A Dream come true and last few days of 2011

Life is all about living the moment in the best way possible.Last Sunday was a random day when few friends turned up at 7 a.m.Woke up,put on my shoes and rode for 16 hours.Sometimes all the dust, perspiration,smoke,cold is necessary to get out of our mundane lives.Some hazy memories of a day,was it me ,was it them,was it the day I don't know but I feel happy much like most of the days of this year.

Early Morning on a mountain top

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learnt at school---Einstien

I had always wanted to contribute to the society but as often is the case,something or the other turned up.So one morning I just woke up and walked in to a NGO.The two rounds of interview was inspiring because for the first time I did not think of the pros and cons of my answer and just spoke what I wanted to do.When at the end of the day I got selected I thanked God for bestowing the opportunity to work at KGVK. 

I have started with the Education department but plan to contribute in all the departments possible.Luckily there was a one week orientation going on for the teachers who teach in villages.I was asked to work on their communication and vocabulary.In my five days of presentations and demonstrations I was happy that at the end the whole 40 teacher class was motivated.I firmly believe that teachers are the ones who can change the sad picture of our education in villages.A common complaint was that there was building and resources but lack of quality education.Going through some papers I came to know about the absent ism of  teachers.I thought that bechmarking and quality would come automatically if they realized the purpose.The mere satisfaction of changing lives is enough flare for a revolution.Though these are early days for me I plan to stay here till May and you will definitely here more from me.

In 2011 I carried happiness in my bag:Football studs,Into the Wild(Book),Pink Floyd(i-pod), but the happiest times were evening football,tea with friends and bike rides with college mates.

But the conclusion of all this was that happiness is a matter of choice and I chose to be happy.

2011 A Year to remember...

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

Running close to 400 kms , biking around 5000 km,16 books,over 150 days of football,numerous cups of tea with friends may be mere statistics for some but for me this is life and this is what 2011 was for me.However the fact that makes this year so special was the realization of a power within.I have learnt how it is important in life to be mentally strong and not to give in easily to the earthly pleasures.I have found that the best way to live life is to make the present beautiful and to realize the purpose of things.

Sweating in the 10km runs on a chilly winter morning I see the awe in the eyes of the walkers reminiscing of past when I had the same admiration for long distance runners.Slowly I realized I had it in me and today at the end of those runs when I feel a splurge of energy I respect myself.I ran my maiden half marathon this year and I promise you there are plenty more to come.

I have written enough posts on Football and how it enchants.They say that no one could take away the things you live for,I have found it to be true.I have traveled 30km everyday for football and in spite of the distance I always reached the field on time.Sometimes it was frustrating to see people living close by coming late but then I thought I have to lead by example and these are the small things that defines oneself.The football high was achieved in May when I got the chance to play with a member of the Indian football team and the pilgrimage happened in Kolkata when I saw Messi play.

There are two things which I have carried in my bag for the past few years , they are the football studs and a book.I managed to read only 16 books mainly due to academic commitments.The mailbox was full with book review requests and had to say no to many authors.All these books were wonderful and the library is still growing.Financially i hit a low once when I did not have money for a book,I did not regret the fact that there was no money but I hated the fact that I did not have the book.To quote one of the lines from the book 127 hours which enjoyed a lot,"The invigoration of hiking alone,moving out at my own pace,clears out my thoughts.A sense of mindless happiness-not being happy because of something in particular but because i am happy is one of the reasons why I go to lengths I do to have some focused time for myself."   

Today sometimes when I look in the mirror I see a better me and the inner radiance reflects on the face.

Dear reader,Thank you for being in part of my journey and I feel that with time my writing skills are getting better.I would like a line from you on the year which is about to pass by.

December Quote

When we are young it is good to be a Sreesanth for frivolity is the characteristic of the young but it is equally significant to dream of a Sachin.But no mission is achieved without realizing the Dhoni within and the aplomb and meticulous approach of a Dravid.Remember there is only one Sachin Tendulkar and many Vinod Kamblis.

Ruddy orange glow across the lunar surface and Vadodara reunion

"People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends,but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations with each passing moment.A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors.In my line of work I make it a point to notice them."   - Markus Zusak(The Book Thief.)

Don't know whether it is the nostalgia of a group picture or the beauty of the moment which lures me the most.At that moment with my shoulders around the neck of my friends, I felt that this is something I would like to do again and again.I have lately seen many sunsets and sunrises,interestingly today it seems more like a carnival than the usual calmness that it bestows.As a child I was taught that the sky was blue but later I learnt that you could see other colors if you were observant. Following the Sun until the last red disappeared and later a reddish tinge spread over the water of the dam I thought that sometimes life is as it should be.

A 40 hour train ride covering 8 states is not about the distance but is about an experience of knowing a few of the 1.21 Billion.Sitting on an Economic Times Newspaper along with many others I knew it was a different story for everyone.For some it was tickets not being confirmed while for most it was fate.I had read somewhere that the best way to pass a night is by telling stories and  by the end of the cold winter night I had some interesting stories to narrate.For me it was a weekend getaway but for most it was a ticket for more money.Sitting there I felt the discomfort of disparity rather than that of my situation.Sometimes life makes us find warmth in the most unusual of places,I would like to remember this as a night of warm memories.

People do so many different things in their pursuit of happiness ,for me it has always been a simple walk to a football ground or a mountain peak in a summer evening.Life for most of us has become mere shrinking square feets bounded by impenetrable walls.Experiencing a lunar eclipse with friends was not just 3 beautiful hours but was in fact a whole phase of the moon fast forwarded.Nature surprises us in mysterious ways and makes us conscious of the beauty of a moment.When the lights in the resort went out all of us were looking at the sky and suddenly we were aware of the beauty,enchanted,spell bound we all wanted the moment to last to eternity.

Hangover of a long journey and 4 hours of sleep could not subdue the spirit of running.We ran and we ran hard for those 7 kms relieving us of the solitary runs we have been used to in our new roles.In college it is easy to categorize your football,running,smoking, breakfast and  assignment friends but there are a few who rise above these labels.It is for these friends that one rises beyond all trepidation,anxiety and pain to relive a part of a life when we were happy.

In our lives, each day we strive hard for happiness,often forgetting the fact that happiness is a choice which does not comes from exotic food and costly cars but by putting a cap to our wants.We seek emotional solace from the society forgetting  that no one cares and selfishness thrives.On the bike ride with Doodh we shared the experiences of Anandwan  and Vrindavan  two names of which the essence was the same.He has been a partner on many of my treks and this time the connection was re installed on two wheels.Life is like strands of thread mixed with each other, it is by our choices that we separate the strands easily or keep mixing them further.

Another trip with friends

Will be leaving for Gujarat in another half an hour.Whenever I will read this post in future it must remind me of the fight i have put for this trip.Between i wanted to share with the blog a pic of mine, I got my first suit and thought would be worth a memory.

I loved the latest episode(Season 7:12) of how i met your mother.The friendship gesture of Ted towards Robin brought some tears.I am going to this trip for some laughs as Ralph Waldo Emerson aptly says,"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."