Guldasta

A bouquet of flowers picked along the way ….

Journey of the Heart May 24, 2010

Filed under: life,love,photography — gurdas @ :

Beside Chandratal Lake, HP, India. Aug. 2007.

Our life is not one single journey. It is, rather, many tightly woven journeys which are so deeply interlinked that we may safely view them as a whole.

There is the journey of the body. There is the journey of the mind. There is the journey of the heart.

And it is the journey of the heart that touches our deepest depths. But it is, again, not just one single journey. The heart makes many many journeys and often the roads intersect; the results of one become the baggage of another, and the troubles of one become the gifts of another. Such is the nature of Life.

For the individual and the society, it is the journey of the heart that is vital to existence as a race. From the day we are born we begin these three journeys, and they end only with our demise. But what makes the journey of the heart unique is that it can never exist by itself. The body can exist by itself, the mind can learn without always needing another mind, but the heart is nourished, it’s journey made only with other hearts. A mother makes this journey with her child, a brother makes this journey with his sister, and couples make this journey with each other. It is our hearts that truly make us what we are. The most skilled craftsperson draws his/her inspiration from what emanates from the heart. That emotion is crafted by the skills of their mind and body, but the origin is always the emotion. It could be a painter, a composer, a doctor, or an engineer. It is their *love* for their profession that inspires them to excel. And love is nothing but a vehicle of journey of the heart. Truth be told, the journey of the heart underlines everything we do. It is the root of our happiness and our sorrow. It is the root of our creativity and destructiveness. It is the single most powerful force at our disposal.

Imagine being able to cook very well. But, when you actually cook, you do it because you love doing it. The skill to cook by itself has no pleasure. You acquire the skill to be able to make a journey. The mind then becomes a tool for the heart to accomplish its goal.

And so, it is vital that we recognise that the journey of our life, is essentially the journey of our heart. And I know it means I am now saying that we truly make only one journey. That of the heart.

 

Happy Birthday, Sis March 22, 2010

Filed under: family,love,Me — gurdas @ :

Sister and I, circa ~1982

 

Ms. Sweet Tea and some kids March 21, 2010

Filed under: Children,creatures,friends,humour — gurdas @ :

Ms. Sweet Tea

See that small dog in my friend Sue’s arms? Her name is Sweet Tea and sweet she is. She attracts attention like a magnet. And she acts pricey. For the 45 odd minutes that we were there outside the Starbucks close to campus, we had about 10 people who looked at her and smiled as they walked by, 4 people who wanted to pet her, and finally two groups of students (one seen here) who wanted a picture with her for a school project. I was slow with my phone camera when the first group of students had their shot taken. Which made me not happy since it was a nice story telling shot. But I totally underestimated Sweet Tea. A few minutes later, we have another group stopping by. They asked me if they could have a shot with the dog. I pointed to Sue and said “Ask the owner”. They made a pyramid because they also needed a shot of that, and this way they could kill two birds with one stone.

Kids make me happy. Kids making pyramids and having fun make me very happy. The Oscar for the most happening person of the month goes to Sweet Tea the dog.

 

worth a watch March 14, 2010

Filed under: family,love,Me,nostalgia — gurdas @ :

my watch, since 1992

An ordinary watch made extraordinary by its survival. 18 years and counting.

I was all of 15 when my father gave me this Titan timepiece. Since then it has stayed on my wrist about 20 hours a day and 365 days a year. And it has not stopped for one single moment except when needing a battery, o-ring, or glass replacement.

I remember it cost a mere Rs. 450 ($10) or thereabouts. It has been my only wrist watch from the day it came into my life and I hope to maintain that till it ticks. The many years of wear has weathered it, just like me. Its steel body has scars and dents and the dial face has yellowed along the edges. I keep it clean by washing it under running tap water using soap and a toothbrush! Wonder how many people do that with their watch. I do.

Over the years, it has lost some of its water resistance and the display fogs when it is subjected to one of my cleaning sessions or rainfall. I am guessing it will last a few more years and will then rest in peace in my wardrobe.

To remind me of my loving father. And to remind me that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the ‘extra’ distance travelled.

 

नौ दस ग्यारह February 21, 2010

Filed under: Children,family,love,Me,poetry — gurdas @ :

जब वोह है आपको चूमता
मेरी धड़कन थम जाती है|
उस छोटी सी जान में
नजाने क्यों मुझे अपनी परछाईं नज़र आती है|

उसके खट्टे मीठे सवाल और उसकी भोली आँखें
आप जैसा व्यवहार और आप जैसी बातें|
दिल के दायरे में समेट लूं ऐसा सोचता हूँ
पर खुद को पराया जान के रुक जाता हूँ

बस कुछ नौ दस साल का
सुबह की सुन्हेरी धूप सा प्यारा|
एक दोस्त है और चाहता
जब आये जन्मदिन ग्यारह|

.

When he lands a kiss on your face
My heart skips a beat
And in his young self
I see a reflection of my soul

His sweet questions and his innocent eyes
Remind me of your mannerisms and talk
I think of surrounding him with my love
But pause because I am yet a stranger

All of just nine or ten years
Precious as the golden morning rays
He desires for one more friend
As his eleventh birthday approaches