Watch your words

Recently I received a text message on my mobile.
“Words are under your control until they are spoken.
Once they are spoken, you come under their control.”
Nice thought. So, let us take an example of how we this affects our life.
I have been always a quite guy who would like to listen to others. Not just listen, but try and understand the situation. Feel the joy and sadness the other person is feeling. So, when I listen to others, I imagine that I am in their place, experiencing all those things and how I would handle the situation. There have been so many situations where I sit patiently and listen and say “nothing” at all. Just listen…..
In the above scenario, the person who is talking to you, may not be able to look into your mind. They will be curious about what I may be thinking about the situation. Similarly they will be thinking about what others might be thinking about the situation. I can keep my thoughts as they are my own and let the other person decide what they are supposed to say and so.
There have also been situations where instead of keeping quite, I have told the other person, what I may be doing in such a situation and how other people would deal with it. But then i think -
“Does my opinion matter at all?”
”Has the other person told me all this to get my opinion or they just wanted to lend my ears?”
Well, the answer to the questions is very simple. Most of the times, your opinion does not matter and even if it matters, it is only then when the other person actually realizes what I have told them. I usually relate such things with my [and some people whom i have been close to] experiences. So, they usually tend to be the correct decision. But, even if they are politically correct and practical, we should always keep them with us until we are asked to do so directly. If we are not asked for our opinion, it is always a good idea to just listen and say nothing. Rather, we should develop such a habit with oneself. If we put our thoughts, we either make is confusing or more complex than before.
So, when someone tells you a story, it is always better to listen than to give your opinion for the same. So, “Watch your Words” …. always.

Drops of Rain

I have been living in Bombay or I should call it “Mumbai” for the past 23 years. You can easily relate yourself to Mumbai when you think about Rain. I have lots of fond memories related to my favorite season – Monsoon.
- When I was in junior school, I used to wait for my school bus at 6:30 in the morning. It was usual to get up to the sound of Clouds bursting against each other and the water drops falling fiercely. It was just a 2 minute walk from my door-step to the bus stop. But still, I only managed to keep my head dry. While waiting for the bus, I used to keep on praying to God that may it rain like hell and my school bus gets stuck somewhere on its way. That way, I can get a reason to bunk my school. As it was very difficult to find a mode of transport during the early hours. The roads used to get filled with waters so high that Cars used to stop working, people walking with half their bodies under water. But as a child, I used to love it as; it was another day off from the school and another day to enjoy myself with my friends.
- I still remember the day when I was stuck with two of my friends in Vashi [Vashi is a suburban area in Navi Mumbai.] This was my second visit to this place and as you can imagine, this place was totally alien for me. I was there because, two of my friends had a examination to attend and I knew that place [as I had been to the same place during my first visit]. It started raining lightly when we left our college and on our way, it started raining heavily. As the exams finished, I watched the rains get heavier and the streets filling with water. I sensed that something is going wrong and I asked my friends to make it quickly as there is no assurance that the rains would be taking a breather. As we left the place and reached Vashi Bus Depot, we found that we just missed the last Bus to our place back and the only means of transport that is left were our own two feets. No Taxis and Rickshaws were seen running on the road.

The roads were filled with almost 3-4 feet of water and everybody was struggling to walk. I do not know about others, but that night turned out quite good for me, as that was the day when a connection was started between me and one of the friends that accompanied me. That night would have been her first night she has spent outside her home without her parents. Although, it is a long story, but a sweet one to remember. I was shivering with cold, but feeling the warmth of the company that I have. I was feeling tired, but still had the urge to be awake and have conversations. One of the most beautiful nights to remember and not to mention, It was all due to the RAIN.

- “Baareesh mein chai aur cigarette ka mazaa hi kuch aur hai” [Smoking while it rains, is one of the best things one can experience]. We used to say this every time, we stopped near the Chaiwala [tea seller] near our college and smoke a cigarette which was shared between 4 people. Holding tea in one hand and smoke while it was raining heavily. We used to perform this routine and still feel and say the same thing every day. I do not have those friends with me now, all of them doing their jobs and busy with their schedules, but I do remember that chai, the cigarette and the rains.
- How can one forget about the garam garam pakoda [I don’t know what you call it in English, but it’s a dish made from onion, flour and deep fried]. And watching the India-Pakistan match while it rains outside.
- If one can best experience rain, then it would be in a Village – far away from the hush and rush of city, where we have lush green fields spread across acres of land. Cows and Sheeps grazing around and children playing near the Mango Tree. It is really a beautiful sight to see the rain pouring itself over the earth. As a child, I used to play and dance in the rain [even though I may get sick for a day or two, but it was worth doing it].

It has not been a long life journey for me and I expect to have more such moments that I can cherish for my entire life.