"The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don’t. If you keep saying your slippers aren’t yours, then you’ll die searching, you’ll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more. Not only our actions, but also our omissions, become our destiny.”

Stunning..! 

One of those moments when you read something and you get the feeling that it's just what you were wanted to read, to know and to read understand. 

All I did was say a silent prayer for 2012 to be great on all counts - Give me the strength to own my slippers. Discard the ones that are ugly or do not fit. Accept gracefully the fact that the ones I like but don't fit, aren't meant for me. Unconditionally love the slippers that are mine! In short, make the good, better. Make the bad, good. And make the ugly, beautiful!

The Time is 'Now'

Yesterday evening was beautiful.

Not because I had one free evening after days of stretched work. Not because I was feeling fresh after an evening shower or because the weather was perfect for a hazy wintery walk. Infact, the streets were crowded and horns were honking, people were hurrying to get home and rest seemed busy with their own lives. 

It was perfect because I could observe the bizzareness round. The breeze, the honking of cars, the whooshing of the wind in my ears, the way a dog scampered away across the walk, the chuckle of the kid when I smiled at him, maddening traffic, the cycle that went by, the playground and yellow lights.

There was no thought of what had gone by. There was no anxiety at what would be coming. There was this one thought-less, stretched out minute of bizarre happiness when I was in perfect harmony with the world and myself.

Not realizing the time, I asked an old man passing by, "What time is it?"

He smiled and said, "Time?! Why, it's Now! It's always the 'Now'!"

And so it always is, isn't it?

Those pieces of your life...

Those pieces of your life, the ones you call 'friends' are mysterious.

Sometimes they stick with you forever, but mostly they fade out. Exactly, like the way seasons fade, making room for fresh. There are some you know for a long time, growing closer only little by little and enriching every moment of it, with whom we find a strong and necessary connection - like our own life. Then may be those too who just pass by. 

What's that one quality that connects me to any person, I think. I know it's something deeper and more meaningful than just being hardworking, caring, honest, witty or may be serious. There is definitely something more enriching that I seek. 

My best friends are people who know who they are. They have faced challenges and are thankful for that. They are courageous to take risks and are proud of it. They celebrate the bad stuff equally as they celebrate the good. Like everyone else, they too get frustated and stand up again. They crib and make our life hell. But no, they won't let anyone else do the same!

Isn't this same thing that makes the best characters in books? We cry when they fall. We cheer when they succeed. We watch them evolve and grow, and yet they remain steadfast. They work and we get bored. They move away from us, yet we know they are the closest. They laugh and we are happy. They pray and we feel blessed. They want life to get better and more radiant. For themselves and for everyone around. They are joy. 

I think I know what a good friend has to have for me - strength of character.

For Julie

Now this one is my very special of the 'butterfly moments' and goes specially for Julie!

Last Saturday while sipping coffee, one of the usual firangs(or so I thought!) asked me if she could sit with me. She was Julie, a charming air-hostess in Air Canada. The more we talked, the more I was impressed by her. Thinking that she is another foreigner on a spree to India, the super casual question came from my side – Are you a tourist?

To my utter surprise, I was wrong!

“Anushree, I work for a women development NGO in India. I’ve come here just for 2 days to pick up the baby clothes made by them. I sell them in Canada, or wherever I go on my trip and send them the money back.”

This was a simple answer to a simpler question. But, it stirred me for a while.

- I don’t believe this, Julie! 2 days, Canada to India, just for this purpose?

“Yes, just for this! There are some things that needs no explanation and have no purpose. They are as they are, because they are meant to be that way!”

- Okay. But why India?

And, there came the most beautiful of answers I’ve ever heard –

"Contributing for a beautiful deed in the land of beautiful people…"

Speechless. Aren’t you?

My butterfly moments

It’s sort of a weekend ritual for me – go to my favorite coffee shop, order my hot frothy coffee and sit down in a quiet corner. The favorite one too, especially when I experience my ‘Butterfly Moments.’

These moments have become very precious for me - they are moments of reflection, moments of gentle thought towards all things sugar n spice, also the moments of inspiration. The inspiration may be from observing a person, from the lovely, old couple enjoying their coffee together, from love-birds playing footsie, or from a song playing on the radio. I may meet someone and share a smile or a word with them, that conversation may also inspire.

They are always genuine. Beautiful and graceful, colorful and vibrant, varied and enchanting, small yet approachable, random and so powerful that I always end up smiling. Very much like butterflies that lead you to the sunny side of life. Hence, the name :)

One of such moments inspired me to write again – for I realized there is so much to share! I’ve realized that life always seems so very busy - if we don’t stop to ponder, so much may pass by unnoticed. I’ve also realized that I would not my want my precious moments to fade into the morning air as I wake up, or that at some point I just can’t hang on to their meanings.

Here’s to some of those beautiful reminiscences. After all, everyone deserves a little sunshine!