Choose happiness

Choose happiness! Every day, every moment. Even on days you feel like you don't deserve it, on days that you wonder if it even exists, on days that the world plots hard to take it away from you, choose happiness! Too often we undermine our right to be happy, convincing ourselves that the sorrow and pain we are put through, chose us. Refuse to accept anything that dulls your spirit. Choose happiness every day, no matter how difficult it seems. Why you ask? Because you're a wonderful being who deserves nothing, absolutely nothing less!

You grew up, didn't you?

You grew up, didn't you?

Sipping coffee by the window on a quiet evening, chosing to spend your time alone in peace, instead of making plans for a wild Saturday night, you grew up didn't you? You used to dread going out alone, but now you like taking yourself out on dates, going shopping by yourself. Oh, you have loved ones, you do, some amazing ones too, but you like to reserve sometime to spend with your own self sometimes. When did the epiphany happen? When you found yourself alone in a crowd of people you think are your friends, but don't connect with anymore? When you craved to get to know yourself better in the middle of a busy day? When you found yourselves laughing with somebody in a social setting but couldn't convince yourself it was indeed that funny?

From jumping in puddles to hiding under an umbrella, you grew up slowly, didn't you? From crying over bruised knees to healing your own broken dreams, you transitioned into a grown up quietly. From lamenting a glass of milk because it didn't taste good, to gulping shots of bitter alcohol one after the other, you grew up! You would never talk to people you didn't like, making faces at them sometimes. You smile at those kinds now, putting on an extra wide fake smile, being nice to them, to survive in a world where it's not how you feel that matters, its how you deal with those feelings, that does.

When a hundred rupee note could last for months, and elated you to no end, did you ever imagine you'd grow up to earn several thousands yet not be satisfied? You made castles out of cardboard boxes, snuggled with a blanket inside empty ones. Now all you're told is to think out of the box. You now silence the child in you that wonders why you'd want to think outside a box that has an incredible world of its own inside. You'd fall asleep on the sofa, and end up waking up on your bed tucked inside a blanket the next morning. Do you miss those days when you count sheep to fall asleep now? From laughing out loud playing with mud getting yourself dirty, to getting your mind overworked on codes in a cubicle, you grew up, didn't you? Instant noodles were reserved for special days when you were given the permission to eat unhealthy, once a while. Funny how that luxury turned into a survival tool now. You'd flaunt the same new dress for days, and now you stand in front of your wardrobe frustrated, having 'nothing' to wear. From crying on your birthday over a cake that smudged on the sides of the box, to getting your face smashed into the cake now, from chasing bubbles to living in one, you grew up and how! You couldn't wait to grow up when you were younger. You laughed at people who said you will miss your childhood when you grow up. “Too philosophical they try to sound” you thought. Look at you now, giving the same advise to the little ones around you.

Festivals that you wished to celebrate once, you look forward to them today, to take long leaves and run away from routine. From fretting over the slightest loss, to handling life's surprises; shocks more often, you grew up! Remember when you used to look at people with bling and money and think that's success. You ignore them now and take the ones with inner peace and happiness as your role models. You grew up didn't you? When you realised money is important, but absolutely worthless without happiness? From being worried by your elders, to now worrying about them, you grew up. With time, your friends got less in number, but the bond you share with the ones who stay only got deeper. From hoping to find someone to fall in love with, to endlessly in love with your own self, from reading epic stories, to writing your own ones, from learning about life, to mastering the one you have, you've come a long way.

No matter how crazy and confused it looks sometimes, you wouldn't have it any other way, would you? When you chose to live this wonderful life with a smile, no matter how challenging it seems, you grew up didn't you?

From a father, to his daughter

Dear daughter,

I know its not easy, to be a strong independent woman in a world that constantly tries to pull you down. I see it, the struggle that you go through, the troubles that you hide. I see it and I keep quiet anyway, because I know you will walk out of these hurdles with your head held high. I didn't just raise a daughter, I raised a fighter. I know how easy it is for the world to judge you every time you don't match their notion of how a woman should be. Some people will have troubles with the way you dress, some with the way you talk, some with the friends you make and some even with the life decisions you take. Everytime you do something for your own self, you'll find someone nodding their head in disapproval. Take my advise, and ignore them all. Standing behind you is the man who has more faith in your choices than you do in your own self, and that is all that matters. There is only one person guaranteed to live with you, and that's you, so make sure you find your own happiness first. You'll never be able to make evryone happy, you absolutely dont have to. You weren't put on this earth to please people, you were born to make the most of the life you were given. Make sure you do justice to that.

You will make mistakes, you'll make a lot of them. As long as you learn your lessons from them, know that you are on the right track. I'll be scared everytime you take a bold decision, but I'll also hold on to my faith in your strength. No matter how scary it looks to you and me, I want you to break barriers that hold you down, and find freedom outside your comfort zone. Be the best version of yourself and never, I repeat, never apologise for being who you are. Take pride in the wonderful woman you have grown into.

With nerves of steel and a heart of gold, you're a woman any man would be lucky to have by his side. Make sure you chose the right one, the one who sees you for who you are and gives you the same love that I do. With love comes respect, and if you find a man that gives you both, you'll know you chose the right one. It's not easy though, to spot a gem in a world where crystals shine brighter than diamonds, but since you've come a long way already, you'll be wise enough to give your heart to the one who deserves it. If ever you do find yourself with someone who thinks that you're lesser than him, or anybody else, leave. Without a second thought, leave. You deserve to spend your life with someone who makes you feel that you're the best in the world, at least in his world. A few years later when you raise your children, make sure you lead them by example. Let your daughter learn that she can turn into a terrific woman and handle life like a boss, just like you do. Let your son learn to respect women by the kind of respect you rightfully earn. That's the beauty women hold, they have the power to mould and inspire the ones around them, just by being the best version of themselves.

Life will never stop throwing curve balls your way. Woman up, take your sword and be your own knight in shining armor. Walk out of your troubles with grit and grace. When its time to go, all that matters is how strongly you held on to your right to live a splendid, crazy, beautiful life and how well you smiled through it all.

Promise me you'll never leave your own side, no matter what life demands from you. Remember, you have me too by your side. Always!

Love,
Your proud father

Lets get drunk on love

Let’s get drunk on love. Travel far far away, away from the chaos of life and its demands. Away to the place where the sun meets the sea. Let’s make castles with sand, get our hair dirty with mud on our heads and salt in our hair. Let’s drown our worries in the towering tides that splash our morning faces. Let’s pick shells and leave our footprints by the beach. Let’s jump high and fall back down laughing our hearts out. Let’s sip lemonades by the sea side, counting all the boats that drift far away. By the blue sea where waves meet wonders, as I place my feet on yours and dance to our own music in the sand, let’s get drunk on love.

Let’s chase butterflies by the mountains. I’ll let you put daisies on my hair that you pluck from the way. Let’s race each other to the top of the hill, only to stop half way and sleep under a tree. Let’s ditch our lunch, and feed on mulberries from the shrubs. Let’s dip our feet in the waterfall by the rocks, jump in the cold river and let it wash away the dust from our minds. We’ll let the breeze sway us into the land of dreams as we lose ourselves in a green paradise. The higher we tread, the closer we get. On a mountain where the clouds kiss our feet and mist fogs our eyes, let’s get drunk on love.

Let’s lay down on the grass in a forest, under the midnight sky. As millions of stars look down on us, let’s hold hands and smile back at them. Let shooting stars pass by, we’ll make no wish. We already got what we wished for, the love beating in our hearts. As glow worms light up above our heads, let’s snuggle in a blanket outside our tent. In a forest that sparkles in the starlit sky, by the sound of a flowing stream nearby, let’s get drunk on love.

Let’s race the road in an open top car. I’ll drive and you can put your feet out the window. We’ll soak the sun light and let the wind play with our hair. Let’s stop by every coffee shop we find, fill our hearts with caffeine and hit the road back again. Let’s engrave the story of us on long endless roads that lead nowhere. On a road trip where wind meets freedom and speed meets love, let’s get drunk on love.

Let’s jump in puddles like frogs in a pond, drenching ourselves in the heaviest of rains. Let’s throw our umbrellas away and kiss in the rain, bringing to life our favorite fairy tales. Let’s make paper boats and set them afloat, letting them carry with it all of our woes. We’ll pull branches of trees and splash raindrops on our heads from the leaves. When the rainbow slowly makes its way, let’s paint the sky with colors of life. By the bench of a tea stall on a rainy evening, sipping piping hot tea from a pot of clay, let’s get drunk on love.

Let’s get drunk on love with every chance we get. Let’s get drunk on love with every chance we make. Across the skies, into the sea, far away in the horizon where birds fly free, darling let’s hold hands and never let go.

If she were mine...

"If she were mine…that smile on her face would not be a fake one" he thought, sipping his whisky in the dead of the night, watching her next to her husband. Joe couldn't help but notice how far away they seemed, despite standing next to each other in the balcony. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her fair skin had red patches from his blows. Her beautiful eyes nested in hollow dark sockets. There were fading brown bruises on her hands. "If she were mine…I would never have enough of kissing her cheeks, looking into her eyes and holding her hands."

The husband carried two cups of drinks with him, coffee perhaps. "Didn't he know by now that she likes tea more?" With a wounded hand, she slowly took one from him, moving it to her lips. She hid the withering pain that came with the hot drink brushing against her bruised lips. “If she were mine…I would never stop kissing her lips” Joe sighed.

"I'm sorry" Joe heard the husband apologise.

"It's ok" she said meekly, but Joe could hear her screaming within, that it was not ok. It was just not ok!

"Do you still love me?" the husband asked, holding her by her waist, ignoring the shiver it sent down her spine.

"I do!" she said, unable to look into his eyes.

"Prove it to me then" he said, loosening his grip.

"How?" she asked, dreading his next order. Joe couldn't help but wonder why she put up with him.

"Scream it out from here" he said.

"Now?" she asked, baffled.

"Yes! Now!" Is there a problem? his eyes accrued with rage.

"How can someone be so rude to a wonderful woman like her? If she were mine…I would be the one screaming out to the world how much I loved her, and how lucky I am to have her" Joe thought, pitying her. He clutched his glass of whiskey harder, anymore and it would break in his hands, but Joe didn't care. The broken glass could not incite more pain than he did on her every day.

"No problem..." she mumbled, walking towards the edge of the balcony, leaving her cup behind. Standing at the edge of the railing, she turned her head to the sky. The cold midnight breeze brushed against her tears that fell off her cheeks. Humiliated, yet silent, she prepared to scream out a blatant lie to the winds, that she loved him. Joe wanted to walk away, unable to see him putting her through more humiliation, but he could never have enough of seeing her pretty face.

"If she were mine…her eyes would gleam with joy, not tears. The hair that he pulled, I'd put daisies in them. I'd kiss all the pain away from the cheeks that he so ruthlessly slapped.”

A sudden loud shriek pulled Joe back into the moment!

"Scared you, didn't I" the husband laughed after almost pushing her off the balcony.

Sweating profusely in fear, having come face to face with death, for the first time in two years, Joe saw a storm in her eyes! With burning rage that out shadowed the husband's, her hands shivered again, this time of anger. She mustered all the strength she had buried inside for years and looked straight into his sadist eyes. "Thud!" came a deafening voice as she slapped him right across the face. She looked like an epitome of raging fire with years of pain having been finally eased. "How dare you…" he screamed, ready to hit her, but before he could, she raised her bruised hand again and slapped him harder.

"Enough!" she screamed her lungs out! "Enough! Touch me one more time you sloth and I will murder you right here, right now!" she screamed looking straight into his eyes. It was the first time she looked into his eyes fearlessly.

A sudden silence enthralled as the husband and wife both stood in shock. Had she known before how strong she truly was, the disastrous marriage would have ended long ago. Storming her way into the house, she packed her bags and drove away before he could make sense of what happened.

"If she were mine…again…I would treat her like the princess she is" Joe wiped away a tear, remembering the night he and his wife had both come into their senses. He knew he didn't deserve a second chance. He had been a monster who took her silence way too much for granted, but no amount of guilt or realisation could bring her back to him again. All that accompanied him every night at the balcony now, were a drink to forget the guilt, haunting loneliness and dreams of how life would have been "If she were mine…again..."

What happiness feels like...

Like Water droplets on the glass of the window on a rainy evening.

Like dew drops on blades of grass at dawn on a winter morning.

Like hot piping tea as I read a book on a day off.

Like glittering stars in the pitch dark sky by a highway at midnight.

Like freshly cut flowers in a vase by my bed.

Like a kiss on the forehead. Like a warm blanket on a cold night.

Like a genuine smile from the bottom of my heart.

Like the first wave to touch my feet by the beach.

Like sitting pillion on a fast bike.

Like sunshine on my face on a cold day.

Like the beautiful silence at 2 am.

Like a bird finding a home in my balcony.

Like the breeze against my face outside a rolled down car window. 

Like a profound hug after ages.

Like life!

Love stories in two sentences

Topic inspired from a writing prompt in Quora. Stories inspired from real life fairy tales.

• She blabbers, he listens. Together they have the best conversations.
• Best friends then. Soulmates now.
• He made her believe in fairy tales. She made him believe real life is sweeter.
• They thought they were giving each other a second chance. Little did they know it was love, giving life a reason to stay.
• The past held no power anymore. Their hearts were filled with dreams for the future together.
• They brought out the best in each other. You don’t always fall in love, sometimes you rise!
• He finds magic in her eyes, she finds home in his. It was love at first sight every day for them!
• Fire and Ice can never get together, they thought. Love came along like water and guzzled them both.
• Her madness brings out the child in him he hid inside for too long. The world around them continues to wonder how two opposites found love, as they gleefully build their castle of joy.
• He broke down the walls she hid behind. She made a home for them from the same bricks

Back in time...

Reflections of the colorful lights hanging above the edge of the lake, glistened in the water below. Cold breeze teased the pond as the reflection swayed in its ripples. A faint fragrance from lilies nearby, lingered in the air. Poetic it seemed, the weather, the ambiance and the colours around him, yet none of it struck a chord with him like she did. Sitting alone by the lake, content with her own company, she stared into the abyss of the night sky, losing herself like she always did. He knew it was her, he couldn’t be wrong. The way she wore her scarf around her neck, the way she loosely plaited her hair, the way she couldn’t get enough of the night sky and the way her hands rested on the ground behind her as she looked up, he knew it was her! He could recognize her with his eyes closed, he didn’t have to see her face to know it was her! Who else would sit in solace all alone, in the middle of the night?

His heart raced with every step he put forward, that took him closer to her. He brushed his hair with his hand amidst the nervousness and adjusted his jacket again. ‘Had I known I would see her today after all this while I would have worn something better’ he thought to himself, surprised at his own sudden interest in grooming. ‘Will she want to talk to me? Does her face still look the same, with freckles on her cheek and eyes lined with the darkest of kohl?’ he wondered. Does her nose still turn red on cold nights? Does she still bite her nails in excitement?’ he thought to himself as he walked closer, overwhelmed.

A sudden realization dawned on him as he stood a few steps right behind her. Would she be as happy to meet him as he was? Would she even consider talking to him or walk away? ‘Am I making a mistake?’ he thought to himself, standing frozen on the pebbled pathway that led to her. Standing so close to her, yet not being able to speak to her or touch her, a familiar pain rushed through his veins. Her presence still brought the same excitement in him like it did long ago, only this time, it came with the nervousness of her reaction. A few more steps and everything would change! Seeing her face again would only make his yearning for her stronger.  If she despised him now, the wound that he foolishly tried hard to heal over a year, would bring in more pain. Despite all the months that passed by, he could still feel the warmth of her fingers behind his neck from the last time they kissed. It was what kept him sane on cold lonely nights. ‘Does she still feel the same way about me as I do about her even now?’ he wondered. ‘How will I ever move on if I see her again?’ He laughed almost immediately, knowing too well that he was stuck forever. ‘But what if she hates me now?’ he thought to himself, quickly turning around. No! It wasn’t a thought he could bear, let alone face it. He couldn’t ruin his beautiful memory of them, he just couldn’t! With a heavy heart and swollen eyes, he decided to walk away, letting beautiful memories be just that.

“I thought you’d sneak up from behind and close my eyes like you always did” he heard her voice. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he smiled at the goose bumps she still managed to give him.

“How did you know it was me?” he asked as he quickly turned around. ‘Damn! I love her’ he sighed, seeing her face again. Her eyes still had the same magic in them. Her plait couldn’t tame the unruly hair that fell on her face. ‘Some things never change I guess’ he thought to himself as he found a missing piece of his heart in her beckoning warm smile. She was wearing the same color she did the last time they were together. This time he hoped, it would mark new beginnings unlike the last time.

“I just did! She smiled, gesturing him to sit next to her.

‘What a sweet woman’ he thought to himself.  ‘After all that I did to her, she still has the same smile for me’ he smiled back, with a pinch of guilt.

“How have you been?” she said, leaning on to hug him.

All of a sudden, his heart raced with a sudden rush of emotions. The smell of her hair, the touch of her bare neck across his, and her hands that held his arms tight, made him want to break down. ‘How can she continue being so good to me?’ he whimpered, but put on a brave face. “I’m good!” he lied.

“Remember how we used to dream of owning a house by the lake” she smiled, ignoring the pain in his eyes. She had to wait for the right to time to heal it, it wasn’t the right time yet.

“We would all spend our nights by a fire outside, next to the lake. You and I, and dozens of our kids” he laughed, recollecting the dreams they had built together.

“Remember how we used to spend days together in comfortable silence?”

“I never had to think when I was with you. Even silence seemed beautiful.”

“Remember how we would laugh our hearts out in the middle of a drive over some silly joke on the radio?” she chuckled. “You don’t laugh anymore, do you?” she said, noticing the lines on his forehead and the wrinkles under his eyes.

“Remember how we used to dream of growing old together?” he said, tears rolling down his eyes, clutching her hand tighter. It didn’t seem to bother him what she would think of him. He didn’t care if he looked weak, he didn’t care if it spoiled his image of being the tough one that he was in the relationship. All he wanted was a chance to grow old with her again.

“That’s not possible now, is it?” she whispered, wiping away the tears off his face. He couldn’t imagine how she found the grace and courage to console the same person who gave her all the pain. Here she was, trying to make him feel better, when all he hoped was to undo the past and bring her some joy again.

“Let it go now…It’s been a year already” she said, moving her eyes to the lake again.

“I can’t…” he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. “I’m the one who brought you here” he said, blood rushing through his veins remembering the fateful night.

“Let it go now…” she smiled again, refusing to move her eyes from the lake.

“No! I can’t” he screamed, losing his cool, as tears rolled down his eyes again. Without saying a word, she wiped away his tears again. Her calm composure fed the fire of his guilt and pain further.

His thoughts went rushing back to the dreadful night exactly a year ago. Oh! He would trade his life to go back to the night and change it if he could. “You shouldn’t drive, you’re too drunk” she pleaded yet again, as he got in the car. “I’m not! I only had a few drinks! You know how good I am behind the wheel. I can manage” he said, stumbling the key through the ignition hole. “Will you please let me drive?” she pleaded yet again. She had tried it all, pleading, losing her temper, threatening, but he wasn’t someone to budge, especially after a few drinks. “Next time baby!” he kissed her cheeks, and jolted the car with a sudden start. “Slow down!” she screamed half way through the drive but the adrenaline rush that came with the alcohol and high speed combined, was worth it he thought. Her worst fear came true when a speeding truck from the opposite direction took them by shock. He thought he had his control over the car but a sudden jolt from the piercing light from the truck, combined with his dizzy head and numerous controls of the car seemed too much to take. Before he knew it, the car flew off the hilly road next to the lake, as they tumbled inside the car in shock, unable to handle the painful blows that came their way. Amidst his fading consciousness and withering pain, he looked at her one last time. The scarf around her neck was drowned in a color he wished he hadn’t seen. Her plait that couldn’t tuck in her unruly hair was withered too.  The freckles on her face were hardly visible through the wounds, tears rolled down the smudged kohl, as she reached out to his hand. Smiling through the pain, she knew it was the end, she did! He was too much in pain, both physically and mentally to wonder how she had the strength and love to forgive him. He survived! She didn’t!

‘You’re too drunk, you shouldn’t drive’ her last words echoed in his mind a year later, as they sat next to the same lake.

“Let it go now…” she smiled, placing her hand over his.

“I can’t…” he pleaded, rubbing his eyes and before he knew it she was gone!

Enough with the judging already!

Don't judge a book by its cover. I say don't judge a book at all!

Five minutes! Five minutes without my earphones is all it took for me to come to a startling realisation of what a judgmental world we live in! It may be too late a realisation you may say, considering how every step you take, every word you speak in the world outside turns into an invitation to judge who you are. I turned down the music playing in my ears for reasons unknown, when I heard two people ramble about people's lives. From a neighbor's eating habits, to another's choice of dressing, from a boy's work ethics to another's relationship problems, they seemed to have an opinion on every thing! It surprises me how we think we have the right to comment on people's lives, their choices and their ways. What is wrong with us, and I use the term 'us' because lets admit it, we have all judged someone at some point in time, without knowing much about the person. Even if we did know the person, what experts are we in our own lives to think we hold a place over others to look down and judge them?

Have you never judged someone by their dress sense simply because it didn't match your taste? How many times have you decided that someone at work who makes jokes all the time isn't serious about their work or life? You must be guilty of passing a comment on someone's life based on the quotes or pictures they post on facebook. I know I am! Did you ever term someone as boring just because they don't drink or someone wasting their life away just because they drink too much? Within the first few seconds of meeting someone, we already assume a picture of the person, only to be proved wrong later, many at times. A colleague who makes no effort to join the others for an outing is immediately termed as a spoilsport. She may just prefer spending the same time with her family. Someone who cries all the time is immediately dismissed as a cry baby, how do we know they haven't been strong enough for too long and given up now? We are quick to associate bad parenting with stubborn children. Have we ever stepped into their shoes and spent sleepless nights wondering what else they could do right to discipline their child?

Snap! And we judge people from the way they talk to the way they walk, from the way they look to the choices they make! Take a moment and imagine being conscious of all the judgement coming across your way. It's a sad truth that we are all being judged at any given time. We may not be able to escape what's thrown across our way, but the least we can do is to stop being the same people that we are trying to run away from. We are all different from each other and live equally different lives. Like an iceberg, you only see ten percent of a person from what they prefer to show you or what we prefer to see. There's so much more to people than our opinions about them. Let's try and filter our eyes to see the good in people and ignore the bad. None of us are perfect! Let people be the judge of their own lives, let's use the energy we spend to judge people, on something more fruitful, like seeing the good in them or seeing nothing at all. It will still be a better choice than jumping to conclusions about the person. Better yet, use the energy  on yourself to bring about a fruitful change in your life. You may think judging someone doesn't directly affect a person but how can you be sure your vibes haven't reached the person you're judging? Would you ever want the same for yourself?

The next time you find an urge to judge someone, stop yourself! When you see a person or hear a story, try and do just that. See! Listen! Please don't go beyond their presence or their words and decide how they should look or how they should be leading their lives. We are all struggling in a world full of unexpected surprises dealing with whatever life hands us. We are all heroes of our own lives. Let's not decide someone else's battle is easier than ours.

The world is a tough place already. Lets be kinder to each other. 

Marry someone who...

Marry someone who makes you believe in love. Marry the one who makes you want to stay.

The one who thinks you look great when you wear the perfect dress with the right shoes and makeup, but finds you irresistible  in sweatpants with a messy bun on a lazy Sunday morning. Marry the one who looks at you like you're special, marry the one who knows that you are. Marry the one who wants to spend time with you, the one who makes the most of the time you get. Marry the one you can make beautiful memories with. The one who feeds you first when you're hungry and who takes your tantrums, the one who looks after you. Marry the one who moves the hair away from your face, and who never ceases to think you're beautiful. The one who thinks everyday is amazing with you, but doesn't stop trying to make some days even more amazing. Marry the one whose eyes light up when they see you, the one who cant stop falling for you over and over again, no matter how long they've known you. Marry the one who finds your quirkiness adorable, and your terrible jokes funny. The one who holds your hand at every chance they get, and never shies away from expressing their love for you. Marry the one who's proud to have you, the one who would turn the world upside down to keep you by their side forever. The one who counts stars with you. Marry the one who finds happiness in your joy, who finds peace in your smile. The one who celebrates your highs and lifts you out of the lows. Marry the one who treats you like you're all that they've ever asked from the universe. The one who goes out of their way to keep you comfortable, the one whose love radiates in every little action of theirs, like holding your bag to patting you to sleep. Marry the one who makes you comfortable in your own skin, the one who never lets you think you're not enough. Marry the one who remembers the smallest things about you, from the way you crinkle your nose to paint your nails. Marry someone who never gets tired of listening to your endless stories, the one who listens to them like they are just about to come to life. The one who kisses you on the forehead, hugs you out of the blue. The one who cooks you your favorite dish, makes you your favorite drink. The one who cant stop falling head over heels in love with you everyday, the one who leaves you smitten as well. Marry the one who sees your soul, the one who reads your eyes. The one who makes you happy, the one who makes you want to live life to the fullest.

Marry someone who makes you believe fairy tales exist. Marry the one who creates one for you.

Live!

Live! I mean truly, deeply, live everyday of your life. Live the big moments, live the smaller ones even more. Live like there's no tomorrow, live like there never was a yesterday. Live like you never got hurt, live like you don't mind getting hurt. Live like you mean it, live like you were meant to live.

Throw away the phone that steals precious seconds of your life as you mindlessly stare at the screen, unaware and unmindful of the voices, noises, smell, touch and beauty around you screaming for your attention. Throw away your doubts about your own self and live like you're the only one of a kind in the whole wide universe, because darling, believe me, you are! Throw away everything that pulls you down, runaway from everyone who drags you back. Race! Race with your own life and see who wins the prize, the prize of living in the moment, the joy of fully being in a moment.

Feel! Feel the raindrops falling on your face on a cold cloudy morning. Feel the goosebumps on your skin as the chilly weather demands you to sip your morning coffee by the balcony, making you wonder what did you ever do to deserve such beauty around you. Scream! Scream your lungs out, not because you're forced to but because you can, because you sure as hell can scream your lungs from the highest of hills and by the deepest of valleys, from the sunshades of your terrace, and in the darkest of the nights. Ride the fastest bikes, run the fastest race, climb the biggest scales, swim the deepest oceans. Count stars at midnight, chase butterflies in the mornings, dip your feet in running waters, watch sunsets by the sea. Eat like every bite takes you to a different world, drink like the best of wines fought each other to reach your lips. Let the sunlight caress your skin every now and then, stop by to smell roses every now and then.

Love like its all that your heart needs to beat, love like you mean it. Break the rules often , break your own limitations more often. Smile at strangers, laugh at your own self, let your hair down and dance your nights away. Break the rut, surprise yourself, climb a tree, kiss in the rain, jump in puddles.

Don't run away from the ordinary, find the extra ordinary in the ordinary instead! Stop keeping a track of your life in years, stop keeping a track altogether, but if you must, track this wonderful life you have in moments that take your breath away, in moments you chose to live! Let there be such moments everyday.

Let there be life in the life you live!

Let the light shine!

Of all the things that a woman does

The most tragic one I think, is how she often undervalues herself

Many at times she measures herself from the eyes of the world

Not knowing that it is blind to the light inside her, just like she is

Take a break, look in the mirror

Look at the soul inside you bustling with love, waiting to shine

Why do you stop yourself from being anything but you?

Why in your sane mind would you chose to unsee a light so bright?

Why do you forego the amazing being that you are

Trying to match the mediocre standards that the unhappy world hands you?

Remember these as you stumble through life!

Love yourself

You’ll hear this over and over again, from people around you and see it all over the internet. This is probably the only advice you should blindly take from whoever gives it to you. I can’t stress enough how important it is to like your own self, appreciate your own self and be in love with every bit of the person you are. Love yourself with all your flaws, with all the mistakes you make and the goofy things you do. In a world where there are more people to criticize you than appreciate you, do yourself a favour, and be that one person who will never leave your side. The soul in you will always search for a friendly face in a world so full of cruel words and intentions. Be that friendly face! Unless you love yourself truly, deeply, madly, you won’t be able to give love to others. All your relationships will be incomplete if it comes from a heart that doesn’t have love for its own self. Think about it, how can you ever give love to someone else, when you don’t have it yourself? This one rule, will do wonders to your life. Love yourself , even if the world gives you a hundred reasons not to. Be loyal to your own self first!

Trust your gut instinct

Sometimes in life, a little pinch in your stomach will try grabbing your attention.  Be it your choices in life, your relationships or your career. You may find yourself in crossroads several times in life. I’m not saying you’ll always have an eery feeling within you asking you not to go ahead with something, but when it does happen, please don’t ignore it. If something doesn’t feel right, there are 99 percent chances that it just isn’t right! Always, always follow your gut instinct.

Travel

Travel as much as you can and to as many places as you can possibly go. Travel changes you! It’s hard to put the experience in words, but when you travel, you find yourself in the lap of nature, among different people and cultures each time, you’ll see that there’s always more to life than you know. You only have one life to live, don’t let it wither away in the confines of familiar walls. Stretch your wings and fly to different places.

Never stay in a job that makes you unhappy

Don’t ever mistake your job to be just a source of money. It never is. In fact, money is probably the last thing a job offers. When you spend a major portion of a day, a week, a month and years of your life, investing your time and mind into something, it no more is just a source of  money, it ends up becoming a  part of your life. A bad job doesn’t just pull you down, gradually it turns you into a person you’re not, and before you know it, you’ll have dark circles under your eyes, freckles on your cheek, a sinking feeling in your stomach and a strong sense of losing yourself, yet not being able to do anything about it. Have the courage to quit when you see that someone as important as you is losing out on life for a frivolous job that only feeds your stomach but not your soul. Take the risk, cut down on your expenses, let go off that car, survive without shopping for a few months but be proud that you fiercely stood up for yourself. You can always find a job that makes Mondays beautiful, trust me that's possible. All you need to do is find the place you belong in.

Stay off Debts

Debts may seem like a no big deal when you’re taking them. Especially when it’s a small amount or a credit card debt, but in ways that you cannot see at the time, you’re being bound into a vicious circle, that pulls you down slowly. It’s ok not to have money at a certain time, but it’s never okay to be in debt. You’ll realise this when without your knowledge, an amount that you thought was very small has now turned into a huge pile that will take you months to clear off, and you’re now left with nothing. You won’t even be able to enjoy the money that you earn because every penny that you earn is now being directed to pay off debts that by the way doesn’t just give you financial strain, it leaves you with mental ones too. P.S. A little saving though may seem difficult, always comes in rescue, helping you stay off debts.

Let go off toxic relationships

By relationships, I mean all kind of relationships, be it with your partner, a friend, a colleague or even a relative. Relationships are supposed to make you happy, bring out the best in you and show you that life is worth living. Every kind of relationship we share with people, shapes our nature and destiny in ways that make sense only much later. When you love yourself enough, you’ll also have the intellect to not entertain toxic people who steal you off your happiness. Again, no matter what relationship you share with the person, if you find yourself in a toxic one, speak to them about it. If they’re stil adamant on bringing you down, you know what to do!

Be Independent

Not just financially, emotionally and mentally too. Know when to depend on someone and when to draw a line. Build a name and brand for your own self in your own ways in your own little world. Be so independent that nobody takes you for granted, for they know that you are a badass who can survive on your own. Independence doesn’t mean not to take help or approach people when you’re in need. Do that by all means, but with the confidence that even if you didn’t receive the help, you’d find a way anyway!

Never let go off the child in you

Like a child, find happiness in everything you see. Happiness lies in the simplest of things. The next time you have the urge of sulking over unpaid bills and horrible bosses, look up at the sky and watch the clouds. Look around and find things that make you smile. Let the silliest things make you laugh. Goof around and make someone else smile. Life isn't that bad. You're lucky to have one, spend it happy!

She chooses to BE

‘Shhh...’you’re not supposed to do that they say

Yet again, she folds back her wings with dismay

Her heart belongs to the wind, her mind to the skies

Her feet stay on the ground, but her aims soar high

‘Good girls don’t cross the threshold of their house’ they say

‘Good girls sit at home, they never stray’

‘But my place is up there in the clouds’ she screams

While they refuse to listen as they step on her dreams

‘Shhhh…’ you’re not supposed to laugh that loud

Remember you’re a girl, you’re always watched by the crowd

Her soul yearns to chuckle, her heart wants to guffaw

But only in the mirror does she see the one who gets her awe

‘Don’t do this, don’t do that they say’

As she struggles to break the chains and find a way

‘But I want to be me’ she begs and cries

While they refuse to budge and spin more lies

‘Shhh…’ you’re not supposed to have an opinion

‘Why do you forget you’re place is in the kitchen?’

Her mind surges with ideas, her intellect refuses to die

So she refuses to give up and gives it another try

'Stay put in your place’ they command

But this time, she knows it has to end

‘This is my place. This is me’ she declares

Behind the tired eyes, her anger flares

‘Your walls can’t stop my wings, they were meant to be spread’

‘The threshold of this house don’t get to decide my dreams and their end’

‘For I am much bigger, much splendid and much glorious than you know’

‘Had you let go off your perceptions, you could see what I show’

So don’t stop me, my place is in the clouds

Where I stretch my wings, open my mind and laugh out loud

You can’t stop me from being who I’m meant to be

And I chose to be the wonderful woman that I am, fierce and free!