Dominate Those 3 Letters...

Few days back I was supposed to meet a friend in the evening. I was running late and when I finally reached there, I could see him sulking. Maybe he had been waiting for quite some time. I went up to him and before I could say anything, he showed me his Instagram page on his phone. I couldn’t understand and asked him “Kya Karu Main Iska??” 

He then told me about a friend whom he had started following a week back, but she didn’t follow him back. The fact that she had uploaded her pictures during that week implied she had been active. Again, I had no idea as to why he was telling me this, and asked him again, “Kya Karu Mai Fir?” 

He talked about the arrogance of that girl and said, “If she doesn’t care to follow me back, why should I?”, and clicked the UNFOLLOW option. So that is why he was sulking, because a girl hadn’t followed him on Instagram, and I was thinking it was because I was late. So the girl saved me in a way!! 

I wonder then, whether these sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram really test us? If things like how many friends you have, how many likes you get or how many followers you have weren’t enough already, these have begun to play on our egos as well, like my dear friend above. 

So, today’s post is about that 3 letter word, EGO. Each one of us has it, some just manage it better than others. Long time back, during a bus journey, I heard two guys talking about liking each other’s photos on Facebook, just so that they can make some third person feel small!! Really??  I really can’t comprehend how the quantum of popularity on social networking sites can worry one to such an extent.

So what if the other person didn’t follow you back?
So what if you liked someone’s picture and they didn’t like yours’?
So what if you message someone regularly but they don’t always respond? 

If you did all these just to get the same reciprocated, I really doubt your intentions (imagine me making that wide eyed emoticon in Whatsapp right now!!) Learn to get over your ego, stay happy, because it won’t affect others but will sink you only down. Imagine if after every post I wrote here, I kept monitoring the statistics every second to see how well it has been received? I would really get paranoid. It does make me happy when I get appreciated for my work but at the same time, its fine if some of the posts don’t resonate that well with the readers. Why fret over it? 

Even in life, this ego of yours ’can affect you badly than what you can imagine. So get over it. Call or message that friend you have been wanting to talk to, it doesn’t really matter whether you take the initiative or they. Say what you want to, do what you feel like, express yourself like how you are and don’t worry about the consequences. It doesn’t matter how many Facebook friends you have or how many followers you have, and whether or not those you follow choose to reciprocate it or not. Get over that ego and don’t place yourself in that inferiority complex. KUCH NAA HONA USSE!! 

You know what, many a times when I share the link to my blog, no one reads it. But on the other hand, someone puts up a link of cat playing the piano and everyone watches it and people flood it with likes ad comments. 

Now you tell me, what should I do in such a situation, sulk over it or be cool with it?
I know what I would do. Do you? 

Since the first week of December last year, I have tried to share my thoughts with you all through this blog almost every week and the response has been really gratifying for me.Well, I am taking a sort of break from writing now. I have my final semester exams coming up and then I will be entering a new phase of life, in a new place, around new people, among new situations. Let me get settled with all the changes happening in my life  and I promise to meet you all here again, sometime in June perhaps. 

So, in a sense, this post is the season finale of THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. I will come up with newer experiences to share with you all and hope to get the same kind of response you all have been giving me so far, if not better. And I promise you, I won’t sulk if you don’t. I will instead go and see the video of a cat ringing the doorbell, if nothing else!!

So until next time we meet...
Take Care and Stay Happy :)

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY...

Back in school, during the morning assembly, there used to be a sort of ritual, where each day, one student was asked to share a “THOUGHT FOR THE DAY”. Nobody paid much attention to it, of course. Now when I see around, those thoughtful one liners are either someone’s Facebook or Whatsapp status, or a caption for their pictures posted on social networking sites! Talking about thoughts, there are movies which have some killer one liners, or thoughtful dialogues which we all go gaga about. 

So today, I am sharing with you all some of the best lines I can remember from some Indian movies, which are very much, in a sense, applicable to our very own lives as well. Lest they don’t work, I’ve also mentioned the speaker and the movie, so you can see that on Youtube!! (No Thanks please!!)

So, this week’s post is basically your old school time “thought for the day”, but with a slight twist. 

• "I’m not a writer. Writers delve deep into the ocean of thought and bring out gems. I just shared my experience." 
  (Amitabh Bachchan, Baghban) 

A student, an employee, an entrepreneur, a family person or anything else..... No matter who you are or what you do, each one of you is a writer, and you are scripting the very best movie, that being your life.

With each day that passes, with every experience you have, by virtue of every lesson that you learn, you are indeed writing the story of your life and keeping it going. So make sure, when it’s your turn to finally look back upon your life, you have a riveting story to read!! 

• "Even Spider Man has to take risks, I’m just a Salesman." 
  (Ranbir Kapoor, Rocket Singh) 

Don’t be afraid of taking risks in life, they are a part and parcel of life. Whether it’s the girl/boy you like, or the career you want to pursue, or any decision you have to take for that matter, there will always be some risk. Go ahead and take the leap, or you will always be left regretting. (I am not saying GO OUT AND SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY IN A CASINO!!!!) 

Just for the record, I told the girl I liked how I felt about her, have opted for something different than the conventional careers  I had on offer and most recently, tasted the dish I never liked in appearance!! And here I’m, happily writing about it for you all to read, so it can’t be that bad, can it?

So go ahead, and take that plunge. 

• "Say it when it comes from the Heart." 
  (Hrithik Roshan, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara) 

It’s not just about saying, but everything you do in life. Do it from the heart. There’s no point doing something which doesn’t interest you, or saying things which you don’t believe in, but say nonetheless just so that you can be perceived as cool among your friends. Stay true, and listen to your heart 

• "Small things do happen in Big Cities everyday, Senorita." 
  (Shahrukh Khan, Dilwale Dulhanyia Le Jaayenge) 

Don’t keep fretting over trivial issues in your life. Many a times, we do nothing other than over complicating simple things, and worrying over the pettiest of matters. I know that, because I have done that for quite a while!! But seriously, try and keep a calm attitude, instead of pressing the panic button every time something peculiar happens. 

• "Strive for Excellence, Success will automatically follow you."
  (Amir Khan, 3 Idiots) 

Well that’s pretty self explanatory, isn’t it? Don’t just go through the motions; rather try to be the best version of yourself at everything you do. The rest will be taken care of. 

• "When you really want something, the whole universe conspires to make sure you get it." 
  (Shahrukh Khan, Om Shanti Om) 

This is for both, the lover boys out there as well as the ambitious ones. Keep working hard, stay true and diligent, persevere.... and rest as they say.... is destiny. 

Well, I can’t think of other classic lines at the moment which can be adapted to our everyday lives, do let me know if anything comes to your mind. But before I go... here’s one more (and the last) thought for the day: 

“You can’t rewrite your life. But you can always add a new chapter to it.” 

(Puneet Bajaj, The Artistic Expression)

Until next time

Take Care :)

Thank You For The Memories...

21st July’2011.

That was the day when I first stepped into my college as its student. Contrary to what I had often seen in movies and heard stories of, I wasn’t really expecting the next three years to be the turning point of any sort in my life. Honestly, I was happy that I had managed to secure admission in some college and was, quite simply put, looking forward to the experience that was on offer. 

That moment, that time has passed and now I’m in that position where I can actually look back and reflect on the experiences that I’ve had in the college with arguably the longest acronym- S.G.G.S.C.C!! 

These three years in college didn’t play a very pivotal role in my life, but were in some sense, catalyst nonetheless.  It was during this period only that I developed a keen interest in video editing, took forward my interest in writing to a more prominent scale, started this blog, did internships and more recently, decided upon a career choice. All these things pertain to my self only. But one more thing I did achieve were a few rewarding friendships. Few, because I haven’t really been the most social guy out there, and rewarding, because despite that, I am grateful for the bonds that I’ve formed. 

Well, this post isn’t a memoir of my college life, but rather an open letter, a sincere thanks to all those who were a part of it. Like I said in my earlier post, I don’t know if and for how long the relationships I have today will last, but I would cherish them always, and tender them while they last. I remember, when I was first admitted into nursery school, an offer for friendship would begin with “Mere Friend Banoge?”.... Obviously, we don’t say things like that as we grow older, relationships just happen.
For me, they happened over the course of the daily to and fro bus journeys, first encounters, some weird meetings, casual interactions, the time spent on the tennis court, subject assignments, project works, canteen hangouts, internals, seating arrangements, poor jokes and a lot more. I’m sure that like me, my college mates and my peers would have similar stories to recount, some maybe more interesting, some perhaps more expansive. 

Yes, we all will walk out with the degree in our hands and a percentage on the marksheet, but what we will remember these past three years would be for the people we met. I will not prepare a list of all the persons I met during the course of this journey, because that wouldn’t be fair. Rather, I would thank all my fellow college mates for the role they have played in my life, no matter how small.
(Now that I read the above lines again, they seem more like a thank you speech at an awards ceremony!!) 

I have found some friends who I would like to keep for life, while there are also some with whom the interaction hasn’t been that profound, but trust me, somewhere down the line, its been a pleasure to have met all of you. And if I can say that on the basis of some fleeting encounters, just imagine the kind of place you would have carved in the hearts of your dear ones. 

A farewell, a practical and the final exams are all that await us... and that would be the end of these three years. I’m sure you all must have had a great time. I did, and for that, I would thank you all. 

I don’t know what the equation would be between us a few years from now, but I leave with pleasant memories in my heart, and so shall you....Cheers  

Until next time we meet...

Take Care and God Bless :)

Forever and After?? Time Will Tell

The college session here in Delhi is about to end. At most a week or two more and then the students would go on preparatory leave. Although this happens every year, the reason behind me mentioning it here is that this year, I am also a part of the term students mentioned above. 

It seemed like a new beginning three years back, when I (and many others) finished school and stepped into college life. Three years hence, its déjà vu. Quite naturally, the prime feelings that emanate from such happenings pertain to emotions. Emotions, that evolve by virtue of the friendships we form, the bonds that we establish with each other, the attachment we have with the institution we join. Quite honestly, I don’t really feel the kind of attachment with my college that I had for my school. Maybe these three years cannot match those twelve years. But that’s just me, I’m sure many would have fallen in love deeply with their independent lives post school, it’s understandable. Now that I look back, I haven’t made many friends here in college, but that’s strictly from a quantitative view, quality wise, I guess I have met those few people that I would like to keep for life.

Going over the last sentence above again, my attention hovers on these three words: “friends”, “for” and “life”. These were the same words that we heard and said at the time of bidding goodbye to school. Surely, we say these words sincerely... “We will stay in touch”, “Friends forever” and so forth, but down the line, some of the friends do go a little distant, while some come even closer. It’s not that we deliberately lose touch with them, but perhaps, somewhere, somehow our priorities change and while a part of our erstwhile life fits in, others just lag behind. But that being said, there are some relationships which don’t loosen their grip with time, rather they get stronger, be it simple friendship or deeper affairs. Interactions with some begin to remain confined to social networking, while others transcend the so called boundary walls of comfort.

Looking back, I feel that the friends I made in the last two years of school have been the ones closest to me. There’s this one friend with whom I make it a point to meet every weekend, well almost. There’s one who is busy with his life as well but we do keep a tab on the happenings in each others’ life. Then again, there is one whom I befriended in class Vth, tortured him, still do at times, but I can truly call him a friend for life. There was this girl I met in Class XIth, and bonded so well during those two years, that she’s still pretty much a part of my life. I want to write about some of the others as well, college mates as well, but will save that topic for another day. 

I’m sure you all must have friends like those mentioned above, many more perhaps. Similarly, there must be those with whom you tend to drift apart and the only communication with them is on birthdays, New Year and other festivals. 

So, like I have been saying all along, we live life, make friends on the way, some go right till the last station, while some de-board before that. But all of them who become a part of this journey mean special to us, in some way for sure and make the journey called "LIFE" worth it.

Before I finish, here’s a message for all those friends of mine...

To those who have been with me on my journey so far, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE.
To those who will enter my life in the future, WELCOME ABOARD. 

Until next time
Take Care :)