Baby talk:)

The other day I was in a flight, and sitting behind me was a young man with his one and a half year old kid. Here is an abstract of the conversation that took place between the two of them:

Kid: " Daddy I wanna wiieoooooo..."

Daddy: "You want to sit near the window? Okay.

Kid: "Daddy mamimeeeemmaa..."

Daddy: "Okay mama will sit with you."

Kid: "Geeeeeeen..."

Daddy: "Yes I am wearing a green shirt."

Kid: "Haeeeloooopen..."

Daddy: "Yes son, this is an aeroplane."

Quite interesting, and so very touching in its own way - I couldn't help but eavesdrop :)

Being thankful

Life means different things to different people, we all know that. Often, when I am sad about something, I keep telling myself that there are people who are worse off, and I should be thankful for what I have. I am sure we all do this. The difference is, we do it for things like money, love, family, education, job etc. We don't realise there is something very basic which we should be thankful to God for...for being the way we are.

The other day, I saw this girl at a wedding function. She had no leg calves - no legs beyond her knees. But she walked on her knees, not on a wheel chair. While sitting, she appeared like any other pretty girl there. But when she stood up....in a moment, I realised I have much more to thank God for. This girl seemed happy with life, even with the handicap that life had bestowed on her! Why should I then complain about not being able to do things that I want to....

Every action counts

I learnt driving in 2004. But I could not really drive until 2007. For the three years in between, I was low on confidence, after having hit my brother's car against a pavement during a practice session. After that, every time my hands went behind the wheel, they shivered.

But there was this friend, a colleague, who always urged me to start driving again. It seemed to me that she was more confident than I was about my driving (only later I got to know that she was praying for her life when she sat beside me for the first time). One day, she said, "Fauzia you have to drive today, and I am going to sit with you and see that you don't give up in the middle". I don't know why this was so important for her...after all we were just colleagues. Anyway, that day I drove on the main road for the first time, and with her constant encouragement, I regained my confidence. It was almost like a realisation (I am writing another piece on 'realisation')...it felt like I was re-born! No I am serious! I didn't know it was that easy.

Sometimes my friends tell me I drive well (okay, forget the challans for a moment...). Everytime I hear that, I think about my friend.

We can make a big difference in peopls's lives by doing small things. Yes, every action counts...

To be or not to be...

Indecisiveness is my forte:)

The other day, I was driving at a reasonable speed, when I approached a traffic light that was green. As soon as I was about to cross it, the light turned orange. (Now in the last few months, I have developed good relations with the traffic cops. They send me a challan every month, without fail, and I go to the court to pay it, only after watching an inspiring movie on violation of traffic rules). In a split second, memories of all my past challans flashed across my mind, and I wondered whether I should cross the light or stop. It was a matter of life (no challan) and death (inspiring movie...). Finally, in the 9th millisecond, I 'decided' to put the brakes. Only, the biker behind me wasn't prepared for this. He banged hard against my car and when I looked back, I could see a face so astonished, as if wondering "You really did that??" Even though I suffered more damages than him, it was me who was feeling really sorry...

The irony is, when I see others being indecisive, it is very easy for me to help them take a decision. Some time back, a friend was going through a bad time. I went out for coffee with her one day, and listened to all the issues she was facing. It was clear to me that she did not really have any problem in life other than the fact that she was not taking a decision. I told her exactly this, and I even told her what decision she should take!:)

A few days later, I met my friend again. She said that because of my advice that day she actually took a decision and was happy about it...

Now why is it so difficult to apply that to myself??

Just a thought...

Sometimes its good to feel like a fool. It probably means that you aren't one...anymore:)

Life is....Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday...
Why is 80% of our lives wasted in working, mostly for money....

Its not road rage

I have become mean. It’s a shocking revelation for me, for I have always believed in being good to others. Okay, to most people.

Does this happen with you too? With time, as you cross various milestones in life, you forget what you have left behind. Okay, let’s get to the point. For example, I often find myself fretting about pedestrians and rickshwallas on the road. I wonder why they can’t just be on a side and let the cars go by. Why can’t people see the car coming…it almost seems like they appear in front of you from nowhere! Why can’t the rickshawalla be faster? Doesn’t he realize people have to reach their office on time?

Very often when a man comes in front of me and I have to apply the brakes, I can’t help but say “Can’t you see?” I am not getting into whose fault it is.

The point is, I have started driving only recently. Till almost a year back, I too was often a pedestrian, or a rickshaw passenger. Then, my reactions were different. I would wonder why people can’t drive sanely. Do they think the road belongs to them? What about us pedestrians? Don’t they care about lives? Once a car had even hit my rickshaw and I had fallen on the ground, not before cursing the driver wholeheartedly.

So why have I become mean now? I keep asking myself that almost everyday.

Language matters

I went to this kitchenware shop today with my mother. We had to buy a new stove. There were two new models displayed of a particular brand. My mother liked both and was confused (as always) so she asked the sales girl her opinion. "Which one do you think is better?". The reply was "Ma'am vaise dono mein se to, both are better." For a moment I was confused too - I thought I hadn't heard her properly. But I realised soon what she meant. She was doing her job. But did she realise what she had just said?

I don't intend to sound snooty, but I can get very pernickety when it comes to these things. How can people not take language seriously? Its not about English or Hindi, its merely about saying it right. I really respect people who speak well, speak correctly - be it English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Urdu etc. It doesn't matter. Well spoken words convey much about the speaker.

Its a different matter that when Aamir Khan says "Apna bad luck kharaab hai" one doesn't really mind:)