinder is going to explode.
When you slog all day, you do not know if it is going to bring some results.
When you send an email, you do not know if it will be ignored.
When you plant a seed, you do not know if it will sprout.
When you love, you do not know if you will be loved too.
When you give, you do not know if you will get back.
When you are kind, you do not know if it is right to expect kindness in return.
When you plan for the future, you do not know if that day will ever arrive.

You just take a gamble and you wait.

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If you want something very much

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If you want something very much, don't let it go.
Fight for it, fight as though your life depended on it.
If your life doesn't depend on it, you probably don't need it.
If you don't wish to fight, you probably don't want it enough.
If you don't fight for it, you probably don't deserve it.

Fight until you decide there is nothing more to be done. That's stopping, not giving up.
You give up when there are more avenues to explore, when there are things to do and you decide you don't want to try any more.
You stop when there is nothing more to be done, when you have exhausted all options, when you have tried your best. Like the fox who stopped jumping for the grapes. He knew nothing more could be done. It was time to stop.

When you give up, you lose; when you stop, you move on.

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It's in the air

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It's in the air, you know,
Hovering like a shadow:
Dark and deep as a Monsoon cloud
Bursting like thunder, aloud.

It gathers like an evil omen,
Glints in every drop of rain;
Concealed in a tender leaf;
Sneaking across like a thief.

It's in failures, oppressive;
In our choices, impulsive;
It's in the first break of dawn;
In the sky when the sun is gone.

It's in the stillness of the wind,
Aimless drifting of intent;
In this poem, 'tween the lines
You can find it, and its signs.

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Once upon a time, on Facebook

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Once upon a time:

Person 1: Hey, are you on Facebook?
Person 2: No, I am not, but most of my friends are. I think I should create an account there too.
Person 1: Oh, definitely. Create an account and add me. I'm totally addicted to it. I've over a thousand friends and I am considered very popular.
Person 3 (overhearing): Who's on Facebook? Add me too.

This week:

Person 1: Hey, I haven't seen you in a long time.
Person 2: Yeah, I don't see any of your updates on Facebook either. You didn't reply to some of my messages too!
Person 1: Oh, I have been busy. I don't have time for that sort of thing, Facebook or such nonsense.
Person 2: I see a lot of people tagging you in pictures and updates.
Person 1: Yeah, isn't it boring? Those people seem to have nothing else to do but Facebook all day.
Person 3: Yeah dude, Facebook really gets on my nerves, a helluva set of self-centred people!

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Best parenting advices

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The best people in the whole world to provide parenting advices are... those who have absolutely no experience in parenting.

Yeah, they know all about how to put the baby to sleep, when is the best time to make a toddler do his potty, how to calmly and gently tell the child to do as he is told, and,...- in fact they have a whole set of answers to all the problems parents could possibly face.

There is a certain knowing chuckle (or a wise smile) associated closely with these advices. You'll learn to recognise it if you are a parent. The moment they become parents, though, unfortunately, they seem to forget the advices they used to offer free of charge - perhaps because reality has come up from behind and knocked their heads out with a non-stick frying pan.

I might have been one of them too, I am sure. I must have forgotten. Thankfully.


Some of the advices go like this. (Parents, please take elaborate notes.)

"Oh, just put the baby to sleep by singing to him. That's very soothing to him."
The Poor Hapless Parent (PHP) has been singing herself hoarse for 40 minutes and the child is still wide-eyed (wider than before the songs started, for obvious reasons) and lively and energetic, cooing and giggling, with no sleep sighted anywhere in twenty neighbouring countries, and the PHP has begun to hate the fact that the Homo Sapiens have been foolish enough to discover such things as songs.


And then yeah, potty. Let's not forget the potty. So the parent thinks getting the child to do potty every evening is tough job."Evening?" comes the excellent advice, with that chuckle of wisdom I told you about. And perhaps an impatient tap on the forehead too. "Put him on the potty in the morning! That's very important for him, it will clear his little tummy and helps him eat better throughout the day."
Tears start coming out from the PHP's eyes. Not out of love or gratitude, of course, but from the irresistible urge to bang her own head against the nearest wall. She alone knows the morning chaos in the house to get the sleepy child to rise and squeeze into his school uniform and gobble something remotely resembling breakfast and run down the stairs to the bus that has been honking for the last thirty minutes. Potty, yeah, sure.


And when the child refuses to listen to us for whatever reason, this chuckling gang of people have a solution to that too. "Be gentle," they say. "Don't shout or yell at him, just explain it slowly to him and he will understand."
Why didn't I even think of that before? asks the PHP. I have been always screaming at him, from the time he was born. The day they first delivered him to my arms, I screamed at him, just to make sure he knew who was the boss around here. From there, there was no looking back. I should have been calm and loving, God, I never knew it. You should help me spell Love, okay? I hadn't even heard of it until today. Thank the mighty Almighty for bringing you to me. 

There are many more such gems of advices up their sleeves, if you need any tips, go to them!
I think you got the hint. 

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On the razor's edge

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I've knocked on doors till there are no more
I've tapped on walls for good measure too
I've sauntered the paths where such do exist
I've cut new trails where none was found...

I've stepped on twigs and snapped a few branches
I swam the river and strolled across the bridge
I've endured the sea, faced the rough clouds
I've braved the storm, even survived death...

I've chased opportunities to their very end
Pursued fresh ones sprouting in the rain
I'm tired now, too tired, to wander back and forth
Swaying on the razor's edge of defeat.

If these weren't enough, now you give me

A life of calmness, silence, serenity;
The greatest test of time, existence,
To do what we could with the means we're given.

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Why would anyone want to stay in a sinking boat?

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Because they think: it is better to sink with the boat than freeze to death in the water.
Because they do not know swimming and, whether they jump or not, death is on the cards.
Because they hope the wind would carry them to Paradise before they sink, that there should be some Paradise, though there is none in sight.
Because if there is a rescue party headed their way, they would see the boat from the distance more clearly than their heads bobbing in the water.
Because they hope against hope that the boat might not sink, after all.

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The Conscience Song

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We've stopped being spontaneous
When we started pretending
We've stopped encouraging
Or shared a simple joy

For, now we need to think-
Will my little squeal of glee
Invite the wrath of a person
Whom the joy has not caressed?

And when they hit the jackpot,
Will my silent delight, but
to them an absence of joy,
Cause them deep offence?

Even happiness comes
Wrapped in pretension
We'd better be fake and safe
Than be real and sorry...

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Why (and How) Moms always Win

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Me: Haven't I told you not to do ---?
Son: But I was in a hurry, that's why.

Me: So? After your hurry is over, you should make it right.
Son: I have seen you do the same! You didn't make it right the last time you were in a hurry.

Me: Of course I did.
Son: No, you didn't. Two days ago, you-

Me: Okay, so I didn't. Do you think I was right, or wrong?
Son: Wrong! It was bad, and you didn't-

Me: So you know it was bad, why did you do it today?
Son: (speechless) (gaping) (confused) (thinking) (lost)

Me: (escaping before the confusion cleared...)

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Invisible Man

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What thoughts cross your mind
On your way to work? Do they
Weigh you down, words unkind
Flung at you all day?

I sense unwritten worries-
I see none in your eyes.
I peer for untold fears-
Instead, your insolent smiles!

A careless chew of gum,
A slow, meaningful grin.
A pride that could irk some;
You hide your ache within.

Then one day, you turn away,
Your lips pursed in pain...
A lost look, a dropped word,
That vacant gaze again.

Does the present make you cry,
Or your painful past?
Long and weary, wet and dry
Days that slip by fast?

They see you not; if they do
They treat you with contempt.
Wear your mask of calm, though
They give you no respect.

A reckless show of haste-
Just because you can.
The twinkle in your eyes,
Yo! Invisible Man...

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