The inappropriately positioned clock: Habits die hard!

 

One of the clocks at our home was not very strategically positioned. It hung above the couch in the living room. Needing us to turn all the way around and crane our necks up while we sat on the couch or walk all the way out of the kitchen to have a look at the time, the position of the clock was quite inappropriate. We were however accustomed to looking at the clock that way, since it had been hung there from the time we had moved in a few years ago; until one day a visiting carpenter pointed out to us that the clock could be positioned at a more convenient location. He suggested that the adjoining wall would host the clock perfectly as it would be visible from the kitchen as well as the couch easily. We agreed with his idea and willingly got him to change the position of the clock. And, that was when we realized how strongly we get used to our habits. Every time we needed to look at the clock, we’d turn all the way around looking up at the original place only to realize that the clock wasn’t there anymore. Walking out of the kitchen and looking at the bare wall to look at the time, I’d often laugh at my foolishness realizing that the clock was easily visible from the kitchen. It took us almost a whole month to get used to the new location of the clock and change our habit, although the new actions required to be done by us were easier than what we did earlier.

It got me wondering as to how many such habits we must be used to, getting driven by them to perform the way we do all through our lives; simple mundane things like waking up at a particular time, drinking tea or coffee, reading the newspaper and many such more habits so ingrained in our routines. I got to reading about the topic and I found out that, it is these habits that eliminate the brain’s need to process and strategize each and every step in carrying out many of our repetitive activities over the day. Most of the time daily habits become so deep-seated in our systems that we carry them out even subconsciously. Some habits are so entrenched in our schemes that making even slight changes to them brings discomfort. Addictive habits are even more notoriously difficult to break and worse still, extremely easy to resume despite having broken them. Getting to know this was an eye opener and I thought I could definitely list down some habits of mine if not many that were unnecessary, time-consuming or simply bad or unhealthy. I managed to list down quite a few and while I’m still struggling to change some of them, a few I’ve managed to get rid off and for the better.

Kites: Oh, what an inspiration!

Thousands of colourful hues dotted the blue sky, dancing in the wind and soaring high. With Makar Sankranti just around the corner, people of all ages in Mumbai had taken to reaching for the highest points of access to them to enjoy the act of kite flying. I for myself had headed to our building terrace to enjoy the view. As I watched the kites waltzing rhythmically against the blue backdrop of the tranquil sky, soaring higher and higher, reaching for the clouds above, I stood enthralled by the vibrant and blithesome sight. Although flying against the wind, restrained by the cords that controlled them and despite the fear of being cut off by other kites’ strings always lingering; they flew gleefully, unruffled and free. I got to wondering, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could take inspiration from the flying kites and conduct ourselves in our day to day lives aiming high yet staying grounded while being joyful?”

In our daily conquests to achieve more and reach higher, often times we forget to enjoy the journey. We slog and suffer thinking that’s the only way we can prevail and the only way we can succeed. While hard work definitely is a must, why not do it with a gay demeanour? Why not dance our way gleefully to our goals just like the joyful kites stretching out for the clouds? And why not be free of the fear of falling despite it’s existence?

 

Why not go against the flow? Flying against the wind, the greater its resistance, the higher the kites soared. There will always be times when circumstances are against us. Instead of succumbing to them and giving up, why not live up to those challenges and strengthen our successes further?

Staying connected to the ground, yet soaring high is something so beautifully demonstrated by the kites. Likewise, why not stay connected to the people, to the values and the discipline that we have picked up in our journey through life, choosing wisely amongst them to carry with us the ones that bolster and encourage us to rise higher while keeping us strongly rooted too?  

Lastly and most importantly, as I watched a kite string being cut by another and the kite falling to the ground, slowly and nimbly swaying side to side while children below clamoured to reach for it, it reminded me that life poses such situations at us many times. There are times when we have to face defeat or take a back step, times when we have to fall back to our base. In such situations, the lesser the resistance we show and the more willingly we accept, the less unharmed and more gracefully we reach our ground. Besides, like the children reaching for the falling kite, the more graciously we conduct ourselves, especially during adverse situations, the more there are people to catch us and hold us when we fall!

Here wishing everyone a happy and inspired Bihu/Lohri/Makar Sankranti/ Pongal!

 

The Morning Moment

Sometimes, it is such simple things in life that make our day.

It was a cool winter morning in December. An early riser, I was up and busy grappling with some ideas I wanted to pen down. The sun had just risen, spreading its rays from atop some of the highest peaks in Mumbai that my East-facing suburban balcony gave a view of. When I took a minute to look around, I realized that the morning was unusually calm. I walked out to my 10^th floor balcony only to notice that the road down below had hardly any vehicles plying. I could even smell the freshness of the air. Instead of the usual sounds of automobiles speeding by, I could hear birds chirping. A slight chill in the air, the weather felt pleasant. I had to wake my better half up to share the moment. After all it was rare to experience such freshness in Mumbai. Slightly groggy and half asleep, he simply followed me to the balcony. When he felt the cool breeze upon him, he was instantly up too. Hearing the sound of birds instead of the roaring traffic cheered him. We stood chatting in the balcony for a while soaking in the freshness and the morning sun. We were just discussing of how undiluted the air smelled, when a waft of breeze brought with it the aroma of someone preparing breakfast. Someone was already up and doing the morning grind. We realized we had to get back to our busy schedules too. And that was the end of our morning moment.

But, although the moment was brief, it had made our day.  

 

Welcome 2017!

Nine days late, but better late than never. Here’s a warm welcome to the year 2017! Don’t know if it’s in the digits that add up to the number one or if it is simply in the air, but this year is definitely giving me positive feelings and affirmative vibes!

A new day and a new year; there couldn’t be a better excuse to start things anew and take on a new path. Have been tinkering on the idea of wanting to write more prolifically for long now but have done nothing to put myself up for people to see. Have been writing secretly to myself and wondering if it was good enough; but what the heck! How would I ever know unless I allowed people to read what I write and let me know?

So here it is….An online Journal of my Musings! I shall be sharing here everything that I have written and will be writing about. From my daily experiences, to new recipes I’ve tried, to travel escapades I’ve indulged in, to short stories or poems I’ve attempted to pen, to something preachy or opinionated….basically anything and everything under the sun.

Hopefully it makes an interested read for you all too!