YOU ARE SPECIAL TO ME FRIEND

How do we make friends?

What are the criteria?

Do we see the face or other physical characteristics?

Or the money or education matters?

Let’s find out…

The big schools of the cities have children studying from various big households. People who are well-off send their kids to the biggest and the most renowned schools of the city. I don’t know which category of the society we fall under but yeah, my daughter, who is just five, is studying in a comparatively good school. A few days back when I went to take my daughter back from the school, I saw her waving to a little girl from the car’s window, who lived in a small kuchcha house (house made up of gravel and sand) just next to the school. Her parents perhaps are the masons - basically a labor-class family (I personally hate the term but it is for the Indians who say it with elan). When I asked my daughter about who that girl was and why was she waving her hand to her, she (with a tone of obviousness) said to me “mamma, she is my friend”. I was a little surprised but then I asked her what her name was which with a little innocence she replied “I don’t know, I only know is that she is my friend”. I didn't understand exactly what her criterion of making this friend was, however, whatever criterion it could have been, it did make me feel proud.

Friends, don’t we all try to make friends with people of particular status or the ones who fit our chosen criterion? And that is what we teach our children to do so. Why can’t we let them free to make friends of their own choice, with whom they feel good, with the ones that make them feel like themselves? Why should there be any kind of restriction in choosing and making friends too? Friends are the ones who show you the right way towards life, either by ditching you and making you learn some crucial lessons of life or by standing by your side making you learn crucial lessons of life! Any which way, they help you learn the same things. Let everyone be free to choose whoever friend they want to make. Let them learn their own lessons their own ways. Let them know the value of having friends.

There are different kinds of friends that come and go and stay as per the requirement of life stages. A smile friend (as my daughter has), a hello friend, a bye-bye friend, an all-the-time-crying friend, an all-the-time-grinning friend, a phone friend, a distant friend, a famous friend, a boasting friend, a stylish friend, an intelligent friend, a stupid friend, just-one-call-away friend, a never-will-pick-my-call friend, an all-time-enthusiastic friend, an I-care-a-damn friend and the list goes on and on. You must be having one of each kind and should have for all types of situation. Know that your life is incomplete without making friends. Have more of them and enjoy your life with different angles.

Tell all your friends what is their type and why are they important to you and see for yourself what happens.

Dedicated to all my friends. You all have been crucial in shaping my life.

Love

Sonam

APPRECIATION

बस कह दें शाबाश

ज्यादा कुछ नहीं चाहिए, जो मुझे बना दे ख़ास,

इतना सा ही काम करें, बस कह दें शाबाश!

कभी कोई छोटा सा ही काम अगर कर दूँ,

किसी की झोली में बस एक ख़ुशी भर दूँ,

मेरे नन्हे हाथ चाहे एक लकीर ही बनायें,

चाहे इनसे उलटे-सीधे ही रंग भरे जाएँ,

चाहे बस एक ही कदम बड़ा मैं पाऊं,

चाहे हर कदम के बाद मैं गिरता जाऊं,
पर मेरे फिर से उठने का दिलाएं एहसास,

इनाम कोई ना दें मुझे, बस कह दें शाबाश!

अगर कोई गलती मुझसे कभी हो जाए,

जो आना चाहिए वह परिणाम न भी आये,

पर मेरे काम करने की चाह ज़रूर देखिये,

जो भी समय लगाया उसे व्यर्थ न होने दीजिये,

मेरी हर एक कोशिश को न अनदेखा कीजिये,

आगे बढने की आशा को उड़ान दीजिये,

 एक “वाह” भी बड़ा सकती है मेरा आत्म-विश्वास,

और न दे कुछ मुझे, बस कह दें शाबाश!

जीवन के मुश्किल मोड़ पर गर जाए कोई फिसल,

ऐसा नहीं कि फिर वो सकता नहीं संभल,

पस्त हुए इरादे भी, फिर हो सकते हैं प्रबल,

आपके चंद शब्दों में ही है इतना बल,

गर सही कदम बढ़ता कोई, तो रखता है वो चाह,

मिले उन्हें शब्द आपके वाह-वाह, वाह-वाह!

हर कोई कोशिश नहीं करता केवल इनाम के लिए,

क्या वर्षों की मेहनत बेकार एक परिणाम के लिए?

न होने दें किसी के प्रयास का परिहास,

बंधी रहने दें सबके दिलों में जीत के आस,

न दें पायें कुछ ज्यादा तो ना दें,

कंधे पे हाथ रख के, बस कह दें शाबाश!

siblings: oh so imperfectly-perfect creatures on earth

There is always something about these siblings. Ain't it? Remember?? you are so so happy with the new toy that dad got you today but as it comes inside the house, you younger brother or sister wants to break it, hide it, kill it or whatever but do not let you play with it. It is your birthday, you are destined get a new dress and new shoes for the special day, but it is your siblings who get the same importance on YOUR day. Huh!!! Excuse me!!...I AM THE ONE WHO WAS BORN ON THIS DAY!!!! Ahhh..who cares?? Imagine, you are going to have a payjama party with your friends at your home in your room with a little privacy, but hey! what is this? Your younger sibling intrude into your room and do not want to move without the hefty bribe. This is what we all have faced with our imperfect siblings.

Ever wondered why God had problem with me only, when I was happy being with my parents, being the only one loved and then came the DEVIL in my happy life. Just give them anything, be it a toy, your bicycle, your scooter or your laptop, it will not be returned in the same condition as it was handed over.

I remember giving my younger brother the keys of my Kinetic Honda -a scooter (OK YES, I did not like it to be called a scooter or worst, a LUNA...for God sake..nooooo), which were never returned with the key rings I bought with so much of enthusiasm. And then, the same fight with my father over why he let him touch my things. For which, I always got the same cliched answer "you are elder, try to understand". Gosh!! so when can I be younger to not understand sometimes. However, gone are the days of those battles and wars and we have come out mature enough to understand each other.

All of a sudden comes a day that the same ol' IMPERFECT sibling  becomes the treasure of advice in need (what a surprise!!). Also, we feel that we are becoming so overprotective of that one awful creature that this creature turns into the awesome part of our life. They are always just one call away, always there to be with you and sometimes when you need them, they go out of the way to help you with all their sources and strengths, though with a grumble!! Actually, this shows  how much they care and love us that they can't resist helping us even if they have something important of their own to do. I have yet to research on how these IMPERFECT creatures suddenly become so PERFECT especially for your sake that they leave your gobsmacked with the perfectly-done task assigned by you (again with a grumble..lol!!)

And hence, I have awarded them all with a Title - The imperfectly-perfect creatures..Ahhh!! How we love them.

Dedicated to Varun - An imperfectly perfect creature in my life..
No matter what, I am always there for you.

Love
Sonam