The Most beautiful smile I ever saw.. : Blog # 5

The Most beautiful smile I ever saw...          

* A short story            

           A bright Sunday morning, the millennium year, city of dreams-Bombay. I woke up to the first photograph I ever took-of my then eight year old sister’s. For some reason, I liked it more than any other, much to my sister’s disagreement. I never liked working early morning, one of the perks my profession allowed, that of a photographer. But today, I have to keep the promise I made to my dear friend- to do a photo shoot for her NGO.

          It was not a rosy picture. The building the NGO was housed in was in ruins. They worked for the betterment of children who didn’t know whom to call a ‘mom’ or a ‘dad’. The photo shoot was to be sent to a UN body that they expected to provide some funds.

          Hema, the caretaker of the home came with a bunch of kids. They were not like the child artists we see on the TV. They were not cute and chubby. But they had a sparkle in their eyes. What nagged me the most was that they were not happy, something that made both the person and the photographer in me, disappointed.

After some wide shots with all the kids, I wanted a single shot with a kid, smiling. For some reason, my eyes caught Amir. I asked Hema to tell Amir to smile for me .But whatever I did, I couldn’t get that smile from him.

          I and Amir went to the courtyard of the building. We got talking. He asked “Bhaiyya, who all are there in your home?”.I said I have a younger sister. He asked “What about mom and dad?”.I said everyone has mom and dad. He said “Not everyone has”. I could feel a tear straining at the corner of my eyes. I tried to recover fast and asked him “What do you like the most?” He said “I like it when someone scolds me”. I was surprised and asked why. Amir said “Bhaiyya I feel some one is bothered about me when they scold me. Someone cares for me”. I was really beginning to like this boy now.

          “Amir, what do you miss the most?”He said “Bhaiyya, I miss having a pet name. No one calls me anything that comes from the heart. Everyone is either sympathetic or looking down on me”.

          Swallowing the lump in my throat I asked “Amir, will you smile for me?”He said, “Bhaiyya, do you know when a person gets angry most? When you are hungry! I have not had food. How can I smile?”

          I took out a chocolate from the pocket and gave it to him. He grabbed it and said “Bhaiyya I will come now”. Before finishing the sentence, he started running. I went behind him. He entered a small room in which a small girl was sitting. Amir offered the chocolate to the little angel. She took one bite and gave it to Amir. He shook his head, gave it back to her and smiled...That was the most beautiful smile I have ever seen and I will ever see. Stealing the moment on my camera, tears started rolling down my face and it hasn’t stopped since.

                                                                                                                             Arun Babu.

Set in your ways? : Blog # 4

         Set in your ways?             

Who doesn’t like to be in control? Be it of our deeds, our thoughts, our urges, we all would like to rein them in. Then what is it that is stopping us? It is our diffidence, our indecisiveness.

Although we are aware the way we are leading our lives is not exactly the way we want it to be, we do not want to change the status quo. It is true that we WISH to, but its feebleness stops it from becoming a WILL. This is why it is said that a person’s life turns out to be the way one deserves.

Take the case of an addiction – Alcoholism, Smoking or anything for that matter. The most primary indication is a shift in our priorities. Our Friends, Family, Career – everything takes a backseat. The addiction takes over our life to the extent that it dictates our very way of life. You lose focus. This is exactly why many promising, abundantly talented people burnout early in life – just because they have let themselves fall in to the downward spiral of an addiction.

Often, addiction is an attempt to run away from the realities of life. That is why even though people say they no more enjoy the process, they cannot give up. Unconsciously they think it is helping them forget their suffering. But in fact all it is doing  is aggravating it.  

And the accompanying guilt, it’s cancer for your mind. The reigning emotion becomes numbness. The mind loses its ability to take cognizance of emotions – be it glum or glee.

We think we will change the way we live by the weekend or month end and most popular one, by New year. If you really want to do it, today is the day. All we need to do is think about what we are losing out. For the passing pleasure of a frivolous way of living, we lose out on a fulfilling journey. Take control of your Life and live it to the fullest. All you need to do is DECIDE and the time is NOW.

                                                                                                         Arun Babu.

If Only... : Blog # 3

If Only...

How often have you longed to go back in time? It’s not about living in the past. It’s about cherishing good moments in life. It’s about fond remembrance. And why remembrance? Because these days, we are too preoccupied to enjoy a moment when it is happening.

While watching a film, there will be a few moments, a few scenes that lingers on even after years. If you miss those, you miss the essence of the film. Such is Life too.

In the race to 'achieve', if we miss out on those moments, as short lived as a dew drop, one will definitely reach those heights. But when you look back, all you will find is a deafening solitude.

Believe me when I say most of us are getting too busy to pause and ponder. We are all on the lookout, for what lays ahead. We are too busy looking at the finishing line that we zip past life’s happy little pit stops.

But like it is with all things in life, it is easier said than done. If only I could learn to BE in those moments...If only I could live in the moment.

                                                                                       Arun Babu

Why So Serious?...Because it’s my Life! : Blog # 2

Why So Serious?...Because it’s my Life!   

Why is it important to have a serious approach towards things that matter? Getting serious does not mean tracing out the smallest hint of fun in one’s life and executing it! Life will be so bland and boring without those lighter emotions. But to ‘get serious’ is to have respect towards things one take up –those things that will have a lasting impact on the person – relations, academics, work, habits & hobbies – all that matters.

To get started, it is important that we allow ourselves to indulge – not in the passing pleasures of life, but in meaningful introspection that leads to a soul searching. That separates people ‘who are’ from ‘who could have been’. I am not against taking life as it comes. But there is a certain passiveness to it and that might become counterproductive.

          Soul searching does not necessarily mean taking to activities like reading a book or listening to spiritual talks or practising yoga. It can be done much more joyously. Pick up something you love to do or you have always wanted to do but procrastinated for long. It could be anything like a sport or a workout regime or a pan country trip with friends. This activity will shake one up from the abyss of complacence. It acts as the fountainhead of energy to move away from the status quo.  It will give enough impetus to wake up from the daily chores and use time productively, adding flavour to life. As a very meaningful Ad recently said, “It is what you do in your free times that make you who you are”.

          There is nothing wrong in taking a laid back approach towards life –  to each their own - and what suits best. But it should not happen so that 10 years down the line, you look back and despair over the things you could have done, however small they may be.

Life is too short and uncertain to not be serious about. Have short term goals for life...Work towards achieving them...Enjoy the pains and pleasures involved...

At the last mile, when one looks back, the rear view mirror should be full of mile stones to be proud of.

                                                                                                                   Arun Babu.

Chase your dreams... : Blog # 1

        Chase your dreams...         

   Celebrated actors, Illustrated artists, Eminent academicians, selfless activists...I have often wondered what keeps them going? The most predictable answer is one of the most abused words – Passion! I don’t buy that. Lesser mortals like us are also passionate about something or the other. But why don’t we achieve those heights?        

         

   Is it the fact that they are charismatic? Yes, there are some people who are born with that ‘spark’ .Those who can effortlessly make people take a liking to them and turn them in their favour. But not everyone is charismatic and attributing that same reason for all their achievements will be unfair.

  Think about it a bit more and a more logical answer appears to be their Perseverance - the urge to be at it, the desire that is ignited continually. It is said that a space vehicle faces maximum resistance during ‘atmospheric entry’. There is an analogy between this and a person’s ability to keep striving to achieve excellence. Many of us would have reached close but blame it on us being myopic, we would have given up quarter a mile before the goal.         

  

A by product of perseverance, the conviction to not bring down even by a notch, the level of achievement that will bring them contentment. Many of us settle down for a lesser level of achievement or bring down our life’s goals so as to make ourselves happy.

And yes, of course the courage to tread the path less traversed. If there is someone to positively reinforce that courage, count yourself blessed.

Those who have tasted success  has the intellect to understand consistent striving will take one to a stage that becomes self driving and that it will give enough buoyancy to keep going.

Chase your dreams, backed by an equal measure of longing and nothing will ever stop you.

                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                      Arun Babu.