Whenever You Feel Down!

          Whenever you feel down, listen to your heartbeat. If it is still alive and pumping, you are not done yet. So get up and get going and never give up as long as your heart doesn't give up!

          Whenever you feel down, turn to nature. The gentle and cool evening breeze, the sweet song of birds and the exotic fragrance of flowers are sure to cheer you up and you will be up and running in no time!

          Whenever you feel down, put on your headset, take your car and go for a night ride. The world at night is completely different from what you see at day. The world is more accepting at night and gives you ample time and space to analyze your decisions and understand where you went wrong. It's hard to feel down after a late night or early morning drive with sweet music. The cool night breeze, the heavenly silence and the approaching dawn are sure to lift your moods!
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          Whenever you feel down, remember that happiness and sadness make life all the more interesting. You feel sad because you also know how happiness feels like. You cannot appreciate the sun if half the day is not covered in darkness. That is life - it is similar to a rollercoaster. Unless you come down, you cannot go up. So enjoy the ride. You get only one! Nothing can explain this better than this comic!

          Whenever you feel down, take a book - a physical one. The smell of old books is hard to ignore. Start reading and get lost in your own world away from all the sorrows and sufferings. Fight a war in ancient Egypt, scale the peaks of the Himalayas, taste the delicious lamb stew prepared in USA, dance infront of the Eiffel Tower or better yet, travel to the future - all through just words. You've got an effective time machine and dream machine combined into one in the form of books. Never miss them!

You have one life. Live it! Love it! And Enjoy it!

A Trip to Goa

              Ever since my childhood, I've always lived in a hot place where sweat forms a daily ingredient in most of your food. The Sun shares such a deep bond with my town that it loves smiling at us with all its teeth glittering. During the evenings, the Sun reluctantly retires and the people look forward to a breezy night. But more often than not, they get disappointed as the night becomes even more humid and leaves us people sultry and wishing for the day where atleast the wind shows mercy. So, born and brought up in such a place where the Sun never takes a holiday, I usually long for trips to faraway locations, where I could find myself a room with a view of the lake, where I could use the room heater instead of the Air Conditioner, where I could cover myself from head to toe with a blanket to shied myself from the cool and icy fingers.

           But that dream still remains a far cry, though I must say, a part of that dream was fulfilled when, atlast, I stepped out of my town and went on a trip to Goa - one of the most exotic places India offers. My school is not known for excursions, and the best they could arrange so far, was a trip to a nearby temple on a Sunday morning. So it was nothing less than a pleasant surprise when my teachers said that we are going on a 7 day trip to Goa - the land of the beaches. I was so excited and at the same time nervous, since this was my first trip faraway from home. I have heard a lot of interesting titbits about Goa, the beautiful beaches there, the gorgeous girls complimenting the beaches, the views and sea-food restaurants. To me, Goa was more of a place of my dreams, and to really go to such a place, with my beast pals was something I could not miss out.

           And off we went, first to Bangalore, from where we boarded a train to Goa. Ever since I reached the outskirts of the city, I knew I was going to have a terrific time. Even from the train, the beautiful mountains, the broad landscape stretching as far as the horizon, provided breathtaking sight-seeing. Once we landed in the city, we could feel ourselves energized by the air, by the greenery everywhere and most importantly, nature's splendid beauty. The city was so refreshing, so charming, and so soothing that I could hardly believe such a place existed on earth. We visited around 4 or 5 beaches and every beach had its own tale to tell. The sea, so calm and yet so beautiful in its own way, was very welcoming indeed. The cool touch of the beach sand, the gentle kiss of the waves and the melody of the sea are feelings to behold. You just can't hate this city.

          While the beaches enthralled us, the food delighted us. Such was the variety of the food that was being served, that I had real difficulty choosing which to eat and which to ignore. Crabs, lobsters and fresh fish - my favorites - formed the major portion of most of the dish. On top of all this, I was with my best pals! There is a saying that you can never appreciate the true beauty of something unless you have someone to share the joy with. And the company I had, such great company it was - my sweet friends who have shaped and moulded my life right from kindergarten were there with me right beside me to share my delight. Ah! How lucky I was!

           And then, there was another surprise in store for me. My school had arranged a boat-ride! What a huge boat that was, fully equipped with a bar, hotel and a stage. People who have never before danced in their life started dancing to the boat's rhythm. And I've got to say, the views from the boat, the islands and the shore are all sights you should never miss!

           It did not stop with the beaches, the food and the boats. There were so many small things, so cute and so sweet, that served to make my day. The chirping of the birds, the dancing of the palm trees to the tune of the wind, the refreshing air and the smell of sea-food...the list goes on.

           And I went mad about taking photos. I clicked somewhere around 2000 snaps and I could never get enough. Memories form an important part of one's life as they are the only remainder of one's past, however sad or happy it may be. And memories are never in your control, you can never erase bad memories, nor can you suppress them. And that is precisely why I love saving memories of my happy days. Even now, when I see the photos, I could almost smell the beach air and feel the waves happily lapping my feet. I never believed heaven and hell, but after visiting this place, I had to change my view. Heaven does exist, and you don't need to get killed to see it. Those seven days were days I'll never forget in my life, the sweet memories etched in my heart in golden letters, reminding me of the fantastic time I had, for years to come.

Life - The Mystery!

What is this life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and stare!
- W.H.Davies

         

         Life - why this mad rush? Why this crazy run towards something that forever evades us? Today's life has become such a mad dash towards something indefinite without stopping to admire the beauties that surround us during the journey. Is it money that we are running behind? Is it happiness that we are chasing? If not, what is it?

          During ancient times, man's life was so simple. He killed for his food and slept in a cave. But, as years passed, man started inventing and discovering new things. These inventions and discoveries were solely intended for man's own comforts. The discovery of fire, the invention of wheels, the invention of electric bulb, telephones and automobiles were all meant to make his life simpler. But why is his life getting more and more complex?

          A girl once asked her mother what was the point of life when everyone is going to die one day. The mother calmly bought her kid her favorite icecream. The kid was delighted and ate the icecream with pleasure. Once the kid finished eating the icecream, the mother asked her where was the icecream. he kid replied that it was gone. The mother asked her kid what was the point of eating an icecream when it was going to disappear anyway. That was when the kid understood this: It's not the destination but the journey that matters!

          But are we enjoying the journey as it is meant to be? Why do we always strive for more instead of living contentedly with what we have? Desire? Desire for territory that wages war and kills innumerable innocent souls, desire for money that makes one earn in unjustifiable ways, desire for power that guides one along the path of crime and hatred - wait a minute! Is desire the right word? Or is it Greed? Where is the line between desire and greed? I'll say the line is too blurred for anyone to notice it clearly.

          Lets take the life of an average human being. He does his schooling and higher studies for the first 20 years. Nearly one-third of his life is spent in education. The next 40 years are spent in earning. His sole aim in life is to buid a home, get a car, reproduce, marry them off and be in a better financial position than his friends by the age of 60. But by that time, isn't his life all but completed? Is life only about slogging for money?

          When you do something you love, you are not working but Living your Life! There is a huge difference between the two. When you follow your heart and do something you love, you start waiting for Monday on a Saturday morning. That is how you are supposed to live your life, isn't it? Is life a punishment or a blessing? Have time to smell the fragrance of flowers! Have time to listen to the music of birds! Have time to go outdoors, to play, sleep and  enjoy. Life, with all its  pleasures, is too huge a heaven for one to brood over petty differences. Life, with all its pleasures, is too delightful a journey for one to grow hatred and enmity over fellow people. Follow your heart, follow your dreams. Life on this planet is not eternal, but lets make sure that the short time we have is enough to spread happiness. Life is one, but if we live it properly, once is enough!

Because, as William W. Purkey rightly said,

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.

We have one life. Live it! Love it! And Enjoy it!