A Grey Area, My Light of Day

You ran away and changed your name
You wanted out, out of this game
You cared not for the one left behind
You thought nothing of the emptiness I would find.
You ran away from your fears
Didn't for once think of the past year
You packed your bags and your sorry ass too
My friends are glad the stars rid me of you.
I hate you now more than ever
Not because you left, no that was just a quiver
Not because you failed to see
what you have done to me.

But because you've chosen to un-friend.

You've chosen how and when it must come to an end.

And you gave me no say and no band aids either

My words couldn't express and my feeling could neither.

I'm stronger now, maybe more conservative
But that's a change with which I'm ready to live.

Because I've lost a friend, an irreplaceable one

Will find none like you, under a million suns.

And though my heart is heavy with hate.

My prayers for you are light, they fly up with all good faith.
So think not, for once, that I love you more than ever.
Think not also, that I hate you, no, never!
Let's just say, I've found a way,
A grey area is my light of day.

Bird of the Sky

How jealous they are and how selfish I am.
To have you, they yearn
But to charm like me they must learn
For you don't just fall for anyone
You look for yourself in the ones who want you.
But not everyone was given a part of you.

Not everyone was as lucky as I to have a destiny with you in it.
No one is fortunate enough to have found you before I did.
No one helped you find yourself better than I did.
And I think then, that I am deserving of your affection.
I know then, that I have earned your love.
Why then should I worry of anything.

And so I do not care for your moments in leisure,
I trust that your mind, body and heart are faithful to me.
I declare my trust in you like I declare my love for God, openly and devoutly.
You are a free bird, my love, and my love will be the clouds you fly among.
For I am by you through it all, the high skies and the steep falls.
Though mine, you are a bird of the sky, and every morning you must take flight
The day has you to entertain, but you are mine come every night.

Take the Digi Route

If there’s one thing we’re all sick of in our country, it’s the long queues at government service offices, the pesky officials and also the ever increasing need for documents at every institution or office. Identity on paper is always an issue, solving civil grievances are time consuming, filing a complaint puts yourself in a soup and entering a police station doesn't always make you feel safe.

In an age like the one we live in now, should these really be problems anymore? Not really! We are a developing country who needs to speed up this development. Long queues and corrupt officers can be done away with if only we managed a well planned and executed digital governance system.

Following are some of the benefits that I think we could enjoy if out government services went digital.

1. Speedy Processes
No more waiting for a year till your papers are finally verified or in order, no more long queues at government offices, no more hassles and worries. By taking processes online, work can be done faster and would be so much more convenient to both, the citizen as well as the government.

2. No more corruption
If payments are done online, it provides a safe and secure platform, with official records and statements. This in turn ensures no black money moves in the market and that the government officials don’t ask for bribes or accept any ‘tokens of appreciation’.

3. Verified identification
The recent U.ID. campaign has ensured that every individual in the country has a unique identification number. This is proof of you being a citizen of this country and thus no extra identification verification is required. Using this code, one can easily get personal documents processed digitally rather than manually and save so much of time and effort.

4. Scope for technological development
The transfer of governance and government services to the digital arena allows for more job opportunities for programmers and information Technology experts. When more funds are invested into this field, more development will be seen there.

5. Economical
A lot of money is spent on traveling to a government office or a ‘Seva Kendra’, or to print documents and submit them. All of this can be done away with, if only these processes were converted to digital processes.  No more printing and wastage of paper. Online records and online searches can help locate profiles and documents.

It will be difficult and tasking for an entire country of people to gain access to these digital processes, once materialized. But nothing is impossible. Once the initiative is taken and the determination planted, there’s no going back. There is a lot of scope for digitization in India, but it is not something that can take place in a year or less.

However, once materialized, it can do away with a number of shortcomings in the current governance system and make life so much easier for the common citizen of India.

Intel is way ahead of our thinking and has already taken te initiative time and again to digitize India. Follow this link to know more http://www.intel.in/. Lets take the Digi route to a #DigitalIndia !

Impress me like the Night

Speak to me,
Stump me with your words,
Silence me if you can,
Whisper if you must,
But please, say the right things.

Take me some place else,
Let's travel with words.
Talk to me like you're talking to the moon.
Let me listen to the stillness of the night.
And let it be in your voice.

Sing to me if you can
But in the language of the stars.
And when words escape your lips,
Let them kiss my skin and take me high.
When your words touch my ears let them cause a shiver.

And if your words can't do these things then let them not try.

I'd rather you not than ruin my experience of the night.
But if you must and if truly you can do it right,
Speak to my heart, speak to my body, speak to my mind.
But darling, speak!
I don't care that love is blind,
Love must never leave words behind.

Together Apart

Separated only since the last two years, my best friend and I have been sharing a unique friendship since we were 15 years old.

Today, 20 and studying, we interact via social networks and calls because a plane ticket to New York is worth double my college fees.  But that does not deter us; we are the same, just as we were when she was here with me in Mumbai.

#Together, we went to and from college every day; together we hung around the best eateries in the city; together we walked every known lane on every known evening.  We, as many would call us, have always been a tight bunch by ourselves. And no one, and I mean it, no one could separate us, not even distance.

Staying in New York now, she barely has the time to breathe. Choosing a foreign city over your home city means serious business and she did not go there to while away her time. From college applications, entrance exams, application assignments to interviews, lodging facilities, part-time job look outs etc., she literally has to fight for time to speak to me.

An understanding friend that I've always been, I didn't mind not talking to her on a daily basis; this was her chance at putting her future together and the last thing I wanted to do was get in her way or distract her for that reason. She too, knew well what had to be prioritized at the moment and so we both knew that our long calls and chats had to be put on hold for a while, at least until she had herself settled well there.

We looked out for each other, all the time. And that’s one of the reasons; we still are #together even though oceans apart.

Things are a lot better now, she’s used to the new lifestyle there, she’s made a number of friends and we don’t talk on a daily basis. But that still hasn't changed the relationship we share.

Till date, I know that I can count on her; I can count on her advice, on her counsel and on her company in spirit. Distance may have separated us by location and time but we both stand testimony to a relationship of togetherness while being apart.

Ask me today and I will still say she’s the closest I have. In fact I will even tell you that we have probably grown closer since the separation than when we stayed in the same city.

I do miss her; I miss that bubbly girl that brightened up everyone’s day. And I can’t wait for the day that she comes back home. But I wouldn't rush it. She’s home no matter where she is, because home is where the heart is and her heart is still here with me.

Check out https://housing.com/ #together with your loved one for new options in housing.

Let's be Twins Together

There is no one who understands the meaning of ‘together’ as well as a twin. Fortunately for you, I am a twin. And I came into this world #together, with my twin.

Growing up together, living together for 19 years, sharing the same mother and father, the same lifestyle, sometimes the same clothes, , the same room, the same friend circle and the same schedules. Both of us take ‘togetherness’ to a whole other level. Like I said earlier, no one knows #together like a twin.

Having a twin, in a nutshell, is like being born with a best friend; the only difference is that she looks the same, if you get what I mean. And there on until you’re of an age to choose your own attire, your parents will dress you up to look even more alike than you already are.  Together, both of us looked like the cutest pair of dumplings strolling around the block.

Twins are known to be clones of each other; however we like to call ourselves ‘Twindividuals’. We are similar but different.  Our differences help us complete each other. We are halves of the same cell, two bodies of one being; one perfect being!

My twin sister has always been by my side by choice. She has been with me through the toughest and the thickest of every obstacle that came in my path and has been my optimistic ray of light. She held my hand and walked with me. When I had to walk in the dark, she became my guiding light. She isn't obliged to, but she has forever been there for me even when I want to be alone. Can you think of anything that defines ‘Together’ better than this? I think not!

She has been my pillar of strength when all hope failed, my inspiration when I saw none and my bridge over trouble waters. I don’t know where both of us will be 10 years from now. Married maybe? Our own spouses, new homes, new lifestyles but yet, no one will understand how we continue to be ‘together’.  Our hearts beat together in time, from the time it started in the womb.  We share a relationship that no one else can boast off.

#Together we have been through the ups and downs of our ‘Twindividual’ lives. #Together we have seen two different views but known just one life, #Together we have come to this day, where we are inseparable and undivided.

If you are not a twin, you will never know, but the simplest way to make you understand is by telling you that the word ‘Together’ runs so much deeper than just being with each other, it is living for each other.

Check out https://housing.com/  #together with your loved one for new options in housing.

There's just one way from here: Up

We aren't all perfect. There are sides of ourselves that we are proud of, and some we hide behind the shadows. There are parts of our lives we do not wish to ever recall, and some moments that we cherish for a lifetime.

There was a dark moment in my life that I would never want to recall. But it was when the light at the end of the tunnel came nearer, that I found a moment to cherish for a lifetime. That light was a friend, a friend I've known so long, yet ignored forever; Me.

It was soon after a heart break and a series of misfortunes that I experienced the lowest I’d ever felt in life this far. My grades were falling, my attention span in class dwindling and my interest in the people around me- scarce. I was losing all drive in life and till date I don’t know who or what to blame. I have always blamed myself. A saving grace however, could not see me this way.

One day, I decided to give myself the time to listen. Not to a counsellor, not to a priest, not to an elder person but to a friend, the friend I knew in me. The friend, I thought, had left with my enthusiasm. But she was there, sitting in silence. “You don’t need to do this to yourself”, she said. I listened.  “You are greater than the things that bring you down and you are worth so much more than you think you are.

The world doesn't need you; they will get by without you. But you cannot go a day without having yourself, without having yourself happy, content and satisfied, and no one can bring you this contentment but the friend you find in yourself. Stop blaming her for the things you've been through, at every step in your life you chose to do what was right at that moment, no one saw what was to become of your decisions. Do not condemn yourself for the things you did not see coming. Forgive yourself.”

I opened my eyes and felt a calm I hadn't felt in a very long time. A rush of serenity ran through me as I felt lighter and more importantly, content.

Never had I felt so optimistic about life. I guess you have to reach your lowest point to appreciate the highest points you've been to.  There’s only one way to go when you’re down in the dumps and that is up. I am forever indebted to the friend I found that day who showed me that this was not the end of the road.

New beginnings are always a scare, but they are a pool of optimism if you learn to see it that way.

Check out https://housing.com/lookup for new options in housing. 

The Big Leap

I have always been one to go out of my way to help people, I don't mean to boast but that's just how I am. Be it the people I love or the people I care about, sometimes they could be just acquaintances or not so close buddies, I always believed that if you can, why shouldn't you? I was known as miss goody two shoes, everyone knew they could count on me and mostly rely on me, be it for class notes, class updates, lecture rescheduling etc.

Until one day, someone went too far, and decided to challenge my 'so far, undying commitment to help'. And this did not go down with me too well. I always helped people because I felt like it and not because of appreciation or any self credit, in fact many a times I have gone un-noticed and it did not bother me at all. This kind of attitude earned me a lot of respect in front of my teachers, friends and classmates. But the day a bunch of them choose to disrespect me, my whole mindset of helping changed.

I realized that I can't keep going out of my way to help people especially if they don't help themselves first. These kind of people tend to take advantage of your good nature and soon grow so dependent that they forget the good in your deeds and see it as you are obliged to do it for them.

I also learned that you cannot keep everyone happy, that is not your responsibility towards them. Of course you can try but when you can't, you just can't and you have to leave it at that. Help, but learn to see people through. Know that self help is sometimes the best help.

Some may say that this change in me is not good and that I should continue to be helpful and helpful I shall always be, just a little more cautious now, though.

Don't let the thought of what other people think of you stop you from being who you are and mostly don't settle for people who do not know how to respect others as human beings. We are all the same, no one greater than the other, then why must one be treated as a servant and the other a master? You don't have to be the underdog all the time, take a stand, be a man, #StartANewLife !

Change is never bad, sometimes we're afraid of it and sometimes we're confused, but you will never know until you decide to #StartANewLife. Take a leap, if your life's not heading somewhere, change things. Go ahead and be the bigger person, don't be afraid to move on from the person you have always been.

Changing your lifestyle or your home is a big deal too. Look Up, Housing is your answer

Here's a link to a site that can help you #StartANewLife: https://housing.com/in 

And have a look at this video :

I don't know Me without You

The park will remember us not by our names
But that we waited only 15 minutes after the sunset every weekend.
The cafe around the corner will not remember my order
But will remember that we sat there long after the coffee had its effect on us.
The promenade won't recall our faces
But it will know how many steps we took there hand in hand.
The tea stall won't remember the small sum I still owe him
But he will miss us smiling back at him for the warm beverage in the rains.

They all know us, 

Though they know not just me
They know me as I am with you
For them, another cannot be.
They don't recognize me, they don't treat me the same,
It hurts to be forgotten, when you were remembered by no name.
Unrecognizable, they say I have become.
How do I tell them I can't face them, I'd rather run.
How do I tell them I can't recognize myself anymore

I knew me when I was with you, with you, these places knew me even more.

Say it with Colour

He took some colored powder in his hands
and smeared it softly across her cheek.
"Yellow, for the day they smeared your skin with turmeric"
He took some more now, of a different color
and smeared it across her other cheek
"Pink for the way your face glows when you see me"
With some green powder now
He strokes her arm
"For the future we will share together"
As he places his hand in purple
and reached out for her other hand
"For the little ones we will share our next Holi's with"
And finally he took some red
and with his thumb sealed her forehead
"For the day that you and I became us"
She looked like a colorful mess now.
"Happy Holi", he whispered.
But nothing made her feel more vibrant
than the kiss that followed.

Medium:Wax Crayons (melted over canvas)
Art: Faye Brooke D'Cruz

Of Old Structures and Stories

The old stand tall, they stand mighty strong,
Built with more than just bricks and cement but with stone and grit.
The old are stable, they never fear the forces of nature,
because they have been made to withstand the test of time.
A day shall come though, when new architects will want to bring down the old,
For a change, for some space, for a race.
And the old, though firm and stubborn, will come down like rubble.
The new will replace what once was all.
And suddenly change will take place because of a fall.
But the life of the once known structure will be described for generations to come.
The new live lives of a really short span,
Replaced sooner than the time they took to replace the old.
So much for looking more contemporary and bold!
So much, however of structure in stone, think for once of Stories untold.
Beneath the rubble of a destroyed site, is one mans art, architecture if I might.
Under the debris of sand and cement lie a hundred men's labour and sacrificed strength.
Buried now, under the change, is a generation that did not want to be exchanged.

You take the Weather with You

Now, the days are gloomy and the nights are cold,
When you were here, so was something like spring.
And I can't wait for you to return,
I can't wait for the weather that you bring.

It won't be autumn, it won't be winter
Nor will it be the summer or rain
But it will be a weather that will be whiter than snow,
No matter where you are, that weather will follow.

And bless them who walk the same land you go to
For they will experience the weather I yearn for
No spring or summer could bring such warmth
No winter, the shivers down my spine can draw.

I wait for you, season after season,
For then, when you will be here.
The weathers change, they come and go
But my favorite weather is when you are near.