Anecdote #21

Forty rules of love, a book by Elif Shafak has changed my perspective of life. Shams of Tabriz, a name that is seldom heard has inspired me to delve deeper into the world of sufism. He was the companion or should I say the guiding light who made Rumi who he was. Yes, Rumi the poet was spiritually awakened by Shams leading him to the path of self discovery.

Along the storyline Shams enables many to look deeper into themselves and realise their true aim in life. He inspires them each time with a new rule out of the forty rules of love. 

This isn't any ordinary love but the liberating divine love.

 As I read on I realised how far behind I was, entangled in this chaotic whirlwind of emotions, pressure and anxiety. Shams taught me to just let go and follow my destiny. He in his innocently mischievous way inspired me to love each one of God's creations. He also warned to stay away from those who pull me away from this true realisation. How marvellous is that even though he is physically absent his deeds still inspire many like me. 

Another story runs in parallel to that of Rumi and Shams. It is that of Ella and Aziz, who though are continents part, complete each other. They say love comes when it has to and it does come for them, transforming their existence. 

This incredible exposure to the sufi world has made me determined to lead a purposeful life. I am not going to lead a monotonous life for sure. I have rekindled my tryst with music. It helps me connect with the divine and urges me add to purpose to my life. I will be passing out from school soon and I know that thereafter I will truly be able to embark on this journey.

I am still waiting for my Shams who may come into my life as a friend, confidante, lover, spiritual guide and if God wills it may be all of this rolled into one.

Anecdote #20

Being a humanities student of class 12 means that you have to compile a lot of files. Mind you, writing files is not an easy job especially if you're handwriting is illegible. To top that you have to embellish the file to make it look fancy. In my opinion you need to have a decent amount in your pocket to pull off file work. From glitter paper, coloured pens, separators to hole guards this list goes on and on. With the amount of stationery I currently possess I feel that I could even sell it off to get some cash in hand. Often the glitter lying on side table gets smeared on to my face making me look no less than a disco ball in school.
Getting funding to buy this stationery is not an easy job either. The shagun you receive on Diwali, and other such monetary gifts from your masis, tais and tayas are also invested to finance this endeavour. The actual part of writing the file is not that tough. But adding that pizzazz to it can leave you exhausted.
Every time students are asked to bring their files to school it is an anxiety provoking situation for me. I put in my best  but somehow the others manage to outdo my efforts by adding fancy diagrams, plastic folders, using flashy pens to add headings. Thus I go back to where I began- the stationery shop. This is the first time in my entire life that I have visited the market so often. I have to alternate between different stationery stores as I'm afraid of what the shopkeepers will think of me. I wonder what they think every time I go there. "There she is again, wonder what she wants now" might describe their state of mind.  In their defence I ask for the most unconventional things. "Bhaiya gelly roll pen hai? Bhaiya hand made paper hai? yeh wala nahi bhaiya chota size do, Koi or colour nahi hai kya?"
By now you must be thinking that I am quite the spender but on the contrary saving green notes is actually a hobby. This business of writing practical files has changed me! I used to yearn to save a few bucks on purchases but now I go a few hundred extra. I have 'practically' gone mad.

Anecdote #19

The Delhi winter seems cold but in comparison to the heritage city of Amritsar, it's actually nothing. Yes, I recently visited the city of Amritsar and now the love for my punjabi roots has just accelerated. For my annual day this year I performed on a  punjabi song and ever since that I have been meaning to renew my connection with Punjab. When my father told me he wanted to make a short trip to the city I was more than happy to accompany him. My first impression of the city was delightful, I loved the scenery, the sky, the short patches of mustard and long roads.

Through the course of the trip my father had made an interesting observation that smaller cities have their own charm and honestly I couldn't agree more.

The people were ready to offer help, converse and serve. The golden temple of all places embodies this, the people volunteer to help and serve their peers no matter what background they come from and absorbing the positivity of that atmosphere is truly a feeling that I treasure. With saying that I must admit that there is also the treasure of authentic lip smacking punjabi cuisine. The food there is nothing short of a heavenly delight, from the Kulchas to the chola puri at kanha sweets each meal exists in the form a vivid memory for me. If I speak from my heart I was initially very hesitant about eating at dhabas but actually Amritsar is all about eating out and experimenting. The food we get at restaurants that offer Indian cuisine is nowhere close to the real stuff! The authentic food of India is only available on the streets. So my suggestion to all of you is to put on your shoes and explore. For starters explore your own city or even your own vicinity because the happiness you will get in these simple explorations will last a lifetime.

Anecdote #18

There always exists an eternal struggle between what to do and what not do, be it career options, matters pertaining to the heart or the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Either people choose the suitable option or they don't and the funny part is that we never do know what is right for us.

I encountered such a situation where I had a meltdown, you see I was preparing for a certain competitive exam but lacked clarity of the fact whether I liked it or not. I was also under a  lot of stress  as balancing my schoolwork with this was turning out to be a burden.

I was extremely confused and maybe still am because I had perfectly mapped my future but it turns out I was meant to follow a different path. At first I couldn't come to terms with it and could not contain my emotions. I was not at all proud of this but on the inside I felt completely helpless and had to let it out.
With the help of my wonderful parents I was back on my feet in no time because the made the right decision for me which was to be patient,  not to worry and to explore. I know now that I will excel at something only if I truly feel that my heart is in it. This realisation comes with time so for that too we need to be prepared, if we want to take on the world, live with joy and warmth then we need to let go so that sooner or later we know what we were born to pursue.