I hope you dance!

Some events leave us in a state beyond repair. We often revisit our sad times than our happy ones. There is no reason to give up or feel low yet we fall into a pit of darkness and loose hope. There is this one song which I listen to all the time. It is a song that symbolizes life for me. I feel every individual must integrate the values and the principles taught through this beautiful melody in his/her life. We all have that one song that is there in the back of our mind. Which we play to soothe our pains when no one understands. Well this is mine. The closest song to my heart.

I Hope You Dance

I hope you never loose your sense of wonder,

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,

May you never take one single breath for granted,

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance..

I hope you dance .. I hope you dance!

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,

Never settle for the path of least resistance,

Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking,

Loving might be a mistake but it's worth making.

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,

When you come close to selling out reconsider,

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

Take out those dancing shoes and show the world what you've got! It doesn't matter whether you succeed or not, it doesn't matter what other people think.. All that matters is how happy you are. Reach out to those who need you. There's nothing that makes you feel more content and worth living than to help others. If you live ONLY once you ought to do it in a way that will last long after you do.

3 Books that have changed me!

1. Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt

   Some books confuse you whether to laugh or cry. One such book was this one! I have laughed uncontrollably and cried at the same time too.It is an autobiography of Mr.McCourt written in the most delightful way possible.

I was looking for a book to read in the summer so I went to the store. There I came across "Teacher Man" (the third book in the autobiography series). Having no idea this book had three prequels I read it anyways and fell in love with the style of writing. So I went back to find the first part i.e. Angela's Ashes.

It is a story of an ordinary boy whose family decides to go back to Ireland as the expenses in America are a little too high for them to recover. There are several heart breaking incidents that leave your eyes misty. But what makes this book so special is that it is written from the view of a 10 year-old. The childish logic behind every event and the positive approach towards life baffles you. You laugh off your own problems because this child in the book teaches you hell of a way to live life. Sometimes you connect and feel nostalgic because we have had similar thoughts when we were children too. "What is death?", "Where do babies come from?" have amazing answers in this book. 

When I'm low or feeling frustrated, I just open up a random page and read. There's no better feeling than to have a book in hand that understands you, guides you, lifts your spirits and helps you come out into the world as a better person altogether!

A beautiful quote to sum it all :

"You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace"
- Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes

2. Like the flowing river -  Paulo Coelho

   Doesn't the name itself bring about a positive vibe. Yes, all the Paulo Coelho books are mystical and make you feel magical but this one is my personal favorite and certainly relaxes my mind when I'm stressed.

This book comprises of short stories. Some are real life incidents of the author while some are tales imparting deep and divine morals in the end. This is a book you can grab anytime and everytime you read it, it makes you go "wow". The same story is interpreted in a different sense every single time I read it! It amazes me how the stories adapt to my situation. Life is truly like a flowing river. This book inspires you right from the first page till the very end.

" Be like the flowing river,
  Silent in the night.
  Be not afraid of the dark.
  If there are stars in the sky, reflect them back.
  If there are clouds in the sky,
  Remember, clouds, like the river are water,
  So, gladly reflect them too,
  In your own tranquil depths."

                                                                -Manuel Bandeira

3. Wise and Otherwise - Sudha Murthy

   This book holds small stories of ordinary Indians and is an absolute treasure to own. It tells us that every individual no matter how rich or poor, whether he rides a mercedes or a bullock cart has a unique story to tell. The author Sudha Murthy reaches into the deepest roots of India and connects with all sorts of people. She inspires me and teaches me to treat every person with equal interest and passion. Every person has undergone certain struggle in his/her life. She talks to children, men and women from various states and backgrounds and listens to what they have to tell. The outcome is : the reader connects as if interacting with the individual in person. You imagine yourself sitting in a hut and eating a meal with their family or sitting on the beach watching a young boy helping his mom collect crabs. Beauty of the soul is captured, feelings are expressed raw and clear. This book shapes your thinking and gives you the desire to do something for the society. It makes your own problems seem minutely small and you start to appreciate life for what it is!

Look around you!

I just came back from a mini family vacation to a remote place called Bhandardara in the hidden valleys of Maharashtra.We reached there at about 5 pm. An extract from a day there:

It's pretty breezy and cool here. I can see a splendid view of a silent lake resting between distant hills, from my balcony. We're unpacking the bags and soon the electricity goes. We literally stop and look at each other, the idea of no electricity itself brings panic to us. A moment later everyone is screaming: "the cellphones have to be charged !" (we all are together, god knows who we have to inform so urgently), "the camera batteries!","the fan or AC isn't working, how will I breathe!". Dad calls and complains and he reassures us that the electricity will be back in few hours. Few hours! Omg. What kind of a vacation is this?! we storm off in a grumpy mood. Now to kill a few hours we head to the dock at the shore of the lake.

There I come across a couple clicking away in every angle possible then they ask me to take a picture of them and once that was done they left. They didn't stay back one minute to inhale the nature's beauty.I mean the serenity, the silence, the feeling of wind in your hair cannot be captured in pictures! People now-a-days create memories to share with the world, to show everyone and feed the social media with what is currently happening in their life. 

Yes, social media is great to communicate and stay in touch with your pals but don't miss out the real picture.Live in the moment, talk with the ones around you.Memories are created spontaneously.You don't have to show how beautiful or how happy you are by taking 50 selfies and then posting one. You will capture other's attention by your real personality, your smile and laughter. The present moment can be worth a million of pictures.Hang out with friends, spend a lazy evening with your loved one, donate blood, eat at an exquisite dining and do everything that thrills and excites you, embrace the moment in hand instead of just looking for opportunities to pose and pout.

The sun had set and I had to head back while there was still some light left in the sky. And as I headed back to my room. I had seen the most amazing sunset and even though the electricity wasn't back yet I didn't feel miserable about no whatsapp, facebook or instagram.