Things that I really think about

Note: Excuse my jumbled ideas.. the urge to write was stronger than the drooping eyes :$.

Religion... you'd think it's the root of all evil! What the heck is the whole thing about? Sure... I do believe in something... rather more spiritual or philosophical than religious. I am no scholar or great researcher on the topic but it seems to me very (and I do mean VERY!) logical that the whole point of religion was never to divide and rule. If I can see that, why can't everyone else? It's not that complicated. At least, not to me.

Now, if I go about this logically, firstly, I would want to know what is religion. According to Wikipedia: "A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence." What I gather here is that religion is a way of life. So.. from whose twisted mind did it come that it's a 'separate', 'closed' or whatever.. 'exclusive' thing to be in? Nevermind. If you go a few years back in the educational trip of your life, you might remember that humans did not develop in a cluster only in one place (surprise!). There are seven continents and countless islands and countries around the world. While the islands are full of migrants of different cultures, which is of course very beautiful, the continents are the root source of civilization. I know am pointing out very obvious things... but there are those who would not get the point if I don't.

Very obviously again, culture is the result of the environmental and other factors affecting the people gathered in the different regions of the world (the conditions they live in, the food available to them, the language they develop, etc.). So, I believe, at some point, a wise old person realized that survival comes in unity! Unity is power and to stay together, there have to be rules! I think that they already believed that there was something big, powerful and beyond their understanding that created the universe. That 'thing' deserved to be worshiped (it gave them life after all). And that wise person also realized that the 'thing' needed a voice. I would say that religion was one very powerful and positive way of controlling people back then. It was never meant to separate people, only to keep them together as well as to keep people in a successful track of life tried and tested by the elders. Well, I can't blame them, they were only trying to survive. This same scenario happened across the globe. Does that make the people of those different cultures any less human? How is YOUR God better than other Gods? How is YOUR holy book better than another religion's? If you get down to it, don't they all just tell you when/what to eat? How to live? How to marry? When to take a break and meditate (pray)? When to bath? When to fast? If I gave you a book that told you to do these (because this is how you can survive), you would absolutely not follow it. However, if I told you, do this, it's written in the book God sent for us, you will do it not only without hesitation, but even without questioning it! Of course, the self defense mechanism of the 'books' already does the reverse psychology trick of "Do not question god's plan for you, others will try to stop you," etc. 

What I don't understand is the Hate. If you grew in X and I in B, does that make you an alien or what? THE POINT IS: God or no God, it's only a theory yet to be proven. Back in the days, this was the only way of helping people (mostly uneducated) to survive and keep the population alive and productive. Of course, some saw that they could exploit this to their own advantage.. but let's not get into that at the moment.

The BIGGER QUESTION is: Do we still need that to survive? In this day and age? Which I believe is more a question of living rather than surviving. People are ridiculously killing each other around the world simply to prove their point, or rather to impose their point of view. Now where the hell in your so called religion is it told that it is wrong for other people to go about the whole thing in a different way? Are they rivals you are competing with? Am not saying that it's wrong to follow any religion but don't you think that it is maybe high time to stop imposing these beliefs on others? Especially our children (why? Because they have to to make their own choices. It is their basic human right and they have to live in this world which is now virtually a global village)? Change is the way of life. It's the only constant thing ( as Darwin or god knows who said). The human software version badly needs an update. The good news is that you only have to click on allow for it to happen. The goal is to be good humans, keeping in mind our moral values and ethics. Don't you also think that this would be the greatest step towards world peace as well as inner peace?

In one sentence, religion is an old version of a self-help guide to life. PLEASE update!

Yours truly,

-Vidhisha

The Other side of the coin

Heyy.. It's been a long looong time! I read my previous posts and am like: "I wrote all these?? Maan, I really need to follow my own advice!" Really.. I tend to forget the things that I had already reflected upon in the past. Reading my previous posts really helps me to reconnect with the real me all over again. The past year has been so beautiful and full of growing experiences and I have been selfish and lazy for not writing more often and now that am even more busy.. writing is calling out to me! Weird weird karma!

It's exams period again.. so hey! Welcome back Exams! It's that time of the year when we do more complaining about revision than we actually do revise! This is the time when your friends and parents are fully supportive, then again.. sometimes it can be just the opposite. Seriously... revising when you are upset really does NOT help! Sure it helps to focus elsewhere but it will still haunt you. That's when your friends, your personal diary or (as in my case) blogging comes in handy! It is not about venting your anger.. It is all about channelling that energy in to something creative and beautiful. I keep reminding myself that anger will bring me nothing! It only destroys and hurts! Here goes.. am babbling again! :$

The point is, Graduation is hopefully more closer to me now than ever. It is an important milestone for all university students. As newly registered students, we are in awe of the life of the 'Grown ups' . We are in 'La cour des grands' as we would say in French. Oh but well.. given a couple of weeks, this will fade too! But for me, it also felt like I was thrown into a completely different world. I am sure that a lot of others would identify with that. You feel lost and while you are still finding yourself, it is already time to prove yourself. Ever since primary school or kindergarten even, we have had dreams and aspirations of what we want to become. We launch ourselves into the path we think we can do best in. We stop living just to accomplish those dreams. And now it feels like, the older we grow, the less we actually live our life. Best part is when you realise that an undergraduate degree is not enough to realise your dreams. A post graduate degree (which is Not available in your country) is the only way but even that is not guaranteed! This when you begin to question what you have been doing the whole of your life. Day by day we become puppets and robbots to God knows who rules the society. 

So.. I guess am writing because am still lost. And on top of that am feeling a tad bit lonely today.. Feels good to be writing though. I had really lost touch with myself it seems.. I have not written a poem in ages! As soon as exams are done I hope that I can get back to it. It was indeed something I really enjoyed doing. Yes.. My life is Beautiful. But am afraid it will never be perfect. There is always two sides to a coin.. to our stories..

But however lonely.. am revelling in that loneliness instead of sulking. Because at the end of the day, if am not at ease being with myself, how will others be at ease with me or I with others?

- Vidhisha

Changes and Realisations...

Contradictory title? Usually, it's Realisations that happen first and then we bring Changes (positive hopefully). But as we already know.. Life! The journey full of surprises! We rarely take time to think or reflect back to who we were and who we have become. I remember the milestones of my life like it was just yesterday and I really can't believe how fast the years flew by.

Recent events in my life have reminded me of Who I was, Where I come from and What I have become. I think, this is the first time I was thanking God instead of thinking along the lines of : "Oh God! Why me??" The thought never even crossed my mind until someone else said it. A younger version of me would have complained and sulked and cried. There is no shame in admitting it. In fact, it makes me laugh! Seriously! I was That person??

The miracle of life... We grow. We change, without even realising it. Or maybe we do realise it. But, we never pause long enough to think about it and give it the importance it deserves. To Think IS a privilege  So why waste time thinking about useless stuff? "What is that person thinking about me? I hate that person.. he is conspiring against me, I should do this and that.." To think that we can do so many beautiful things with our thoughts and all we do is.. like.. Nothing! My most beautiful journeys took place in my imagination and my dreams. Where the body stops, the mind begins.. (I think I read that somewhere)

Maan! Way too many interruptions during my writing today... My flow was disrupted. But I guess you got the picture or at least the general picture of where I was going! It is sooo wonderful that we have this ability. The ability to change, to decide to change. Anytime. For the best! And sometimes we change without even realising it. This, I believe, is possible only through the choices we make in life. The things we do. The people we meet. The places we go. Also the things we read! And the things we realise and understand. The things we accept. The way we choose to spend this gift...

- Vidhisha

Thinking of you...

In the dark of the night,
When it's after midnight,
I miss you...

When the days are cold,
And my heart is sore,
You arms are the only place I want to be...

And when the moon is high,
Bathed in its light is when I want to say that
I love you...

Lesson of the Roses

Afraid was I to enter the beautiful roses garden...
For I feared the sting of the bees, prick of the thorns.


You held out your hand, led the way in.
Mesmerized I followed...

Uncertain though,
My trust you hold...


Break it not!
For I shall therefore fall...

A little stumble,
A little fall...

The bees stung,
The thorns pricked..

And the hands that led,
Were there no more...

- Vidhisha

Rebellion in Peaceland? or Just a wish to Live...

Moms... Don't you just love them even though they may sometime just irritate the hell out of you?

Sincerely.. I have the utmost love and respect for mine. But making a show of affection to me is not one of the brightest parts of my parents. I know they do not hate me. But expressing love by showing appreciation is something they just do not do. And having grown up that way, I do the same when it comes to them. Is it completely my fault?? I guess not but I still feel guilty. It is not the way I'd like to raise my kids someday. I mean Yes but there is room for improvement. Research in parenting styles show that showing affection and positive comments to the child brings much better results in terms of satisfaction and self esteem and confidence. 

However, it is true that the new generation, which is ours, are much more expressive when it comes to showing our feelings. So maybe I can hope for a positive change for the kids of the future! The pros and cons are scary. So that sometimes you just don't know what to wish for. Am I confusing you? I pray not! I had a fight with my mom today. It becomes really difficult sometimes to not cross the line. Or figure out Where actually is the line? Till when do you bear everything? When do you say "Stop" and explode? You respect them but you also have to voice out your opinion and defend yourself sometimes. For how long can you bottle things up?

Selfishness.. Was it mine? or hers? maybe both? I accept that maybe I was but I will also defend myself and say that all I did was defend myself. Would a parent accept that they were selfish? and insensitive to your feelings? Why is it so difficult for them? Whenever that time comes, you'll find them taking out their ultimate weapon and argument!: "How can you even say this?? We raised you this big, gave you everything you needed..." bla bla bla... 

It is not nonsense. They have a point. I accept it. But.. How do you tell them that all you ever want is a positive word of encouragement? a hug maybe? some appreciation for what you do to make them proud of you someday maybe? Do we NEED to tell this??? If only they could read this...

I LOVE MY PARENTS. 

I would love to tell them this everyday and I would if I thought that they will respond to it. Maybe they will. Most probably they will respond to it. How can any parent resist it? But there is always that maybe not... And if it is "Maybe not" then the hurt will be too much to bear. So we just shut up and sit in our dark hole.

We are not Robots. We are humans. With feelings. And emotions. And a mind that thinks a bit too much.

I don't want to be a robot. Produced by society to run society in the future.

All I want is to Live. Live fully, without regrets...

-  Vidhisha

A part of me...

 

I have hated myself for still caring after everything that has happened.

I have cursed those who do not have a pinch of humanity left in them.

All of a sudden, I just realise that I was headed in the same direction as those I hated!

Caring instead of hating is what makes me Human!

And as such, I accept myself... :)

- Vidhisha