Small Realizations That Will Change My Life!

I made mistakes , a lot of them this past week . No,it wasn't a question of calculus nor was it a problem on thermodynamics.I suffered and hurt a lot of people in this way. But far from falling apart I have finally come to realize what actually is important for me. You might say that .... "Oh cmon! I read that in inspirational stories long ago " or " Dude! that is the philosophy of life , everyone knows it. It is supposed to be obvious" Yeah I agree; but having experienced what I have I realize the true potential of each and every word that I mention below

You define your own success .

Failing to succeed someplace doesn't mean that you are a failure.

Success is what satisfies you truly.

Rethink your priorities before jumping in the rat-race.

The final and the most important one is each and every realization written above holds a 'you' - which is the most important thing . You may lose confidence in everything and everyone around you but never make the mistake of losing confidence in yourself!


These words are no longer mere words of wisdom as far as I am concerned and well for all those who read inspirational stories and motivational stuff I've cut down  some work for you - skip the story here is your moral . Go learn it!

The 'Fatigue' Story

You might dread a spider , the pink slip , your exam results but I guess you must have never experienced the fear of hearing these four words - "Report to me tonight". Not impressed? "Not quite the usual run of bone-chilling words." you might say. A bummer you insist.Well ,I'll paint "tonight" for you and then you might feel the phobia.Picture this- A seventh grader , a small kid who has yet to face the harsher realities of life , a bunch of seventh graders actually , lined up , silent and trembling as the prefect ( a 12th Grader from the Prefect body) walks up and down stopping occasionally to stare the living daylights out of one of them and then it starts - the traditional dips , front support , 2 mins to the scoreboard and back and the timid seventh grader tries his best to keep up with the frequency at which the punishment comes but he is not good enough. So , time for him to bend over and receive his punishment for not carrying out the punishment properly.The kicks are easy , if its hockey sticks (Which it is for the 10th graders) then you've run out of all the luck in life mate! It doesn't last for long , half an hour at the maximum and one hour for the senior guys but yes we all do remember the two hour "horror" we had to face back  in seventh grade.Kids have it easier now, we had a tough time and the people before us were not exactly the part of the 'lucky bunch' . Welcome to punishment-time in boarding life!

When we entered Dixon Wing , we were wary of the infamous 'fatigues' and were cautious in the beginning but we were kids , we broke rules and were punished as an effect. I remember the first one , loads of dips and running to the scoreboard (it is really far!!) but being sixth graders we were always let off easily.The worst ones for me were the ones when you had to change into your college kit in 2 minutes , because I had to tie my tie each and every time and it actually took up most of the time and then we had to do it all over again.Class 7 was worse ( we had to write lines!!) .We were a year senior now and more discipline was expected from us but again we fell short on that count and that led to the big 'fatigue' on the night of the fifteenth of August. My arms and thighs hurt for two days.Grade 8 was better as by now we had more friends among the 12th graders and dorm prefects were certainly the best. No fatigues from them , but then the College Captain did not spare us or rather me this year (I know this might sound harsh to him but of course it was his duty I realise that ) .I spent atleast 30 minutes once doing rounds of the front quad with my hands held high and on another occasion after two and a half hours of non stop badminton I was caught by him again for breaking the rules.So that is how it was - a long story of back breaking punishments a.k.a fatigues
I left Sherwood that year and if allowed to reverse time I would go back to my years in Sherwood even if it meant all the slogs and dips again!!

The Poet that Wasn't!

After many years and innumerable attempts that continue till date I still haven't been able to understand what it takes to be a poet.Is it the sweet rhyme , the words that toy with your mind or simply the deeper meaning ?
The 'English Poet' has always been a source of great intrigue for me. I have searched far and wide and still my questions remain unanswered. For my part I have even scouted for texts that say 'What makes a true poet?' or the 'The Beginner's Guide to Becoming a Poet' but all such efforts have only ended in vain.
My earliest attempts had always been at getting words to rhyme .I was pretty successful till it dawned on me (courtesy : the English teachers) that poems are not a mere play of words.There is a deeper meaning. So , as I was into experimenting ,I tried my hand at this too but with miserable results .Poems that did not rhyme or were innocent of the sing-song approach did not hold any interest for me.My reading practices were restricted to entertainment .I did not seek philosophical insight into worldly matters nor did I look for inspiration (but this is another matter that I shall take up later). I for one was (to be read as am) a self proclaimed 'Experimental writer' as I only loved (and still do) to play with words- no meaning ,no philosophy just plain entertainment.(I know someone will oppose this! but 'someone' I do not include those writings as among my experiments)
 Now years have passed since I last wrote a poem (read as completed a poem) and here I shall share one of my efforts childhood efforts made back in 2005. These were written during 'prep' time back in Sherwood .Now , do not mistake me to be of the lazy kind , I know prep times means study but try studying after stuffing yourself with 4 hostel-grade chapatis.So here it is :

A KNIGHT'S TALE

(A poem by Anurag Arya ,VIII-B )

I was a knight from the town of Dover

Serving a Count with my horse named Rover

The daring deeds I have done outnumber the men

In the army of the Emperor by hundred times ten

When I was young ten years before

My parents had wanted me to be a writer of lore

My father was a farmer and my mother a housewife

And they valued me more than they valued their life

With the help of my brother,I persuaded them to let me go

And be a knight to fight many a foe

My mother wept and my father stood still

My mother's tears a cauldron could fill

So on the eve of a winter day

For the last time I bundled hay

At night I took my parents leave and set out

Into the unknown world I rode with many a doubt

On the third day of my journey I stood

Before Dover's walls wearing a hood

I rode directly to the Count's great manor

Which bore on its walls , a figure of an anvil and a hammer

The Count took me into his service at once

I was sent to a nunnery to protect the nuns

For a war was in progress at that time

In the country along the coastal line

Within three months I was at the battle front

Leading troops,with them the enemies I would hunt

I did not spare the young or the old

Seeing me the enemies' blood with fear turned cold

Winning honours I was soon knighted in the County

I was the hero of the day and I received a lot of bounty

Everyone present toasted in my name

My parents were there and I earned a lot of fame

During the banquet seated with the old

I saw a beautiful lady dressed in gold

I vowed that very moment on my life

 To marry her and make her my wife

She was the Count's niece I was told

 I walked straight up to her I had to be bold

Kneeling before her for marriage I proposed

She agreed and from the crowd a cheer arose

A month after this when no axe hacked

I was informed that the French had attacked

Leading an army of thirty-three score

I slaughtered the enemy,their coats of mail I tore

I bloodied my sword a thousand times

During the battle , the Battle of Limes

As it was fought on the outskirts of Limetown

Whose people served my country's crown

I lost an arm and an eye

But I did not for once cry

As I knew I could no more

Fight a battle , so I started writing lore

Now that I lie on my deathbed , my friend

I have remembered my good days till the end

When my eyes shut as I die

Please, I beg thee, do not cry

 

This is the last poem that I ever completed. Every attempt since then has been in vain (certain writings not included for consideration) .If you ever decide to pen my life (well I know that is a big ask!) be certain to include a chapter 'The Poet that Wasn't"!

Unchanging changes!

On the 30th of the last month ,I was lucky enough to meet my 'best pal' Maneesh . It was a day to remember , just going in circles around CP again and again , remembering those good days of old , it was a great feeling! Then a trip to his house for lunch , Well ,time flew and pretty soon  it was again time to bid adieu .

     Memories!!

                                                        
It certainly is something when you meet your best friend after five years! (the time span is shocking isnt it?) and what was the sweetest of surprises was that I realised that we were just the same (I wont mention the height difference here though) as we had been when we left Sherwood in 2005.
Greeting each other in the same old Sherwoodian tongue , it was a meeting of long lost brothers to be precise.He is still the same old person - with everything in his life arranged properly , the old case of football fever , never diminishing love for Nike!! ( I remember that he actually loved the yellow Nike t-shirt that I had brought for the treks and he was always going on about sports brands) .As memories rushed back , I felt that we were back in Sherwood and were probably strolling to the canteen .I almost expected him to ask me to join him for a game of badminton , some futta ,cricket or some more practice on the irani santoor .
When he paid for the coffee this time , I remembered that ,back in Sherwood, I used to usually run short as far as finances were concerned and well, it was real pain getting some money out of him (though he always gave it to me in the end).
While I'm and always have been a 'confused' case, he is still the same old Verma who keeps tab of everything that is going on around.So , it was no surprise as he updated me on the whereabouts of many old buddies as he has been in touch with most since he left.
It is the most wonderful of things to find your old friends as they were when you were together and frankly I had been dreading that maybe we both had changed and would no longer get along like we did in Sherwood. Well , now that clouds of  doubts have been replaced by that strong friendship I can still say that Verma is still my best man! 

I just need an excuse to be HAPPY!

My life bricks!! ....good that you landed on it (and better for me to share my life with someone) .I ,well , I guess you shouldn't check out the Profile displayed on the blog ,rather , let me introduce this protagonist to you myself :
The name means love (or endless love....i am not sure) ,
the height means a clear view from the top ,
the face means ...umm.... just another creation of God (with spectacles) ,
the voice a signal for you to run when he sings,
the interests mean a confused personality ,
the contact details do not mean anything at all!! (access them from  the Profile if you want)
and the words written above mean that he shall talk to you in an indirectly straight manner!
So, after this fairly detailed introduction I hope that you are now well acquainted with the protagonist and if it ever comes to pass that we meet I know that you'll recognize him at once!

Now that the introductions are done with , and as I end this post I shall share a secret about the protagonist
(a very deep secret) and the one he calls his one golden rule 'Life is a bike ride over a bumpy track , either frown and curse or better , smile , shout out -let the world know that you are on one hell of a ride'  . In other words he just needs an excuse to be happy!

Catch you later!