A Roller Coaster Ride called 2015!

“I’m sharing my #TalesOf2015 with BlogAdda.”

As I contemplate about 2015, I feel that it was a thrilling roller coaster ride that I managed to survive. The year was full of highs and lows in equal proportions. And it flew by so quickly, not giving me enough time to contemplate and introspect. It was truly a roller coaster ride. 

In the professional front, the year was quite good. I was busy the entire year juggling with various projects. However, in the mental or emotional front, the year was like a tempest in which I was trapped. Everyday was like a battle that I had to fight with myself. I almost fell into the abyss of depression and was under antidepressants for a month. 

Despite all the turbulence, I kept on working as I believed that without my work, I will lose everything. So I did not let my personal life interfere with my professional life. And today, I feel like embracing myself for being my own best friend and savior in 2015.

On this roller coaster ride, there are 5 important things or lessons that I learned:

1. "A true friend never abuses or blames you. A true friend understands, forgives and gives you the right advice, if you move towards the wrong direction ."

2015 made me realize who my true friends are. You won't believe, but due to the emotional ordeal, I was going, I fought and quarreled with almost all my close friends. There have been some really ugly fights this year, when I thought I have lost so many of my dear ones. But as I said a true friend understands and forgives. 2015 has been a great eye-opener for me.


2. "Hard work has no substitute. If you continue doing the hard work, you will surely be rewarded."

I give full credit to my moments of happiness of 2015 to the hard work that I did, despite the conflicts and turbulence in my life. My poetries and short stories got selected to be published in a total of 7 anthologies in 2015, 4 of which are scheduled to release in early 2016. I also completed penning down my 3rd novel. I won 6 blogging contests. Overall, it was a rewarding year.

3. "Take risks, once in a while. Without a little adventure, life would lose its meaning. You need to listen to your heart beats closely to admire life. And that is not possible unless you dive into an adventure."

When I went to Kalimpong in the summer vacation of 2015, I was not sure I would go for Paragliding. Just before the takeoff, when I was looking skeptical about my decision, the pilot told me that only when I take risks, I can discover the beauty in life and living. And he was so right. The ten minutes when I was flying in the sky amid the hills and trees, I fell in love with life all over again.

4. "It's not possible to undo a tragedy like death. Acceptance is the key, but you can keep the person alive in your heart for as long as you are alive."

I lost my cousin sister in 2015. She was two years younger to me and we both shared the same sun sign, Gemini. We had a lot of similarities and there was a deep bond between us, though we never met on a regular basis. When I learned that she succumbed to depression and had a tragic death, I could not come to terms with it. It shattered something within me. However, as months passed by, I accepted the reality and made peace with the fact that I will keep her alive in my heart always.

5. "There are some people who bring out the best in us and make us better human beings. There are some people who bring out the worst in us and we become a person we can't identify properly in the mirror. It is always wise to surround ourselves with people who make us a positive and a better human being."

Energies of two human beings don't match always and it is not really anyone's fault. Our energy diminishes in front of some people and enhances in front of some people. I feel that our duty as human beings is to evolve and become better with every passing year. So, 2015 taught me to surround myself with those people who can bring out the best in me and help me evolve. 

With the lessons learned in 2015, I am sure I have become a wiser and a stronger person. In 2016, I wish to do the things that will make my soul feel good. These few lines from a poem I had written long back will be my motto for 2016:

Let love be the lyrics

Let kindness be the music

Let your heart sing forever!

ANYBODY can DANCE with COLGATE MAX FRESH

(Image Source)

What is life without some Taazgi Ka Dhamaka?

Now, anybody can dance with Colgate MaxFresh

The cooling crystals teach you

How to groove and give Thumka!

This weekend, I was really sad as my plans with my best friend got cancelled due to some unavoidable reason. Despite being a chatterbox, I was unbelievably quiet. I was sitting with a gloomy face, when I got a parcel from Blogadda which contained the amazing Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste. 

As I used the toothpaste, the cooling crystals created a burst of freshness within me, which slowly washed away the gloomy colors from my face and evaporated my distasteful mood. Right at that moment, the rocking Colgate Max Fresh jingle started playing on the TV, which made me tap my foot effortlessly. 

The Colgate Max Fresh song is so peppy and energetic that it instantly cheered me up and made me dance without any inhibitions. The foot tapping song filled me up with a dose of energy and enthusiasm. The beats of the song are so rocking that anyone will feel like dancing, after listening to it. Just like the toothpaste, the ad jingle also gave me a dose of Taazgi Ka Dhamaka.

Here is the dance video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EspnknybASo

After dancing to my heart's content, I felt energetic, happy and was once back to my jovial form. I must say that the Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste and the ad jingle saved my weekend from getting spoiled and gloomy. 

So you too add a dose of Taazgi in your life with Colgate Max Fresh and show some #MaxFreshMove to the world

“I am dancing for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda. If you are not blogging, you can join me by participating in this #MaxFreshMove facebook activity.”

My Musical Nights

"I wait for the moon to inject the earth with rosy slumber

As I know you would embrace me with even greater passion this night"

I dedicate these lines to my magical and loyal companion, Music who makes my nights soulful, melodic and bearable. Being a writer, I have this habit of working till late night, especially when I am sitting with a manuscript. Night is the time when words flow smoothly from my pen and music make it even better. I sit with my laptop dealing with the life of my characters and music in low volume fills the ambiance of my room with ecstasy. In those moments, I feel life is a bliss.

Being an over thinker by nature, there are many nights when anxiety, loneliness and uncertainty grasps me, making my pen stutter at frequent intervals. This is the time when again, music makes it all bearable. It inspires, it placates, it makes me feel that life is such a beautiful celebration...celebration of love, celebration of friendship, celebration of joy and also the celebration of pain. Therefore, we have songs of all flavors because all these flavors together forms the enigma called life and needs to be celebrated.

Had we not been blessed with this human life, we wouldn't have been privileged to soak in the magical allure of music. I am going to share one of the playlists of my musical nights in this post. 

Before taking a look at my playlist, watch this video. The quirky moves of Alu Arjun and Anushka Manchanda will surely make you laugh.

Okay, now coming back to my playlist, here are some of my favorite songs that fill up my musical nights. Take a look:

The first song is Tum hi ho from Aashiqui 2.
I have really lost count of how many times I have heard this song till date. May be, over 1000? Well, can be. The incredible vocals of Arijit Singh mesmerize me every single time. 

The second song that features in my playlist is Nadaan Parindey of Rockstar. The lyrics and the music of this song takes me to a different world. What a song sung by the legend A.R Rehman and the amazing Mohit Chauhan!

The next song is Tujhe Bhula Diya from Anjaana Anjaani. The starting music of the song accompanied by Shruti Pathak's voice singing Naina lagiya baarisha just spreads all over me and Mohit Chauhan's vocals just take this song to a different level. This is one of the songs that had remained etched in my memory, ever since I had listened to it for the first time.

The fourth song on my playlist is Subhanallah from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. This song makes a huge smile appear on my face, every time I listen to it. Be it the Ranbir-Deepika chemistry in the song or the melodious voice of Sreeram, this song always alights my musical nights.

This song "Tum hi ho" from Rockstar sung by Mohit Chauhan and Kavita Krishnamurthy is definitely one of the most romantic and soulful songs that I have listened. This song has stayed with me always.

The sixth song in my list is Sun Saathiya of ABCD 2. This is my latest favorite song which I keep humming a lot these days. The perfect dance beats and the mellifluous voice of Priya Saraiya makes it quite a loved song.

The song Jiya re from Jab Tak Hai Jaan fills me up with a lot of adoration and love for myself. A very lively, peppy song that makes you fall in love with life and with yourself. And yes, I love the video too!

This song Dil ne tumko chun liya hai from Jhankar Beats reminds me of my high school days. The silky voice of Shaan, the melodious composition and the romantic lyrics always fill the ambiance with a lot of mush.

The Journey Song of Piku is so fresh, optimistic and beautiful that it always cheers me up, whenever I listen to it. The vocals of Anupam Roy and Shreya Ghoshal creates magic!

Music always rejuvenates us and makes us value life. So CELEBRATE MUSIC, CELEBRATE LIFE!

I really enjoyed making this playlist. Hope you enjoyed listening to it too :)

“I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity atBlogAdda in association with Colgate MaxFresh“

Daddy's little girl

(My Dad and me)

Time changes everything, so true is that

But I am still the same Daddy, yours little girl.

With the magic of time, your princess has grown up

From your daughter to your friend and confidante.

Now, one look at you and I instantly decipher your feelings

It’s not easy to fool me now with that ever smiling façade.

 

There was a time when I just demanded and nagged

Unable to realize the adversities you went through;

You spend sleepless nights during my fever and exams

And I never thanked you even once.

You gave me a rainbow when you were facing a storm

You showered me with roses when you were pierced with thorns.

I was little, unable to comprehend your sacrifices

Just thought you were some super hero who has a solution for every problem.

Today, as I saw you sitting with a weary look

I instantly understood something is so wrong.

I made a cup of ginger tea and offered you with a smile

You grinned cheerfully and said how wonderful I am.

I could see the few tears behind your spectacles

And you broadened your smile to master the art of camouflage.

“Share with me, you will feel better”, I said in a whisper

You looked at me and clutched my hand in silence.

You wondered how your little princess has become so understanding

And I wished to ebb down all your pain, to be your super hero.

As we gazed at each other with emotions playing the trick

I got up and embraced you tightly for a whole one minute.

Your face lit up with love and happiness

Now, you were sure that you can confide in your daughter.

We kept talking endlessly over cups of tea

Our meaningful conversation slowly turned dust to gold. 

Whenever I find my Dad distressed or worried about anything, I keep all my work on hold and try to talk to him. I hug him tightly and assure him that I will try my level best to come up with a nice solution. My dad is still my super hero, but now even I wish to be his super hero along with being his little girl.

This is perhaps the only thing that a father wants from his children: a little time to listen to his problems, insecurities and worries. Do you remember how much we used to crib about our silly problems when we were younger? From a teacher being partial towards her favorite student to a friend having the latest pen which we don’t have, we used to keep cribbing. And he used to patiently listen without any complaints.

 

And now, when we are independent and well settled in our life, our father needs us to be a patient listener. There can be no better gift that we can give to our father than a tight hug and a healthy conversation.

Hug your Dad today and initiate a conversation with him. His joyful smile will surely warm up your heart. 

This father’s day, I am expressing my love towards my dad by participating in the #HugYourDad activity at BlogAdda in association with Vicks.