Anecdote #24

I was always one of those who was skeptical of people who went to Starbucks. I thought that more than anything, they visited the coffeehouse to be a part of the lavish display of wealth. Last year my opinion changed drastically.
My mother was back to working full time after a sabbatical of around 4 years and it was my 12th. I was still figuring out as to what I wanted to do in the near future and often would feel lonely at home as both my parents are working. I was falling prey to the games my mind was playing on me and knew that I had to look for a solution. I realised that I needed a change of scene. During the dark and dingy month of December being alone at home can get depressing. The closest place I could go to and study was Starbucks. Very often I had seen people sit there and work so I decided to give it a try. I am going to be blatantly honest when I say that the food and coffee there is not upto my liking but the vibe of the place drew me in. I would order a small green tea and sip on it for hours sometimes and go on with my work. When I would get bored, I would look up and observe all that was happening around me. It served as a rendezvous for lovers, as a spot to chill with friends and many a times a place where people held official meetings. Sometimes I would see familiar faces but they were no more than distant acquaintances. They would recognise me and I would wonder what they thought of me. Maybe they held the same opinions I had earlier, " she's just here to boast about her visit to this place," but frankly I wasn't disturbed by this. I knew that I had the trust of my mother, at times she would encourage me to go because she knew I was trying to find a solution to my problem and not gallivanting. Slowly, I got better and became a regular. The place began to feel familiar like the pair of jeans you always resort to on a lazy day. Maybe I hadn't fully recovered but the process is slow. It was the first step on the stairway to growth. This routine also made me more independent, confident and most importantly enabled me to emerge out of my shell. So Thank you Starbucks for not kicking me out and saving my life!

Anecdote #23

It is the seasons of entrance exams and like many others I happened to appear for one of them, the law entrance, CLAT. Prior to that I had appeared for the AILET. Though I have no intentions of doing law I went ahead with these exams as I had registered for them months ago. When I reached the remote location in Pitampura to give the AILET, I was pretty intimidated by the sheer number of aspirants and some of them seemed to be much older. The panic began to set in, after a lot of inconvenience my father and I had found a parking spot but post that we were struggling to find my room number on the notice board. It was finally time to enter the premises, as soon as I entered the classroom all eyes were transfixed on me as though all of the aspirants were expecting me to make a mistake. Later I could see why, there was a lot of chaos; people were entering the wrong room; sitting on the wrong seat and creating confusion. I patiently waited for the paper and as soon as I got it the difficulty level shocked me beyond belief. I had given a lot of mock tests and knew that the standards of NLU Delhi were very high but this was something else. The only response I could manage was a laugh as I knew this was inconsequential for me and I did the best I could. This experience taught me that curveballs are best handled with a cool head. I tried to act like Kohli, hitting a sixer in questions I was sure of and avoiding bouncers which I knew I couldn't attempt. All in all I was happy and ready to take on CLAT.
So during the week before CLAT I studied a bit of GK to apprise myself of certain important events which I found interesting. After reading up, an interesting fact I stumbled upon was that my father's former boss was now the President of INS! This went on and finally Sunday arrived.
I was eager to go not because I was thoroughly prepared but because I was ready for a new experience. CLAT is a computerised test so there are a limited number of students per centre due to the paucity of desktops. Most of the people there were known faces as our coaching institute had advised all of us to undertake synchronised registration. This made me feel very much at ease. The checking there was extremely strict and I was frisked from head to toe violently (of course by a woman) which left me scandalized. Post the biometric registration and demo exam we finally began! Mind you, I went in at 1:30 PM and came out at 5:30 PM. The exam was to my utter delight simple and straightforward. Though time was a constraint I was satisfied with it.
I can conclude by saying that I know that I will not be one of the toppers but I surely know I will be one of those who can say "pass to ho hi jayenge."

Anecdote #22

As my class 12 board exams finally got over today (post the economics paper leak fiasco), my mother decided to take me out for a movie. It was Varun Dhawan's 'October.' I hadn't read it's reviews and nor am I very passionate about movies so I didn't have any expectations.
The movie was about how Dan abandons his life completely to support Shiuli and her family as she went through a tragic accident that left her in a coma. The fact was that they weren't even friends but merely coworkers yet he just left everything to be there for her. This was the setting of the entire movie. I was not being able to process all that he was doing because it was everything against what the world teaches you. I have been conditioned to not even let a friend distract me from my goals which was for the time being to be a high scoring student.
So the enormity of his sacrifice perplexed me. I asked my mother that why was he so obsessed with her, why is he letting go of his job for a hopeless case? Her answer was simple- we are emotionally connected to certain people maybe without much interaction and they are subconsciously a large part of us. This really connected with me as are there are a few people in my life who are such an integral part of my life  yet I may not interact with them on a daily basis. Such people may not be your friends but a face you see everyday, a teacher or a person to look up to.
This film was also an eye opener that taught me that destiny runs its course and we must accept whatever happens in our life and be grateful for it.
My birthday is around the corner and initially I was planning to have an elaborate party but later I decided not to as I wanted to have an intimate affair. After watching this movie I realised that I made the right decision. All these trivialities of life get tiring after a point and slowing down and making your life simpler automatically makes everything so much easier. I'm glad I did not waste so much money when there are people who are trying to make ends meet, dying to pay hospital bills or fending for their family all alone. Why not help them instead? In place of the guilt we feel after splurging on items we'll atleast feel that the money was put to good use. Things come go but people have the power of memory so why not make a place in their hearts to make a difference 

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.