Day 30 - The Last Leaf..

"When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It's all a matter of perspective."

Harvey Mackay

Today's post is inspired from O Henry's story 'The Last Leaf' which sublimely depicts optimism in the worst of times. Everything in the world will happen when it has to happen, you or me have no control over it. Ultimately, it is we who shape our lives, through our thoughts, decisions, and actions. Optimism and pessimism are two sides of the same coin. Either you choose to be a pessimist and jinx your own life or you choose the optimistic side and try to be happy and let others be happy as well.

When I searched on the internet for, 'how to be optimistic', I found 56,300,000 results in 0.39 seconds. Most of them essentially highlight how one can invite positive thoughts, practice positive assertion, think of the glass that is half full and so on. But why in the world was I reading them? Well lately, a series of events in my life made me very negative in my approach. I would think negatively, think of 'what ifs' in a negative manner, find flaws in every situation, regress back to the past, etc. All this negativity was draining my energy, my happiness, and I was sort of stuck in my life. I suddenly felt this need for detoxification of my mind, to find a way out of negative thoughts.

The first thing I did was avoiding arguments or discussions with a negative person. Whatever you say, they would find umpteen reasons to justify their stand. The discussions would just lead to nowhere except for ruining your day. Sometimes, negativity is so deeply rooted in their hearts that however hard you try, you cannot convince the person. Also, when you yourself are in a negative state of mind, talking to another such person will only drain you. So it's better to avoid such people altogether. And I did just that and trust me, this was a big step and more difficult than anything else, for it meant not interacting with friends and colleagues who were full of complaints, criticisms, and cynical comments and who would derive pleasure in belittling you. As somebody said: If you are in the company of people who rule you through fear, making you feel belittled and unappreciated, it's time to exit their lives. Don't let your loyalty become slavery, if they don't appreciate what you bring to the table, let them eat alone! This isn't saying "I hate them", it's saying "I love me!".

I tried to figure out something unique that would keep me happy and motivated. Writing for this blog served as a daily diary, wherein each day I filtered out only positivity. In the process, I learned about many things and I shared it here with you. For me, it proved to be an exercise to search for ideas and answers that constantly boggled my mind, quest for learning something new each day, and in the process I felt motivated and happy, and asserted that things would be better tomorrow if not today.

All good things must come to an end. With this, my fantastic journey of '30 signatures in 30 days' comes to an end. Each day I made an effort to think differently, to think positively; some days I was successful while on some days I couldn't give my 100%. But at least I tried. I hope all of you who have been a part of this small journey, learned something new each day and appreciated something at least. Negative thinking will not benefit any of you. So get rid of them in your own style.

I hope, the last leaf that hangs in here will always be a memento of hope and optimism, of a beautiful future that lies ahead of us. Nothing or nobody can deter us from living happily. Be happy today and always.

I thank all my family, friends and everyone who has been a part of this journey. 

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Day 29 - Stay calm, prioritize, bounce back!

"As Indian women, we are always balancing work, life, home, etc. It's important to know that while juggling rubber balls and glass balls, the former may bounce back when you miss, but the glass balls will crack if you let them fall. So prioritize, prioritize, prioritize." Nita Ambani

A topic close to my heart - who is better at multitasking - men or women. A debatable topic everywhere around the world but scientific research and studies favor women. It is said that women are better at multitasking while men are better performing a single task in hand. So while men may be better at map reading, women have superior memory and social cognition skills that make them more equipped for multitasking. However, whatever studies may say, the fact remains that very few women in India, actually reach the top and the reasons are all very familiar - childcare, gender bias at work, unfair share of domestic chores, security, etc...only 5% reach to the top as compared to the global average of 20% as per the latest report by ForbesIndia.

It is always the woman who has to face all the conflict when it comes to choosing between a career and her family. When a woman is at home she thinks she should contribute financially and when she is at work she thinks she should be home with her children. Indra Nooyi the CEO of PepsiCo says: "There is no denying the guilt because most women always have a prefix or suffix. When someone pays us a compliment for good work, we don't take credit so easily because the guilt that we have achieved this by sacrificing something else is always lingering. Today, my 20-year-old son is my mentor. He tells me not to feel guilty for anything. I am saying, don't feel guilty. Go ahead and take that break from work/career. Do what is right. Prioritize and integrate."

However, not many are lucky; blame it on our social conditioning or mindset, but the onus of child care and family care, rests on the shoulder of a woman - whether working or not working. I find many women around me holding a bunch of degrees but who have been unable to make it back to work. Some are unwilling to come out of their comfort zones while some are unable to do so due to many reasons apart from cultural norms, peer pressure, lack of family support, etc. At the same time we have many examples of women, who have taken a break from their career for the sake of their families but when they bounced back on their career lane they bounced high and they made it to the top. I feel every woman must work not just to gain financial independence but for your own self, for your self-esteem, for your own worth. 

No matter how much life pushes you down, you can always bounce back. So my message to all the women out there who have worked once but left their jobs due to whatever reason and to those who want to make it back - it's never too late. Keep trying.

Keep life simple, focus on one thing at a time. We can do it.
Stay calm, prioritize, bounce back!

Day 28 - Relax, breathe, do not think...

"People sometimes need to laugh, relax, and not take themselves so seriously." John Loflin

How often we think of relaxing, taking a break from our work, break from our daily routine and go far away from this world, from people, from neighbours, from friends, from struggles, from despairs, from discomfort, and unwind ourselves completely. Come to think of it, relaxing has never been possible for me. Life has kept me so busy, with work, responsibilities and duties, that I can never think of breaking away from this world. At the back of my mind, there's always something running, constantly worrying about something. My mind is perpetually working, thinking about ideas and concepts, learning and unlearning, wandering into realms over which I have no control at times.

When you think of the word relax you have different images conjuring up in your mind. For some relaxing would mean a walk by the beach, or reading a book, or lying for hours staring at the stars, watching a movie, listening to music or taking a holiday with family or friends. For me relaxing would be just to shut my mind - stop thinking and worrying, stop wondering and wandering!

Truly said: 
"Sometimes all you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess, just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best."

Relax and have a peaceful Sunday.

Day 27 - Some days you are up and some days you are down...

"Life is like the stock market. Some days you're up. Some days you're down. And some days you feel like something the bull left behind." Paula Wall

The stock market has always been unpredictable and whatever the experts say about it, it is futile to predict where the market is going. They are designed to be unpredictable. Similarly, our life is quite unpredictable. Some days are so good that everything seems to happen the way you wanted it to while some days are so bad that everything seems to go wrong. But imagine life without its ups and downs. We have to accept the ups and downs of our life positively. In fact, you start appreciating the good times only when you pass through the bad times. Struggles, hardships, and failures prepare you for the good times ahead. Amongst the many lessons that life has taught me is that during such period of 'downs' surround yourself with people who love you, support you and encourage you. Their strength and belief in you will carry you forward. The 'ups' in your life will leave great memories, but the 'downs' will become great lessons for the life ahead.

Somebody has truly said, forget the hurt but don't forget what it taught you. So enjoy the good days while it lasts and gather up all the strength and courage for the downs. 

Enjoy the day ahead...Every day may not be good, but there's something good every day! 

Day 26 - Achievements

"Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case, they are unique, poetic, products of the heart." Arthur Erickson

Some buildings or architectural ruins, sculptural or art works, or some natural features are so popular that people associate that building or a feature with a particular place. Those features become the landmark or icons. For example, the Opera house reminds you of Sydney, the Eiffel tower reminds you of Paris, the Statue of Liberty is associated with New York and the Taj Mahal is associated with Agra. Similarly, Dubai has its unique skyline which is made iconic by the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa. When I first landed in Dubai many years back, a good-natured friend just asked me how I felt about Dubai. I didn't know much about the city then but when I think about the places I have visited, Burj Al Arab stands apart. I have always admired this structure. Visible from far away it looks spectacularly white during the daytime while in the night it transforms into a vibrant display of colors. When it was built in 1999, it accumulated many records, as it was the highest (321m), the most luxurious (7 stars), and one of the most expensive hotel in the world. This impressive structure stands on an artificial island 300 metres from the coast. Designed by Architect Tom Wright, the tower resembles the Arabian dhow sail and is a tribute to the nation's seafaring heritage. It stands on an artificial island 280 meters away from the beach, connected to the mainland only by a curvilinear path.

Whatever I write about this iconic tower, it will not be enough. But here I present some facts that I found while researching about Burj Al Arab:

• The height of the atrium 180 metres - one of the tallest in the world.
• If one man was to build this structure it would take him 8,000 years to finish it.
• During the day, the hotel's public area relies solely on natural daylight.
• The diagonal trusses on the side of the building are as long as a football pitch and weigh as much as 20 double-decker buses.
• You need to walk up to 1080 steps to reach the 27th floor of Burj Al Arab
• It takes one full month, 19 people, plus the rope access team to clean the windows of the whole building.
• The building's external lighting scheme changes every 30 minutes from white to multi-colored.
• It is the world's tallest structure with membrane facade (made of white Teflon-coated fiberglass cloth).

Apart from the above facts, the Burj Al Arab has grabbed attention many a times for the following reasons:

• In March 2004, Tiger Woods became the first golfer to tee off from the property's iconic 27th storey helipad, 212 metres up.
• In 2005, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer played a practise match on the landing space ahead of the men's Dubai Duty-Free Tennis championship.
• In 2011, Rory McIlroy followed in Tiger's footsteps and teed off from the same spot.
• In 2013, David Coulthard performed a series of doughnuts in Infiniti Red Bull Racing's 750bhp Formula One car.

The impressive Burj Al Arab along with the incredible achievements of the above-mentioned people only reminds me of the words by Napolean Hill: "The starting point of all achievements is desire." Behind great achievements lie true desire, ample sacrifices, and steady planning. So if you wish to achieve something great, don't say 'I wish' but say 'I will'. 

Have a fabulous morning.

Day 25 - Be like a dolphin today.

Cultures have long heard wisdom in non-human voices; Apollo, god of music, medicine and knowledge, came to Delphi in the form of a dolphin. But dolphins, which fill the oceans with blipping and chirping, and whales, which mew and caw in the ultramarine jazz - a true rhapsody in blue - are hunted to the edge of silence. Jay Griffiths

Time and again, I have been inspired by nature. But it's not just me. From an artist to a jewellery designer, a doctor to a scientist, everyone draws inspiration from nature. You can be quirky or unconventional, but you can't deny this fact that nature has aided development in every aspect of our lives. Today's post is inspired by the Dolphin because this is one creature which continues to survive on the earth despite all odds. A valuable lesson to learn from this intelligent creature is to live in harmony with all other creatures. Also, just like the dolphins, you can achieve more in life when you work with people as a team rather than competing against each other.

Dolphins being mammals, surface every 15 minutes to breathe. A lesson to learn from this; When you feel life is getting more than routine and you are getting caught in the rut...take a deep breath...take a break. Do that more often.

Here are some interesting facts about the Dolphin that I gathered from around the web:

• Dolphins are the only mammals that give birth with the tail first instead of the head.
• They have two stomachs; One to store their food and one for digestion.
• It can dive up to 1,000 feet.
• Dolphins don't smell very well.
• The dorsal fin of every dolphin is unique and it can be used to identify them from each other.
• They can swim at a speed of up to 25 miles per hour for a long time. This is about 3 times faster than the fastest human in the world.
• There are about 100 teeth in the mouth of a dolphin.
• Only one side of the dolphin's brain sleeps at a time. This allows them to be able to breathe and to be able to watch for threats even while they are resting.
• Dolphins enjoy socializing and playing. They play with seaweed or with other members of the pod.
• They can weigh from 90 pounds to more than 11 tons.
• The dolphins use echolocation to find food and navigate.
• The killer whale or Orca is actually a dolphin.

I read somewhere that dolphins can remember the distinct whistle of another dolphin they shared a tank with upto 20 years ago, even if they only lived together for a few months. A lesson for us humans: At least try to remember the names of the people you meet!

Be like a Dolphin today. Have a playful spirit and be curious. Go through the day with ease. Jump for joy!

Day 24 - Drawing led me to architecture...

"It was the drawing that led me to architecture, the search for light and astonishing forms." Oscar Niemeyer

I share the sentiments. Drawing is one thing that led me to architecture and then the search for forms and shapes, texture and patterns, space articulation and what not.

As students of architecture, the tools of engineering drawings kept us amused and engrossed for most of the times. With dreams in our eyes and some peculiar concept running at the back of our minds, we stepped into our college each day, carrying a paraphernalia of drawing instruments and sheets. Unlike other college students who went off to their colleges with a couple of books in their hands, we were loaded with our drawing tools. You name it and we architecture students had it all with us; from T-squares to French curves, from compass to drawing templates, from thick sheets to tracing papers and so on. We were like portable drawing studio ourselves!

During our college days, making architectural drawings was a labored task. It involved sharpening our pencils correctly, using the correct pen nibs for inking, and careful selection of tracing papers and sheets. I remember that we stood for hours, with our backs bent on the drafting boards, making detailed design drawings. We took a lot of pain to draw that perfect curve for an arched door or a curvilinear wall, using a compass and a pencil. Many of us bought large sized compass to inscribe larger arcs and circles. I still remember the small stationary kiosk in our educational town, where we architecture students would rush in at odd hours of the day and even at night for stationaries and supplies, much to the chagrin of the shop-keeper, but then he made a good profit out of his business and he always had a smiling face. 

We worked for the entire night for our final presentation drawings. It was fascinating to watch our ideas emerging on to our drawing boards in the form of 2D and 3D drawings. Next morning in the college, we would exhibit our sheets on the display boards with equal passion and optimism, all to be drained and drowned, by the criticism of our professors and jurors. A student would feel most denigrated when the professor or the juror would make sketches on his sheet. The hours of gruelling work took no time to be reduced to self-deprecation at times.

We were the first batch in our college who got to use the computers and we positively carried on from there. Gone were those laborious days. We still continue to debate between computer-aided drawings and manually made drawings. But then as Thom Mayne said "Architecture is a discipline that takes time and patience." 

A quote by Harriet Tubman to start the day with: "Every dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have with you strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world."

Day 23 - Practice, Practice, Practice.

"Life is like a trumpet. If you don't put anything into it, you don't get anything out of it." William Christopher Handy

I remember this incident from my childhood days when during a TV show, a classical singer was asked the key to her successful music career and she beautifully rounded it up to just one word 'practice'. Practice is repeated performance or systematic exercise to acquiring any skill or proficiency in any subject matter. Now haven't we all heard this word 'Practice' too often in our lives. My daughter associates the word 'practice' with 'boredom', and I remember having the same attitude when my parents advised me to practice anything. Perfecting any art form or acquiring any skills needs ample of patience and practice. We are all born with some potential or talent, but the onus rests on us, to develop it further, by honing them through consistent practice. 

Popular singer Lata Mangeshkar once said: "If you ask me, I am a lot very much scared while doing stage shows. I practice for months together. Only then I face the audience. Because I do not like the trend of recording the songs beforehand and just moving your lips in front of the audience.....Nowadays I do not practice as before, riyaz is not possible as before....I have recorded the tanpura on cassettes. I put on the cassettes and sit for practicing. But mind it, every singer needs riyaz. If the throat doesn't get riyaz, it gets spoilt."

Practice is essentially a habit. When we learn any dance form or music or any sport, we repeatedly practice some movements and with consistent practice we slowly become good at it. Nothing is easy in life. We can learn something only by making conscious efforts. The key to playing the trumpet well is not just playing it loud, but to blow air into it with strength, which is technically called wind power. Similarly, in order to achieve our goals and target we need to practice in a correct way. Only hard work will not do. We need to know the wind power - the correct method of practice, to make our efforts go in the right direction. As Bruce Lee said: "I fear not the man who has kicked 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

Follow your dreams, work hard, with practice and perseverance, you can achieve your goals. 

Blow your trumpet to signal a glorious new morning today.

Day 22 - Life is like a flower, let it unfold!

I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;
I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.
But I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom, which man must learn.
Khalil Gibran, Song of the Flower

Beautiful words from the poet Khalil Gibran. We humans have always found flowers to be alluring and they have been an indispensable part of our lives, as we celebrate our joys and mourn our sorrows with them. Flowers are an essential part of our culture and traditions. In India, flowers are a part of celebrations and prayers, religious rituals and rites, ceremonies and festivals. The lotus flower, a symbol of purity and eternity, is not only our national flower, but it's also used in religious ceremonies. Similarly other flowers like marigold, roses, jasmine, etc. find an important place in our culture and traditions.

Different flowers have different meanings and convey different sentiments across the globe. For example; Aster was used to ward off evil spirits by the ancient civilization, bamboo is popular in China and is a symbol of grace and strength, Cherry Blossoms in Japan is associated with the transience of life, while Tulip is associated with fame and perfect love and is the national flower of Holland. Infact, Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold in Holland in the 1600s.

Here, are some buildings around the world that were inspired by the shape of flowers:
# The Lotus temple, in New Delhi-India designed by Fariborz Sahba, and opened in 1986, is inspired by the lotus flower. It has 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in a cluster of three to form nine sides.
# The 2,722 feet high Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai-UAE, designed by Architects SOM opened in 2010, is inspired from the symmetry of the desert flower Hymenocallis.
# The ArtScience Museum in Singapore opened in 2011, designed by Moshe Safdie is inspired by the lotus flower.
# The Tbilisi Public Service Hall in Tbilisi-Georgia, designed by Architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas in 2012, has eleven diversely shaped petals.
# The Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai-China built in 2005, with a capacity of 15,000 has a blooming magnolia-like steel roof. It was designed by the Japanese architect Mitsuru Senda.
# The Wuhan New Energy Centre in China currently under construction, designed by Grontmij with Soeters Van Eldonk Architects, is shaped after the Calla Lily, with a 140-metre tower in the centre, surrounded by lower towers in the shape of flowers and covered in vegetation.

Somebody has truly said,
Life is like a flower, let it unfold. Have a beautiful day ahead.

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Day 21 - Yoga: A journey

Yoga is the journey of the self through the self, to the self. Bhagwad Gita

Today I got up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the live telecast of the yoga event held at Rajpath in Delhi. It was a pristine sight and a synchronized event with the Prime Minister of India performing yoga with thousands of people including government officials and students. For a change, it was good to watch the news channel telecasting yoga events and good health practices instead of newsflashes on crimes and terror. 

Just a day ahead of the International day of Yoga, and I saw many not so enthusiasts of Yoga, posting their pics on the social media in several Yoga poses. Another amusing sight was that of the potbellied Government officials perfecting their poses and postures for the mega-event. However, it was good to learn that Yoga is being used in schools, prisons, and other places too to help alleviate suffering. There are some non-profit organizations in India that helps families and schools with autistic children through yoga. It is said that the children respond to simple breathing exercises that help them to slow down and ground themselves. Also, research says that yoga helps children between the ages of 6 and 11 to improve their academic performance. This information was enough for me to roll down my mat too and begin practice yoga with my daughter.

We also saw that as the Prime Minister of India propounded the International Day for Yoga sometime in September last year at the UN, he was met with protests and controversies from within our own country wherein lies the origin of Yoga. An article in TOI essentially pinpoints on how yoga is beyond religion. The first translation of the Patanjali yoga sutra was in Arabic and was commissioned by Mahmud of Ghazni. It was translated in Arabic by a renowned scholar Al Beruni and called 'Kitab Patanjal'. Moreover, one doesn't need to be a Hindu to practice yoga. Across the globe, yoga is seen as an alternate method to strengthen your mind and body. 47 Muslim countries including UAE is co-sponsoring International Yoga Day. Yoga is for everyone irrespective of age, gender or nationality. More than 20 million people in the US itself practice yoga where the top five reasons to practice yoga was flexibility, general conditioning, stress relief, improve overall health and physical fitness. Today we have several forms of yoga, from acro yoga to aerial yoga, but the essence of it lies in its timeless quality. Yoga is about self-development, being productive and creative. It's about acquiring deftness of your skills, achieve peace of the mind, which in turn helps acquiring motivation. 

Hope people around the world understand the long-term benefits of yoga and not make it a one-day affair by just 'twisting' and 'tweeting' for the day.

Hope yoga changes the world for better! Have a rejuvenating day.

Day 20 - Steps to success...

"The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs." Vance Havner

A staircase is often linked with success. Ask a dream analyst and he will tell you about positive and negative interpretations about ascending and descending a stair. A cinematographer will tell you how stairs have been used creatively as the centre stage of many films. A fitness expert will tell you of how regular stair climbing can aid in your cardiovascular workout. Ask me as an Architect, and I will tell you about the importance of stairs in a building. 

Our life is like a staircase. We have many dreams and aspirations, but we need to take small steps to get there. Success is not instant. Little steps every day counts in making something a little better. Somebody has truly said that there is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs. Whether you want to save money for your vacations, you want to give up addiction to something, switching from one career to another, learn a new cuisine or an art form, you need to take small steps each day. You can't jump to the top. 

You will find thousands of people climbing the stairs with you but not reaching the top and giving up in the process. I would say if you want to reach the top, take small steps from the bottom, take a break when you begin to pant and wear off, relax and reward yourself for whatever little goals you achieved, and then continue with sure steps. Don't quit...remember why you took the steps in the first place. Stay motivated and prepare yourself for long-term goals, that gives a direction to your success. With self-discipline, hard work and determination we can certainly achieve our goals. 

Some interesting facts about staircases I couldn't stop myself from posting:

• The longest staircase in the world can be found on the slopes of Mount Niesen on the slopes of the Swiss Alps. There are 11,674 steps in all and is nicknamed the 'Swiss Pyramid' for its triangular shape.
• Angkor Wat temple stairs in Cambodia were made supposedly made steep to remind the climbers that heaven is hard to reach!
• The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps is perhaps the world's longest mosaic staircase with 163 steps. Over 2000 handmade tiles and 75,000 fragments of tile, mirror and stained glass were used in the finished staircase in San Francisco, USA.
• The Bridge, over the Traversinertobel in Switzerland, is a suspended footbridge spanning a distance of 56 metres, with a difference in height of 22 metres between the two ends. The problem of connecting two different elevations over the gorge was solved by creating this staircase.
• In England, the Cockney dialect uses the term "apples and pears" to refer to stairs. Imagine saying "I am going down the apples and pears quickly"!
• In China, the first granite stairs were used as a symbol of religious power.
• For all the Maths wizards - The Devil's Staircase is a mathematical function known as the Cantor set, wherein the derivative is 0 almost everywhere, but it magically rises from 0 to 1!

Finally, don't ever stop dreaming...take small steps today and every day.

Step on to a nice day today!

Day 19 - Enjoy the rains.

"You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That's a part of it." Denzel Washington

It is summer time in Dubai. Temperatures during the daytime are soaring to 50-degree C already. How I wish it rained here! 

Several regions in India have already been hit by torrential rains. 

Think of rains and I am reminded of colorful umbrellas, children in raincoats, water boats, puddles and more. Not to forget the scrumptious hot savories and snacks that are found in the streets. Rains call for hot pakoras and hot masala chai available at roadside stalls. Another popular street food is the Bhutta (corn cobs) braised with lemon and masala, made by the 'bhuttawala' just down the street. If you are indoors while it's raining, hot samosas and kachoris are bound to keep you satiated for a long time. Typically a rainy day makes me very lazy. All I would love to do is read a book sitting on my favorite couch or enjoy listening to music while hearing the pitter patter of the rainfall. 

Come rains and India becomes a field of woes. There is one common problem that binds every city in India i.e unpreparedness of the civic bodies to deal with the rains. There is water-logging in several parts of the city since there is improper drainage facility and low-lying areas become water inundated. There will be unending traffic jams, water logging on the roads, disruption of internet connectivity and television signals, and other associated problems. Some things just never change!

But then every season has its highs and lows. Just as John Ruskin said: Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, the wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

So, while I enjoy the hot summer in Dubai, I hope all my family members and friends out there in India, enjoy the rain while it lasts. 

Walk in the rain, dance in the rain or just get wet...Have a happy rainy day!

Day 18 - Home is where your heart is...

"Home is where your heart is." Pliny the Elder

It has been years since I visited my hometown and it's that very house in that small town, where we two sisters grew up, fought and played pranks. It was in that very house where we achieved many of our childhood milestones. It was probably the longest time I have ever stayed in one house. Over the years, we have moved to so many different apartments but I still remember each one of them. I don't remember how many windows my previous apartment had, but I remember what beautiful views it offered, I don't remember the size of my drawing room, but I remember every corner wherein echoed my child's laughter, I don't remember how big the dining room was, but I remember the parties we hosted and the fun we had with our friends in the dining area. I remember our previous houses, not for their architectural details but for the comfort it offered. Wherever I am, at the end of the day, I always want to return to that enclosed space called my home.

Somebody has truly said - a house is built with walls and beams, a home is made of love and dreams.

Here's some interesting stuff I found about homes:
- In parts of Germany and Poland, when a couple marries, the guests break a whole lot of porcelain in front of the bride's home to symbolize the struggles the new couple will face as they build a home together. It's called 'Polterabend'.
- Brass door-knobs disinfect themselves. It's called oligodynamic effect. The ions in the metal have a toxic effect on spores, fungi, virus, germs, etc and eliminate them within eight hours.
- The original house-warming party was indeed house-warming. The guests brought firewood as gifts and lit fires in all the fireplaces in the home not just to warm up the place for the family but also to ward off evil spirits.
- A red front door symbolizes many things: the ancient Hebrews believed it would protect their first born children from the angel of death, for the early Americans it meant the home was a safe place for travelers to stop for night. 
- According to Feng Shui, a red front door invites positive energy into a home. 
- In Scotland, homeowners paint their front door red when they pay off their mortgage.
- According to an old superstition, if a bird flies into a home, death is soon to follow.
- The people of Easter Island have a word 'tingo', which means to 'to take objects one desires from the house of a friend by gradually borrowing all of them until there's nothing left'. Now that's what I call true friendship!
- Chinese 3D printing construction company WinSun successfully put up a 5-storey apartment, an 11,840 square foot villa, and 10 small houses, in a single day using quick-drying cement and recycled industrialized waste.

Have a Homy Day!

Day 17 - Love your daughters

"A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give." Laurel Atherton

One of my happiest moment was when my daughter was born. I still remember her chubby little face and small curls on her head, her tiny fingers twining around my thumb, and oh she was simply adorable. The day she was born I had decided that I will give her the best I can, just like my parents who gave us two sisters all the love, care, support and have always been our guiding pillars till date. This post is dedicated to all the girls around the world.

We all know what is the status of a girl child in India; she faces discrimination even before she is born. Denial of fundamental needs and rights, preference for sons, early marriages, domestic abuse, no access to education, and also less food. On reading a UN report, I learned that this is not the case just in India but in other developing nations too. Just have a look at what the statistics have to say:

- Of the more than 110 million children not in school, approximately 60% are girls.

- By the age of 18, girls have received an average of 4.4 years less education than boys.

- From the 130 million primary school-age children worldwide who are not enrolled in school, about 60% are girls.

- At least 1 in 3 girls and women worldwide has been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime.

- Around 450 million adult women in developing countries are stunted, a direct result of malnutrition in early life.

I was horrified to find not just these appalling figures but also many other stories and incidents around the globe which highlight discrimination against girls. I found stories wherein it's not just the male members who discriminate against the opposite gender but also the women of the household who are to be equally blamed. 

A few words from John Mayer's song 'Daughters' that fits in here:
Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too.....

Poverty, cultural norms or whatever the reason maybe for this gender disparity, we can and should give, the best education and support to our daughters. Many a times I have came across parents who have refused to invest in their daughter's education with the same vigor as they do for their sons since they feel that the girls will ultimately end up being housewives and mothers, so its wiser to invest in their marriages later. They are ready to spend crores of rupees on marriages but not on education. They don't realise that when they educate a girl it is more than book-knowledge; education empowers women socially and economically. You never know, your daughters may be educating your grandsons tomorrow!

My message to all the girls and the women around the world (though it may sound a little cliche but it comes straight from the heart):

Don't be afraid to speak up, fight for your dreams. 
You have the power to create a better world. So make it happen. 
Live with dignity and laugh without fear. 
Most importantly believe in yourself. 
The world is yours.

---

sources referred:
www.un.org
www.who.int
www.unicef.org

Day 16 - A happy you makes a happy marriage.

"Marriage is a mosaic you build with your spouse. Millions of tiny moments that create your love story."  Jennifier Smith

As per a data, 60-70% of marriages in India are arranged marriages even today. The groom and the bride meet a once or twice at the most, with the consent of parents and elders. Thereafter begins the long process of setting the dates, planning the event, sending out invitations and so on. Seven rounds around the fire taken solemnly with seven vows accompanied with elaborate rituals and ceremonies, affirms and binds them into a lifelong relationship. Love, affection, respect and abundant sacrifices follow later.

Whether it's an arranged marriage or a love marriage, a marriage becomes successful only when both the sides make compromises and sacrifices for one another. Caring and sharing goes together - Care for your relationship, and also share your problems and concerns regarding any issue. I am not an expert on marriage to give advice on a successful marriage, but all these years has taught me one important lesson in my life 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach'. Believe me, most of our problems, concerns, and conflicts have been resolved over the dining table. A word of caution though: Avoid any confrontations over a badly cooked meal!

Don't keep blaming your partner for things you could've done and complain about things you don't have. Be happy with what you have for life could have been worse. So enjoy your days with your life partner and strive to make your relationship work. As Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott said: "Marriage doesn't make you happy, you make your marriage happy." 

So here's wishing you all a happy you, for a happy you makes a happy marriage. 

(dedicated to all the married couples and would be life partners)

Day 15 - Live and let live...

"Human life is as evanescent as the morning dew or a flash of lighting." Samuel Butler

Research says most of us nowadays are triggered with 'Sunday Blues' wherein we get anxiety triggered by thoughts of work the following day. I start making a list of 'to-dos', forgetting that it's only the weekend and I should be enjoying it with my family. After all God made us human beings and not 'human doings'! We are there to err and make mistakes. After all that is life. Or is that so? I have often wondered what is my role on this earth? Was I meant to be what I am? Am I doing the right thing? Though I am not the spiritual types, I thought today let me search what people have to say about human life. Interestingly, there were many chapters on the internet and discourses that talk about the same. I came across a discourse by Swami Mukundananda who explained the concept of human life in succinct words. Here's briefly what he said.

"The soul starts migrating from one lifetime to another lifetime and once in a while receives a human form. In this human form, we have the opportunity to gain perfect transcendental knowledge, to cut through the bondage of 'Maya', break the cycle of liberation and attain the supreme lord. To be attached to your children, to your parents, eating, sleeping, mating, defending - animals also do that. The goal of a human form is to rise upwards. Scriptures point to four goals - Dharma (do pious deeds), Arth (economic enhancement), Kaam (worldly enjoyment), Moksha (breaking out of the cycle of life and death). With the above four goals, we haven't attained a relationship with God. To attain divine love for God is the purpose of human life which is called 'Parabhakti'."

I agree that our life is not meant for eternity. At the same time, it's not easy for all of us to break out of our normal lives (as we call it) into spiritual lives to attain 'Parabhakti'. We have our duties and responsibilities in the various roles we play as a mother, wife, daughter, etc. But in this process, let's not hurt one another, squabble over petty issues, complain and crib. Let's live with love, compassion, and peace. Be thankful for what you have and enjoy the small moments of life. 

"Dum vivimus, vivamus, Horace." (Since we are living, let us live well)

Have a lovely day.

Day 14 - Hopperty, skipperty, high and low...life is full of fun.

Grasshopper Green is a comical chap;

He lives on the best of fare.

Bright little trouser, jacket, and cap, 

These are his summer wear.

Out in the meadow he loves to go,

Playing away in the sun;

It's hopperty, skipperty, high and low, 

Summer's the time for fun.

(Author unknown)

I remember this poem from our school days. These lines need no explanation. It just reminds me of the carefree life we led as a child. Sweet memories of those glorious days, when there were no hardships, no worries, and no troubles. There were no deadlines to be completed, no financial worries, no bills to worry about, no health issues. Life was filled with fun, frolic, and laughter.

Seeing my child today full of joy, dreams, and imagination, it reminds me of my childhood days too. To her nothing seems impossible and nothing beyond imagination; a piece of paper becomes her airline ticket, a stick becomes her magic wand, an ordinary pebble becomes a diamond, a table top becomes a mountain, the space underneath the table becomes a castle. This very innocence makes us enjoy our life. 

Enjoy your life like a child. Go hopperty, skipperty, high and low...for life is full of fun.

Have a Hopperty, Skipperty Day!

Day 13 - Build from the past, which can bridge to the future...

"Keep all special thoughts and memories for lifetimes to come. Share these keepsakes with others to inspire and build from the past, which can bridge to the future."

Mattie Stepanek

(Amazingly, this is quoted by a 13-year-old boy, who at such a tender age became an advocate of peace and a motivational speaker. And we think, we as adults know it all!)

We advertise many of our personal moments on facebook and on other social medias viz. birthdays, graduations, ceremonies, and weddings, but are they truly the most treasured moments of our lives? Today, I don't remember how I celebrated my 5th or 10th birthdays, but I do remember the cakes, lovingly baked by my mom on each of my birthdays. I don't remember what prizes I won during the umpteen competitions held during my school days, but I remember the encouraging, happy and smiling faces of my parents. I don't remember my graduation day, but I still remember the proud look on my parents' face, the day I got a degree in my hand. Wanting to see those 'proud look' and 'happy faces', has many a times inspired me, to carry myself forward. These special memories are the true keepsakes that inspire us from time to time. 

Here are some interesting facts about bridges:
-The Golden Gate bridge is actually painted in orange color officially known as International Orange.
-The Oldest bridge in Paris is named 'Pont-Neuf' which actually means new bridge.
-The Moses Bridge in Netherlands is built of Accoya wood which is a high-tech wood more durable than the tropical woods.
-A bridge designed by Leonardo da Vinci to span the Golden Horn in Istanbul has been built some 500 years later in Oslo-Norway, and its the first major civil engineering project to be built from da Vinci's drawings. 
-The Gateshead Millenium Bridge is referred to as the Blinking Eye Bridge due to its shape and tilting method. It is a pedestrian and cyclist tilt bridge, spanning the River Tyne in England.
-The Oresund Bridge crosses the Oresund strait and joins Sweden with Denmark. It begins as a cable-stayed bridge in Sweden and ends as a tunnel in Denmark.
-The Slauerhoffbrug bridge, in the Netherlands, is a fully automatic bridge with the ability to sense and adapt to its surroundings. It can quickly sense and transform to the position needed allowing ships to pass.

Bridges 

(Anonymous)

What stories could these bridges tell
If they could only talk?
They'd tell us of the ones who rode
And those who had to walk,

The rich, the poor . . . those in-between
Who used their planks to cross,
The soldiers, farmers, businessmen
In buggies, sleighs, by "hoss",

Like sentinels these bridges stand
In spite of flood and fire,
Their rugged, stalwart strength remains
Our future to inspire.

Have a memorable day!