Changing Times

Its winter now. Times are changing.

Ahmedabad is getting colder...thank God! For a change the Ahmedabadis are not facing the scorching heat. The afternoons are warm and pleasant. The heat does not kill you. You do not sweat. Times are changing.

Ahmedabadis have begun flaunting their woollens. Being originally from Pune, I don't feel the need to woollens but its still a pleasant reverie to be using my jean jacket. Times are changing.

The peacock has once again started sleeping by my window. They have started shedding their beautiful feathers. Times are changing.

I can feel the cool breeze on my face. Like a pleasant zephyr bringing warm tidings along with it. Times are changing.

I will be a year older soon (Oh no!!). The new year will begin soon. Times are changing. Oh yes, the times are changing.

Paradise

I came across this sometime back. Thought I'd put it here.

I'd call a place
Pure paradise
Where families are loyal
And strangers are nice
Where the music is jazz
And the season is fall
Promise me that
Or nothing at all

-Mary Angelou
(Black American Poet)

Wishlist

My birthday is very close. And a lot of websites these days ask for 'wishlists'. Well, I thought why not give it a try. May be a CD with my favouriate song...Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, Bobby Darin, Phil Colins, Asha Bhosale, may be Curt Cobain, Kishor Kumar or Rafi. Then I thought of buying clothes from Benzer or Pantaloons or some other shop around...Then I though of some books, only to realise my darling sister has already bought a few books for me. And I know they will be there with me on my birthday. All that thought, I still sat down to wrtie down and surprisingly it was none of those materialistic things that I wanted. I came up with this rather an obscure wishlist...here it is...

I wish it had not turned so sour...

I wish I was clam...

I wish I had not fought...

I wish I was not like this...

I wish I was like that...

I wish I had understood then like I understand now...

I wish I could make the time stop...

I wish I could talk again as I used to...

I wish the story of The Rose (you'll know what i am talking of if you've read The Little Prince)...someone I cannot live with and cannot live without was not that way...

I wish things turn my way...

I wish my prayers are answered...

I wish my angel comes soon...

I wish my messenger is on his/her way...

I wish I could say sorry...just one more time...

I wish I could mend all that I did...

I wish...Oh how I wish...

Ithaca

A travellers Tale - Ithaca

What man of you, having a hundred sheep,
if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety
and nine in the wilderness, and go after that
which is lost, until he find it?
Luke 15:4

But isn't that what love is all about? Find the one that's lost? And rest only when you've found the lost? And the journey is long and tiring...with the fear of loosing an already lost battle. But you still carry on because you want to...for all that you have done...for all that was there...you carry on to Ithaca...Ithaca

Ithaca

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
Pray that the journey is long,
Full of adventure, Full of Knowledge,
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon - do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
The fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
If you do not carry them within your soul,
if your heart does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long,
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at the Phoenician markets,
And purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind,
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do the hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
And to anchor at the island when you are old,
Rich with all you have gained on the way,
Not expecting you that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given yo the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you,
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
You must have already understood what Ithaca means.

Constantine Cavafy (1863-1933)
Translated by Rae Dalven
From: Paulo Coelho's The Zahir