Monday, September 29

Chhoti Si Baat

Hi,

I’m halfway thru the
Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup. It’s about this high-profile murder that takes place, and as the title suggests, there are 6 completely diverse and independent individuals who are held under suspicion. Someone’s a tribal, someone’s an actress, one a politician, even a foreigner (!) and so on. How they all happen to land up on the scene of the crime wid a weapon in their possession is the mystery, and who finally is the real killer is the climax. So faa, so gud... But, the book gets a lil monotonous at times, especially when the bhoot of Gandhi takes over this corrupt and crooked IAS chap, and a petty thief falls in love wid dis rich chic who’s related to the thief’s pa’s murderer (ekdum apna Bollywood style). Contemporary characters like Salman Khan (did u know 10 ka Dum is wrapped up?! Rakhi Sawant was the last celebrity guest) and Barkha Dutt, as well as the MNS group are drawn upon to make the book more relevant and exciting, and one gets curious as to how every piece of the jigsaw will fit into place.

Conducted an off-site at Khandala over the weekend. A 120-people group at the Velvett Country (I was pretty eager to check out the location, but twas not as amazing as I’d expected, or as magnificent as it sounded). The program was exciting as usual, and tiring, but thankfully not as stressful and arduous as Jaipur. Assisting people to come up with their own learnings and “Aaha” moments is a rewarding experience, indeed. Of course, every facilitator is not the same. Effective facilitators are those who can outline the right observations and corporate equivalents, and dish it out with wit, humor, accuracy, diplomacy and confidence; all in a friendly and non-threatening manner (not to forget, wid decent communication skills too). Quite similar to counseling where the counselor merely aids the counselee to come to terms with what he/she wants and deems right. As I myself believe, one can only help the other by hand-holding to a particular stage. Beyond that limit, one must be allowed to make his/her own mistakes and learn lessons from practical experience. No two people are the same, nor are their personalities, nor their life situations and experiences. Let each one come to their own awareness and opinions (so that later they cant come hounding you with a “You told me so!” shriek and grunt).

Quite a few holidays in October! Apart from the 4 weekends, there’s Gandhi Jayanti (bless his noble soul!), Dassera, and Diwali, which all adds up to about a week of relief. Work’s gona be chilled out, too. Wish I cud dash off sumwhr n make this interlude worthwhile...

Life is so unpredictable. Was remembering an old college-mate, who passed away in a freak accident when we were in our first year of Bachelors. A timid, sweet girl, she was celebrating Friendship Day with her gang at Mulshi or sumplace. I can’t recall the details, but the gist is she drowned when they were playing in the water... Had she, even for a minute, thot she wasn’t gona return home, when she left for the picnic in the morning? Did this ever strike her parents that they were seeing their daughter alive for the last time? I was shocked when I heard of this catastrophe, and try as I might I couldn’t digest the fact that someone as young as me (actually younger) could meet sucha fate. All those years of slogging and studying, all those dreams of the parents and teachers, all plans and ambitions, all gone in the blink of an eye...

Everythin happens for the best, right? What good was hidden in this? Her mum was devastated, everyone who knew her was shaken and distressed. But my unyielding faith still says that maybe she was saved from a more traumatic life. Don’t we all agree better dead than handicapped for life?

Whatever happens to us is our own doing, either directly or indirectly. The good is multiplied manifold before it reaches us, and the bad is cut half before it hits us. And once you surrender yourself to Him, you needn’t worry one bit. You’re taken care off way better than you yourself cud have ever dreamt or managed. Trust me!

Trust Him...
You’ll be glad you did...

Love,
Anuja

Shadow

He looked at her like she was the air he breathed, Without, he would collapse.  He lived to see her smile, Her dimples, his prized possessio...