G: Global warming is right at our doorstep, let’s attend to it before it invades into our lives- forcefully, forever.

   Before I even started with the A,B,C… of this series, I was absolutely sure of the letter ‘G’. As the series is designed to focus on aspects that matter to me, it was impossible to miss out ‘Global warming’. With a life partner who talks about optimum utilization of natural resources at every possible moment in our household, it was only fair to include it. While global warming is a universal event, impacting every single life form on this earth; it is essential to think, analyze, ACT and contribute our share in every possible way.

   I will not make it a scientific article with facts and figures. Also, I do not intend to write an informational piece with analysis, reasoning, world-wide effects or prevention measures. When I chose to include it in my series, the idea was to see how you and I can make a little difference too. It is absolutely impossible to change the world by a single moment of awakening. Like single drops of ocean, you and I are mere particles of the universe. Hence, expecting major transformation by our thoughts or actions alone is totally impossible, to say the least. But then, particles form the universe and universe is ours.

With that thought in mind, why can’t we make a little difference within our power?

 What is the harm in making an attempt to work for the environment in our capacity?

And finally, even if our efforts do nothing great, at least they won’t hurt our mother nature.

Let’s face it, you and I are not the sole warriors of this earth, but if each one of us thought the same, where will we find ourselves, some years down the line?

  We cannot guarantee any concrete output through our humble efforts to save the environment. Neither can we preach these ideas to others with the understanding that it will be absolutely useful. This makes it incorrect to frame the post in a preachy mode. I can be labelled as a ‘hypocrite’, if I use a third-person perspective and expect others to follow, instead of making some efforts, myself. Hence, rather than penning down a list of instructions or useful steps to protect the environment; I will share my set of efforts for the same.

   These efforts are born with an aim to contribute something good for our mother earth. They may be useful, useless, good, harmless or just random acts. The aim is not to garner appreciation or medals for the environmental cause, but to address the giant trouble of ‘global warming’ on a household scale. 

We completely understand that our efforts within a tiny dwelling in little corner of the earth will not make any difference at all. Useful or useless, the effect is not as important as the thought behind it. Besides, sharing my practical ideas does not mean I succeed in adhering to them always. As human as I can be, I often fail to practice what I preach. Though I cannot guarantee this adherence to the last bit, I always remind myself about the bigger picture. Hence, failure or success is not significant, but doing my own bit definitely is.

  While I write our steps/ideas/plan to attend to this issue of global warming, the underlying thought is to ponder and share. In no way, do I intend to shoot out set of instructions for others to follow. As long as the eco-friendly team mate (read: my husband) and his sole sincere partner (read: me) are able to do something good, the outcome will be nothing less than ‘good’.

These are the set of instructions or reminders, penned over our personal notice board. Take a peek into our house board, as we strive to follow these steps. Do send your feedback, ideas, views or comments to make this earth, a better place to live.

1.       Limit the usage of paper as much as possible – use washcloths for cleaning, avoid printouts, use blank side of prints.

2.       Segregate milk cans, cardboard boxes, paper and plastic from rest of the trash and discard them in recycle bins

3.       Limit generation of waste as much as possible- recycle and reuse as much as we can  

4.       Use steel bottles for drinking water and glass container for water storage

5.       Limit wastage of water and electricity- shut down wi-fi router at night, remove plugs from the plug-points, when not in use

6.       Use machines only after collecting full load of clothes

7.       Avoid disposable plates, cups, glasses

8.       Maintain potted plants in the balcony, water them with recycled water from kitchen or bathroom

Remind each other to follow all the steps and point out as soon as one falls off the track. After all, it poses as an opportunity to remind the better-half that he/she is not always the ‘better’ one!

These are some of the reminders set for our household. Though we often fail to follow them to the ‘T’, we make all possible efforts to stick to the rules. Let us help the environment and attend to the trouble at our doorstep. Only after we realize that ‘global warming’ is not an alien issue from another planet, but a domestic trouble of our own house; we will be able to act over it.

F: Forgive and forget, drop and move ahead, how long will you hold it, anyways?

    All it takes are some little efforts to come closer to the magic of our world around. After starting this A-Z series, I realized the power of every alphabet. As I ponder from one letter to the next, I am amazed by the variety of words that hold some significance in our journey through life. This has brought me to the next contender ‘F’. 

   

   The letter ‘F’ has some interesting charm to its credit, after all it holds the most desired ‘fame’ and ‘fortune’. And how can one forget, the greatest of all words – father, family or friends. Hence, framing a title with this ‘F’ was no big task at all. I could have picked any of the above words to begin my usual course of thinking and writing, but then, regular is routine, and routine is boring. To appeal my creative juices, I needed something different, and thus the title in question ‘forgive’ and ‘forget’.

  We all have been hearing these two words, right since our childhood. When we fought with our siblings or friends over every possible silly reason (though extremely important at that point of time), we were reminded about the power of this concept. Call it fear of elders or possibility of punishment, we immediately accepted the mantra ‘forgive’ and forget’, only to resume the course of our happiness and enjoyment.

   As little innocent kids, forgiving people around us was more like a simple task in routine than a matter of pride or self-esteem. As ego, selfishness, cunning attitude or jealousy were at bay, it did not matter, if our dear ones made some mistake or bothered us in any way. All it took was ‘sorry’, smile and probably a chocolate to be back on track again. Knowingly or unknowingly, even if we were bad to our friends or siblings, it did not turn into a permanent dent in the relationship.

  So, is it the same, today? Is it possible to forgive and forget, the way we did during our days of chocolates and toffees? 

Can we follow the same mantra over broken promises or words full of hatred, even now? Can we forget the anger of our loved ones, or hurtful words spoken out of rage, that meant nothing at all? 

Is it possible to forget about the past easily, and move over as if nothing really happened? And finally, can a sorry, smile and chocolate (read: your favorite treat), solve everything?

  I enjoy framing questions because it is easier than hunting for answers! But, on a serious note, this post is more of a self-realization exercise than some philosophical article. It is an assignment for the so-called ‘matured’ individual in each one of us. These questions are directed towards the ‘adult’ in our system who enjoys preaching, but fails to practice. It is designed to trigger our pride and prompt us to look at the innocence in the world around.

   Forgive and forget is definitely not as easy as it sounds. It is difficult to forget bad experiences in the past or bad behavior of our own people that must have hampered us in some way. But then, it is equally important to discard it as a matter of yesterday, only to improve our today. Holding to errors, mistakes, mishaps or accidents of the past will not assist you in every way. 

    Going forward, you will need more of a clear slate than a dirty one. If wiping or erasing is an option, why will you preserve those useless stray marks on your board? You may not have been around when those marks were made, but what stops you from wiping it now for your own good? If forgiving someone seems too difficult or weighs above your pride, do it as a favor to yourself. You may be holding a grudge to teach someone a lesson, but unknowingly that hatred pushes you down. It can turn into a self-harming object, much before we realize its consequences.

  Holding such disturbing happenings of the past will only trouble you in the long run. It may seem impossible, overwhelming or simply out of our usual behavior to forgive someone. In that case, why not forget it? If erasing is difficult, you can simply keep the board aside. Forgiving may take time, but you can definitely forget it. If forgiving may seem out of your way, the least you can do is just ‘forget’ in order to walk ahead.

    Blame it over to the emotional shade of our palette that reminds us about the errors of the past. Blame it over to the human in us, for our stock of mistakes and errors. We are not heavenly figures to be perfect each time. We may unknowingly speak ill or behave badly, but only to realize it the next morning, for a fresh start. Apologize and bounce back because losing relations over some circumstantial accidents is truly not worth it. In no way, does this thought promote ‘taking for granted’ policy. Hurting someone intentionally, just to wash it down with a ‘sorry’ is not correct. But, there is always room for some accidental error that is more of a situational side-effect than a planned activity.

     It is easy to hold the lamp for someone else and guide them over the path, but difficult to follow the same. No wonder, we can turn into one of the best counselors for our closed clan, but cannot counsel our own mind.

    Even after all these philosophical discussions, if forgiving seems out of question, you have another option of leaving it all to time. As time works its magic, it will make you realize that it does not matter at all. All that anger, hatred, misunderstandings, differences were nothing but dust particles, gone away with the wind. But again, this option is not always the feasible one. If you let ‘time’ take the driver’s seat, it may be too late to make any change. Before your opportunity turns into regret, take the charge and make a difference.

   Forgive your loved ones, forget those bitter experiences and stop bothering about any undesired hiccups of the past. Life is too precious to waste it over anger, hatred or fights. Take the “I won’t talk to you” or “I won’t forgive and forget” to “It’s all okay, don’t bother” and feel the difference.

P.S: Charity begins at home, so forgive me if I ever hurt you readers in any way; feel free to forgive, forget, write a thought, feedback, comment or simply ignore! 

E: Experiences measure the ‘LIFE’ in your life, gain more to live more

   Taking the A-Z series ahead, letter ‘E’ is the next piece of my attention. When I thought about the appropriate word for this alphabet, I did not have to ponder for long. Experience is probably the most common word in our vocabulary circuit for a couple of reasons. Though this act of gathering experiences was common in the good, old years too, it has gained more attention in the recent times.

  Firstly, growing influence of social media has given us a royal privilege to present and visualize activities in greater details. From travel to food, adventure to hobbies, as this personalized broadcasting instrument allows you to download and upload, the value of ‘experiences’ has increased in the process.

   Secondly, carefree attitude of the millennial generation has promoted the domain of experiences. Unlike the previous clan that believed in a typical timeline with stress over stability, millennials choose to differ on several fronts. Instead of so-called fool-proof plans of a settled life, as younger generation tend to fall for unique experiences and novel adventures, there are several differences along the way.

   But, how does this new-age mantra of millennials relate to my post? Or what relevance does it hold with respect to my confusing title? How can someone measure the life in their life? And how do ‘experiences’ calculate our life quotient? To answer these questions, I will need your ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. As creative arts tend to lean towards an abstract approach, I will urge you to think beyond the usual. When I write these pieces, I believe in experimentation and novelty, hence you may either disagree with the thought or end up relating with it at several levels.

    Experiences are classically defined as close encounters or practical contacts with a particular activity. They may be good, bad, desirable, undesirable, amazing, repeatable or simply worth attempting. These experiences measure our life quotient as they take us towards the diverse elements of the world. 

  

    Be it cuisine or travel, occupation or leisure, experiences pull us closer to the sea of adventures. It prompts us to try out something new, while embracing the joy behind uncertainty. If we only stick to a regular routine all our life, we cannot draw fun and happiness from the process of ‘living’. Experiences urge us to be bold, daring, confident and happy all at once. It evaluates our ability to survive in unexpected circumstances.

   Experiences definitely measure how well you live. While age measures the numerical aspect of one’s journey, experiences evaluate the fun associated with it. So, if age caters to the ‘how many’ part of the question, experiences address the ‘how well’ end of it. This makes it essential to gather numerous experiences along your way. And while you are at it, do so for your own happiness. 

  Though they measure how happening your journey is, it is for your own good. In the process of presenting a happy face, do not imitate someone else’s course. As each one of us have a unique route, our experiences and adventures are unique too. Comparing your life with others or expecting same amount of adventures will only add disappointment down the line. Find your own adventure fix and set on an eventful course to bag some more.

   While experiences are known for their vast doses of fun, they also pose as valuable lessons in disguise. Experiences push us away from our comfort zones, making us fearless. Another aspect of experience that deserves consideration is the ‘practical’ side of it. Though you can always learn from someone else’s encounters and seek guidance; it is unacceptable to draw conclusions, unless you try your own hands at it.

    In the classic war between assets and experiences, I always believe experiences have an upper hand. Though assets represent stability, investment and maturity, they cannot offer the same amount of happiness as experiences. This definitely calls for an optimum balance between the two. As long as you are able to segregate expenses between these two groups, you can expect a fun-filled and fulfilling picture.

  With this thought in mind, think about your unique experiences and calculate your ‘life’ quotient. Do this mental calculation for your own good, and come up with options to boost it. Do something fun, different, exciting and adventurous. Routine is for survival, while unique is for thrill and fun. There is no right or wrong way about it. Gather experiences to fill your lives with joy and spread the cheer around.

    Do share your thoughts and enlighten me with a feedback. Together we can measure, evaluate, analyze and rejoice, after all it boils down to our ‘life’. And going by the title, if it will evaluate how well you actually live, why take a chance? Buckle up, celebrate, experience and enjoy the roller coaster ride, because it only gets better and better! 

D: DOs and DON’Ts of an interesting joyride

    After A for acceptance, B for bothering and C for celebrate, it’s time for the next letter ‘D’. Taking my A-Z series ahead, I am back with my pondering, once again. For those of you who have not read the start of this series, my aim is to take one alphabet each time and talk about an important aspect that matters to me. And hence that brings us to the letter D.

  When I was thinking about this don of letters ‘D’, I could not resist the usage of word ‘Do’. After all doing is action and action is output. Hence, I was tempted to involve ‘dos and don’ts in an attempt to list out actions that are significant. I could have simply titled this article as ‘Dos and Don’ts of life (from my perspective, of course!) because that is exactly what I wish to pen down. Things that make life happy, joyous, adventurous and delightful versus things that make it miserable, boring, uneventful and dry.

     It is necessary to highlight ‘my perspective’ as these are some of the aspects that I truly care about. And since we all are entitled to our own opinion - you can agree, disagree, debate or nod over it, the way you like. Coming back to the title, I did not name it  DOs and DON'Ts of life, because life is just not as simple as it reads and spells. Four letters of two vowels and two consonants cannot describe this eventful process that has its own share of ups and downs. We laugh, cry, smile, joke, hate or get angry over it, yet we cannot truly explain what it stands for.

     While journey, story, plot and project are some of the commonly used synonyms for life, it is impossible to agree on a single word. Hence, when I call it a ‘joyride’, there is nothing right or wrong about it. After finding a correct noun, I could not leave it standing alone without any appropriate adjective and hence in comes the partner ‘interesting’.  I am simply in love with this word ‘interesting’ as there is lot of mystery behind it. It all depends on how you look at it because interesting can mean good, bad, imaginable, unpredictable or totally wonderful all at once. Talk about benefit of doubt as interesting truly takes the cake in that respect.

  Finally, after hunting a metaphor for life, it is time to list the DOs and DON’Ts. Such an article mirrors my thoughts and poses as a reminder for my own conduct. I do not intend to preach or be your next self-help guru. These DOs and DON'Ts are solely addressed to my little mind. If some of them do happen to match with your thoughts, I will be more than happy. As you read along, analyze and evaluate your take over the same. Prepare a matching score and let us see how well we resonate (If I reveal about a prize for the maximum matching score, will it count as a bribe?!?) Prize or no prize, do send your comments and feedback as we ponder about this joyride together.

DOs

1.       Live in the present - past is not in your hands anymore and you cannot put a claim over the future right away, so make the most of this present. Work hard today instead of fussing over what or how to work tomorrow.

2.       Have fun in everything you do. Enjoy your work, leisure, responsibilities, duties and chores. Extract colorful joy from every single act and you will be surprised by this difference in attitude.

3.       Respect the difference in opinions. Do agree to disagree. What you believe in or what belief you hold about something may not be same for all, hence enjoy these disagreements too.

4.       Find your passion and work on it. Figure out your hobbies and interests. Engage in activities you enjoy and spend that well deserved time for yourself. ‘Me-time’ is like a battery that charges you, hence it is unacceptable to ignore it.

5.       Listen to advice, suggestions, ideas and tips. Seek guidance from people around you. Be open to their experiences and adventures. Their situations may not mimic yours, but their lessons will definitely teach you something too.

6.       Respect people around you irrespective of their age, gender, nationality, occupation, religion or faith. Above all these invisible boundaries that separate us, we all are humans with eyes, ears, body, brain and a big heart.

7.       Respond to changing situations. Be flexible in your approach. Rigidity over certain aspects may not yield any good results. Accept the situation and find your way out, rather than crying over things beyond your reach.

8.       Love yourself, communicate with your thoughts. Listen to your inner voice and make yourself a priority too. It may be difficult in light of your responsibilities, duties, schedule and fast paced life, but definitely not impossible to say the least.

9.       Express your thoughts. Show what and how you feel. Express your emotions, feelings and ideas. Open your heart to people you love and let them share their feelings too. Bottling your feelings or agreeing to everything under the pretext of ‘being a good or sincere person’ will do more harm than expected.

DON’Ts

1.       Do not blame people or situations for your own course. Certain unavoidable changes may alter your plans but ultimately it is up to you to find a way out or sit and blame someone else for the rest of your time.

2.       Do not take relationships and friendships for granted. You may not have time for your people right away or may be stuck in some unavoidable job, in such cases revert back whenever you can. Do not play with their trust, patience, good will and love.

3.       Do not get distracted by unnecessary elements of disturbance. Take criticism positively and pay attention to feedback. You may disagree with what people think about you. It is not your responsibility to sit and defend yourself, every single time. At times, let your actions speak.

4.       Do not compare your life with others. It is absolutely novel, unique, different, one-of-a-kind,…add as many synonyms as you like. Just as your likes and dislikes about food or fashion are different, so are your priorities, goals and timelines.

5.       Do not pressurize yourself or be too hard over your course. It is fine to be lazy or bored sometimes. There is nothing wrong about your mistakes and failure, but it is absolutely wrong if you give up. Enjoy failure too, it will prepare you for the hardships ahead.

6.       Do not make judgments about people and their actions. You have not even walked a single step in their shoes, hence it is totally unacceptable to comment or draw conclusions.

7.       Do not limit or restrict your life within boundaries of your own city, country, culture or cuisine. Learn new languages, travel, read about diverse cultures or know interesting facts from people.

8.       Do not live like a robot, machine or tree. Move away if you don’t like something. There are no instruction manuals for your functioning. Do not obsess over your things or beliefs. It is acceptable to try out something new. Take risks and make the most of every opportunity.

9.       Do not worry about each and everything. Your worries, tensions and anxious thoughts will only fill the space with useless contents. It is impossible to train your mind to stop worrying, but you can definitely lower the volume, frequency and weight.

I completely agree that these dos and don’ts are easier said than done, or in this case easier written than followed. They sound fancy, amazing and completely appropriate as you read them in a blog or an article. But, when we make an attempt to implement them in our real lives- it is difficult, overwhelming and sometimes impossible; if we want to be absolutely true. Then again, there is no harm in making efforts. If we use them as guidelines and toil towards at least 10% of it, we may experience something colorful and bright. 

Until I return back with the next alphabet- happy reading, thinking and living!