A Short Stroll out in the Lockdown

Today, unlike other days, I woke up quite early in the morning and after a good chit chat over tea with dad (he’s a super-early riser; ever since I know) I urged him to be out for a short walk to the park right in front of our house, just across the road..umm say 15/20 steps down and take a left-  and you’d be there!! He was so deep into the newspaper but obliged and like a little child, i wore my shoes, he his and we were in the park.

My, my! What a magnificent sight it was. Two other ladies were walking swiftly, a man was offering prayers to the Lord Sun, the pundit ji was still mopping the floor of the temple..oh, i didn’t mention – this park is called ‘APNA PARK’ – meaning  ‘Our Park’ – It definitely felt so that very moment. I haven’t been here much, for usually, it’s over flowing with children playing, running around, doing anything and everything a kid can do in a park. Then there are old people, who find their cozy spots and rule out any other possibilities for someone like me. But well, that isn’t the case.

I am an unusual early riser and since lockdown, I felt suffocated shut inside for more than a month. I just had to get that fresh green air and blue sky under my skin! Evenings, many people come out so it’s like breaking the lockdown norms without a particular reason. Also, it felt as if I am in Australia – in one of its suburbs!

Ok, before I flow away, Back to Hisar –

There in the park, I walked with naked feet on the dewy grass (WOW) spotted 3 lady bugs (double wow) 2 butterflies (woweee) and few birds among which there was a parrot too! The variety of green leaves, colourful blossoms under the early sun looked fabulous that was gently spreading its wings covering the ground and in no time i could hear vendors selling vegetables and fruits etc. Was time for us to go. My dad was fresh as ever; he’s always been a morning person where as I felt a good concoction of happiness and energy.

Yes, my day was good. It was a changed day. I feel grateful to the universe and its forces, just took a minute’s break and saw the beautiful crescent with the nicest shiniest star- the Northern, I guess, we call it. If in your side of the country it’s a day – please go, go out for a walk or just sit and watch a sunrise. If it’s night..look at the moon, it sits so blissfully bright.

Stay Home. Stay Safe.
And yeah, don’t forget the masks!
Love,
N

Today

Photo by Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels.com

Hello there!

If you are coming here for the first time
You don’t know me as such
But that’s okay.

If you read me deeply,
Well then you definitely know me. 🙂

Well- Come!
Welcome anyways.

This is after quite a few years I am using word-press to add in “Snippets of me”

Today, I am a Teacher at OPJMS School, Hisar – the most prestigious one here, pays good; but sometimes, the trend in Education in India, I feel needs a huge change. This frustrates me personally but of course, like everyone says, how can one person herself, can bring a change? I have always thought the opposite – why not?
You start with your classrooms, your own kids at home and though it’s not an easy task to juggle with being a working woman (sorry I am a little biased here. Men if they helped, I would have included them) It’s from what I see at my school, my colleagues, all women majorly – I salute the ones who balance that work life.
Yes, you reading here – I salute you. 🙂

Since COVID -19, suddenly everyone understands how far or rather left -behind we are.. ..teaching norms here, still remain strongly out-dated. Schools in general, fail to have equipments, they just follow CBSE norms on the surface. While education has evolved, most of us still follow –
TEACH (syllabus targeted) CORRECT (the endless notebooks) COME to school and LEAVE.

It’s like EAT, SLEEP and REPEAT.
I do not understand what’s the rush to just ‘book-educate’ the child?? The world has evolved. What we are teaching in school is surely not preparing them for future. Smart Classes are here but what about the teacher training?? In fact, in my personal opinion, even the smart classes softwares are not properly structured. The ones that I have come across are largely just scattered information without the grade levels or even quality material to study.

It’s become such a race to just earn money and fulfil the basic stuff. Often, I wonder, how are we going to handle kids with such delicate brains into this world, rat-race, food-chain, society and all that blah-blahs – properly.

Lack of child psychological support to the core has become just a formality because we just are not left with anytime to pay attention to a child’s need individually.

But I also think, NOW, that all of us have been hit with reality, things are gonna change. We all will flourish. We have children from varied backgrounds, usually classified as Average, above Average and Below Average – how sad that is!? Why can’t we be more productive- helping each other, appreciating, being kind – i wonder.

Working from home should be like an option given. Teachers time-tables should be thoughtful and spread equally. Ah!
All these matters in my head are popping in every now and then. I am not doubting the calibre of teachers, here, it’s the whole EDUCATION SYSTEM that needs to get structured. With so many opportunities, multiple professions across the globe, where, people can make money by just following their passion. I wonder where do WE stand? We are still stuck in a cycle of engineers, doctors, and IAS, IPS and the likes. Today doctors are being saluted, policemen are being appreciated which is such a good sign but there’s still artist community largely ignored in India. Teaching Humanities is very important , I believe.

Of course interest of the child matters. Their aptitudes must be checked, parents should be counselled. i think this can come eventually. If the world stops like this, once a while 🙂

I mean, look at the beautiful skies, the decrease in pollution levels. focus on positive aspects of the tragedy.

I feel deeply sad for the people and families struggling with Covid, much still being diagnosed and all. But I have this strong gut feeling – we are going to sail through, we will emerge as Winners, be it  in science, technology, engineering — today everyone’s together fighting the crises.

I wish all of us good luck.
Stay safe.

N

 

 

 

 

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It is time to say ‘Namaste’ Europe!

I am an odd head so i often dip into my own wonderland but it’s absolutely a dream coming true mid October when tomorrow I fly to Eastern Europe. I am excited as it’s been quite a few years that I ‘tripped’ into a foreign land!

Looking forward to feel the new surroundings, the scenic beauty, the people and the culture while exploring five different countries; I also want to savour the food, the bakery assortments, coffee, fruits, wine and what not apart from sight seeing, transportation, parks, streets loaded with flowers, the vast clear blue skies and the white cloud fluff which is a sight I hardly find here.

I remember how i was in awe of Europe since the epic romantic movie DDLJ! It was a teenage dream to visit Europe then.

I have often missed Australia and all that it offered. The last I went to Oz was in 2013 and celebrated the new year. There is so much to experience there yet but I can’t wait to step into Europe as of now.

I cannot be expressive enough about the much desired break! Break from school, from my hometown and from India as such where negative news rules these days. The tv telecast is full with political dramas, rape or molestation cases, self acclaimed god men and frauds etc. Sometimes the news is so heart-wrenching that i need to escape though I don’t watch much news or read papers but it floats around no matter how, sooner or later. Actually, all this may be just an excuse…I just wanted a break!!

Anyway, I should be in the moment and so…

Europe, see you soon!

Being Alive

Buzzing with Life

I have beeen quite busy

and well, you can say 

also a bit of lazy…

.

Medications play their role

and I am safer this time 

not going down that 

same old rabbit hole.

.

Here’s what I do

I call it My Routine

for now.

.

.

.

I go to school,

learn, read, and teach.

Around two in the noon

-it’s time for me to come home –

yes, I reach.

.

Then, I don’t know?!?

I eat and drink some

after which I rest a bit.

.

Later, I am yet unsure!

How time plays its game

on its very own…

I create a bit and write very little;

I also exercise

and mostly listen to some

beautiful songs.

.

Yeah, it’s just this.

Just all this and a little bit of that too

There’s much said than I do

But yes, I am fine

& I love my life!

.

How about you?

Lots of love

N

Phase in my Life

Though tired of my falls and the rise
I think, I have sort of acclimatised
to the life I have inside me and 
the life outside of me.

It still amuses me

how interesting a life can be

that has cycles of 

depression

aggression

repression, regression,

and various other ‘shuns’

turning into 

progression

satisfaction

minus the expectation(s)

Will this lead to an exhilaration?

Well, that isn’t the question.

At least,

not in the moment.

Yes,

some things lie dormant

but of course,

life can never be stagnant

… not for me

——————————————————–

this life is, i think…

in fact a strange juxtaposition.

Life and a bit of Its Philosophy

Today, I read it somewhere,
“If you had never made any mistakes, you’d never have learned a thing, and if you never learn, you never grow. Who wants to live like that?”

– Not me! prompt came a reply inside my head. I am someone who loves life. It’s been hard, yes, but then what is life if it doesn’t have its shares of lows and highs? And fears and struggles? And joys and sorrows? And of course, Mistakes.

(This Miss Takes or Risks! Excuse me, that is self-talk.)

How would one know the importance of a night if they don’t experience a day? Or how would one feel the light of joy that comes after some grief or a deep dark slumber? Things are easy said/typed than done but I walk this path of life experiencing life in every little thing from a tiny little ant, to the dew drops, from a simple box to the stars and from planets Earth, Venus to Mars (Ok, that came in just to rhyme!)

So, what is life actually – the BIG question people ask themselves or others; wandering in their day-today life, trapped in a societal scrutiny and their respective roles and jobs. I say, they actually need to stop. BREATHE. And breathe a bit more to feel the air rushing through their nostrils into their lungs and exhale what ever confusion or chaos they feel. It is an advice unasked for but I wish to write what my take on certain things are.

Breathing helps a big deal as in the hubbub of life that runs around paying bills, providing and protecting or being responsible and practical, chasing something people themselves are unsure of takes the energy they should also have for themselves.

Prioritise yourself because if you don’t– how would you take care of others who are dependent on you or how will you do things that you really want to?

So I repeat, breathe and breathe and breathe till you feel your nerves settling down and till you feel a bit of your comfortable self. Just breathe.

Life is nothing but living/feeling the present. As most of the spiritual philosophies also put it in different ways or manners or techniques and thoughts.

The problem I think is that people talk and they talk and talk, rarely listen. So when they listen, they must follow as they took somebody’s energy and time to let their emotions out and ‘sort of’ ask help. On the other hand, the listener let others feelings seep in and probably learns a few things about himself/herself and says/offers things/suggestions wholeheartedly, hoping the speaker will understand and follow or at least give the talk a thought, deciding what suits him or her in the end.

We of course do what WE will really want to. Like that silly saying goes “Suno sab ki, Karo mann ki!” 

Life is such, it will offer you choices and tell you opinions. It will be rough at times and smoother some times. At other times, it will just be. So, live it the way it is and work towards the way you want it to be.

I think that is enough of a moral lecture, for me and for you and for anyone who reads it.

So, see you in the next post, may be?

Till then – Breathe. Be in the moment. Relish the feelings the moment offers. Let thoughts come and go by. Don’t stick to one particular thought. After all these are only thoughts – our brain has its job to do. It creates thoughts but you have the power to drive them away or let them stay. So, choose what you want. Choose what suits you better than what will suit others. Listen to your heart and yes, please don’t deny what the mind also tries to emphasise plus be aware of your loved ones or whose life is affected by your words/actions.

It is a tough balance but again it isn’t impractical to fill your own-self and also the people around you, i mean, people who matter.

I know this isn’t as easy as these words make it sound but try it, this isn’t impossible either. No matter where you are, who you are, which barriers you might have to cross or be enclosed in; you can still be free and be yourself.

Aah.. I guess that is enough. 🙂

Have a good day.
N

I Want a Poetess in Me

Once upon a time, in the world of cartoonish cosmos, there was a poet, a musician who sang out melodies and wrote notes, became a guide and saved the dying poetess with his wisdom and rationality being playful and very considerate. She can NEVER thank him enough but keeping this here on snippets FOREVER digitally.

Jess Killmenow

I want a poetess in me
I want her
To possess
Freely
I want her to
Worship my words
Poke holes in my grammar

She has surprising
Happiness
About her
And it’s not

Surprising

I want her
To reply to my post
To anoint my post with oil
To dance
With my post

I want her
To accept
My thanks
Among other things

She is so annoying
With her attention
That I so
Crave

I want her
To stay
And go away
And be

In me

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