Just before the eyes met!

Technology has changed the way relationships work…. We also know the simple math. First the eyes meet..If the eyes say ‘Yeah I think he/she is good/attractive I think I should just speak to him/her’ you take the first step. This is followed by a general chat, some initial outings, compatibility test (wow the karmic connection we all want so much), love (if it happens) and then the next crucial life making/destroying (laugh!) decisions and so on and so forth… Needless to say it’s the physical presence, the expressions, the laughter, the anguish, the fights that help you make this relationship but the underlying message is ‘Everything begins with when YOUR EYES MEET!’

Today however the math has reversed?! First your mind has to give that message to your fingers ‘Accept that Request’ ‘Send that Request’! Then the conversations begin…you chat and chat and chat…all your expressions are virtually transmitted through your smilies & other graphics. Then when you type something and the other person says ‘Shoot I was gonna ask you the same question and you answered (or) wow you are not going to believe this! I was just gonna type out the same….walah! You believe that it is a karmic connection…gradually you tend to say ‘Let’s just chat over the phone’ that’s when you hear the voice….and you like it J you decide hmmm not bad! Then since you have already liked the chats (virtually) the telephonic conversations get better (not necessarily) you tend to understand the person more with his/her voice modulations and try just TRY to understand the person with this…gauge whether is he/she really interested, is this merely a trial and error…is this person genuine…Interestingly if things go the way you wanted and/or you are a person who just wants time to decide whether this is good or no you continue.... Gradually you realize that this person becomes so important to you that you start doing things you have never done before….like make time as you know he/she will call, ignore your friends and keep chatting or keep checking your phone when there is a notification, WAIT at odd hours for one message from him/her, probably stop right in the middle of the road in your car just to take the call, or sit out of your house in your car in the middle of the night and speak…..and many such things you have never ever done….WHY IN THE FREAKING WORLD YOU DO IT? YOU SIMPLY DONNO!

Source: Google Images

So you have somewhere touched the heart of someone sitting somewhere in the world...and that makes you feel good..scared...apprehensive...and name all the adjectives that describle...'GOD LET THIS BE TRUE PLEASE!' 

now when indeed this happens...Distance doesn’t matter, time doesn’t matter, work doesn’t matter. You just flow with the wind and accept whatever is in store. Worst it makes you a person you never were especially when you know that you are supposed to hear but you don’t and you go all paranoid…which you usually DON’T…and you ask yourself ‘what the heck?!’Why in the freaking world did I do that…I have never behaved like this ever before? Then you are in a dilemma…on whether to step back or take the step forward since you are OBVIOUSLY giving the wrong message to the other person…How do you explain this? What do you do is something you will never know…and probably you will never be able to reason or understand as well…therefore CHUCK IT! Just forget it and move to the next day..if it is business as usual GOOD if not speak reason out and then decide the steps forward….

So now moving on to the conclusion of the math..I mean it’s obvious that something plus something must give you an answer right! Your eyes have to MEET coz that’s when TWO PATHS FATED TO CROSS COULD CULMINATE TO ONE STORY OR OTHERWISE! I always wonder in such cases what will cross the person’s mind when their eyes finally meet!!!!

Waiting to see JAB THE EYES MEET ….story to be contd.

When Sand slips through your fingers…….

A uncomfortable feeling lingering in my thoughts..

Wondering what did I do wrong to deserve this

A simple life is all I dreamt of, was that too much to ask…

When you know technically you may have got what many people did’nt

But in reality that was far from what you wanted....

I lived my life completing tasks on task

Never questioning the lows and difficulties

Then why God! why did you give me everything but yet I have nothing!

Wondering what did I do wrong to deserve this

Watching the world moving ahead…especially the slow ones

When you always knew you were the fastest horse in the race

Makes you want to jump of the cliff and fall free

But respecting the life given to me makes me strong and helps me see life in it’s face!

How long will I live, How long will I survive is something I cannot say

But I pray to you dear God, give me the courage, give me the faith

I want to live my life and live it! despite all odds...

Not tighten a grip on it as I feel sand slips through my fingers…..

Image Source: Google Images

Hope....

Marrying a person who loves me, having a home, nurturing a child within me and bringing them to this world, nurturing them and having my own family has been my sole ‘want’ in life. Having got everything else but this in life often makes feel very low. The void is something I can never fathom and the fear of leading a lonely life often runs a shudder through my spine. The question that keeps pounding the door of my life is ‘Is time running out?’ ‘Has is already run out?’ ‘Is there Hope??’

Source: Google Images

Many years back when I used to give teach kids, I used ensure that I teach students often referred to as ‘Hopeless cases’ which meant that there was no chance of them passing. I used to focus on boosting their confidence and always ensured that they pass. To a certain extent I was successful. Today when I meet them it feels good to see a confident & successful young person who was otherwise a subdued individual. It feels good that I managed to make ‘some difference’ in someone’s life.  Today when they thank me and share that I ‘did’ make a difference in their lives it makes me feel nurturing need not always be limited to your child. Nurturing people who need your help when no one else does is also worthwhile. It gives me hope that if I have genuinely done good in my life...good will come to me!

When I started working, I passed on the same sentiment. Over the years when my juniors ‘then’ come back to me saying ‘yes’ you did make a difference in my life…the feel good factor gives me hope. On the brighter side, there have been people in my life who have constantly been the pillars of my life. They have shown me that life is not always about ‘being in a relationship’ its about ‘being in the right relationship’. My focus often is on ensuring that every relationship I am with my family and friends are meaningful and I truly believe and want to be in them. Seeking happiness in others happiness and being with them when they want me gives me a sense of completeness.

Being around kids, seeing their innocence, playing with them gives me the feeling of overcoming the void. Seeing the sun rise everyday after a long dark night, seeing a bud bloom into a flower, seeing a bee collect honey every day, seeing a child learning to walk after constantly falling makes me belive that my ‘want’ from life will be fulfilled. Its god’s way of ensuring that it came at the right time…that’s the Hope my life is clinging on too! 

Sevilla through my eyes - The Life we have forgotten to live…..

2014 was a year for realising my dream. I managed bring my dream to reality; visit the land of Flamenco, Plaza de España, Plaza de Toros – Sevilla. After a good 2.5 hour travel by the Euro Rail, we reached the beautify city. The drive from the airport to our heritage hotel was wonderful.

Live is canoeing at leisure

Life is napping by the lake

We were told that Sevilla is over 2,200 years old and has a large and well preserved historic centre. The by lanes of Sevilla were bricked and narrow. Initially it just seemed like ‘wow’ its so clean! Neways we were so tired that we decided to take a quick shower and then take a stroll in the area. Thankfully our heritage hotel was just a new minutes away from Cathedral of St. Mary. 

Life is reading a book by the lake

Live is chatting with your friend by the lake

However, we could not make it the first day as we were close to day closing and decided we will not get much time to savour the beauty of this place. But I must say that the stroll was worth it. There were many musicians playing good music on the street and every few steps we took gave us a reason to look forward too. What I distinctly remember is that we kept walking and walking and our feet did not hurt a bit. The very fact that no one was on their cell phone or laptop amazed me.

Street actors in Sevilla

By the way there are three lanes in Spain, one for the car, one for the cyclists (green in colour) and one for the pedestrians which usually has rock tiles.  No one and I repeat no one would walk on the lane for cyclists. Well coming back! What we saw amazed us. We say fathers taking their kids on a cycling trip..it was difficult to judge who was completing against who for cuteness the father or son! On the other side, new moms were taking their babies on strolls in their strollers and boy they were super hot! So in a nutshell on a Wednesday evening, at 4.30 p.m. we saw what usually families should do, spend time with each other. I was told that they have a 30 hour week for working professionals therefore they can spend a lot of time with their families. A rare sight in India atleast!

Vicente Traver fountain 

Plaza de España located in the 
Parque de María Luisa

Plaza de España located 
in the Parque de María Luisa

Well our first day was the visit to the Plaza de España, also commonly referred to as the palace grounds.  Built in 1928, it is a plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa. We were told that it was a landmark example of the Renaissance Revival style in Spanish architecture. This was designed by Aníbal González. It looked like a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge and each building is connected by a bridge. Actually these buildings represented four ancient kingdoms of Spain. The Vicente Traver fountain at the center was breath taking. Every second we spent on the palace ground was simply superb. Some glimpses of Sevilla through my lens!

Plaza de España located in the Parque de María Luisa

Torre del Oro

Our second day began with a boat ride. We all assembled near the Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower) and the Guadalquivir River. I was amazed at the colour of the tower, the yellow of gold. What an apt name. We were told that this boat ride would help us cross seven bridges. Each a classic piece of construction. But I must confess, more than the bridges I was mesmerised by the banks and life along the banks. 

The Boat Ride

People running along the banks, canoing, strolling hand-in-hand, sitting with friends and chitt-chatting, sleeping under a tree reading a book and many more instances that I yearn to do most of the time but find it difficult as there is either ‘NO TIME’ and the places are ‘TOO CROWDED’. In all, the boat ride was refreshing. I managed to capture some moments which are priceless… The funniest part was our guide for the day. This lady would speak non-stop in Spanish explain the place and its history. Then she would translate this in English in just two sentences and say ‘FOLLOW ME’. I mean all I remember of her was ‘FOLLOW ME’. The rest was ‘god knows what!’

By Lanes in Sevilla

ByLanes in Sevilla

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

Following the boat ride, we headed to the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza i.e. the place where the bull-fights used to take place. I mean, it was so wonderful. The external appearance of the Baratillo bullring evokes a late-Baroque style of architecture, typical of the second half of the XVIIIth century, Sitting there on the stone benches of viewing the ring, I could actually picture the matador and bull in their act. Something I believe is difficult to explain through words. We were also shown the pictures of the youngest Matador, aged 13 (I think). She explained the story of how he was killed by a bull at the age of 44 years. But looking at their costumes and prizes i.e. the heads of the bulls I just thought ‘Wow’ this is really true. They showed us the area where the bulls were kept and also that historically there were very few instances when the bull has killed a matador. I decided to capture some moments here….

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

Cathedral by the Night

For this place, we went to the Seville Cathedral and Giralda. I must tell you for the first time in my life, I had to go back 700 years to image what I must have been like to construct this massive infrastructure. This is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. It is also the largest cathedral in the world, as the two larger churches, the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida and St Peter's Basilica, are not the seats of bishops. For the first time I realised that every wall, every tower, every brick has seen the rise and fall of their dynasties. Being taken over by different rulers with different religious faiths must have been quite a story to tell. The paintings and the artefact collection at the church were amazing. But as we moved towards the interior of the church, I just missed a heart-beat. I did some reading before visiting this place which stated that this church was built to demonstrate the city's wealth. After seeing the amount of gold and silver and other metals used to build the infrastructure, I will totally second that statement. Before the construction of this cathedral, apparently, the members of the cathedral said that - Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will think we are mad. 

Seville Cathedral 

Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral

View from the top of the Seville Giralda

View from the top of the Seville Giralda

Indeed after viewing this massing infrastructure, I must say they were true to the last word of that statement. The construction that began in 1402 ended in 1505 phew! This cathedral also experienced massing damage due to the repetitive collapse of the domes. But in my view….it seemed like nothing had happened. There was a small orange ochard in the courtyard which apparently was a mosque years ago…the most noticeable features are the great boxlike choir loft. Therefore you must and I repeat must do some reading before you visit such places. I understand it is difficult to miss. But it makes you look at the piece of infrastructure in awe only if you know the history behind it! After mesmerising  ourselves with this beautiful piece of infrastructure, we decided to head for the Giralda. The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville. Its height is 343 feet (105 m), and its square base is 23 feet (7.0 m) above sea level and 44 feet (13 m) long per side. We walked up 33 floors YES 33 FLOORS. On reaching there, I was breathless and yes speechless as well. Have managed to catch some glimpses of the same….

Heritage Hotel where we stayed

Heritage Hotel where we stayed

Heritage Hotel where we stayed

Heritage Hotel where we stayed